Is anyone kilting for US Independence Day?

[NPG]

The dichotomy is, I suppose, that between a historical political event, and ancestry.

People who want to display their Scottish heritage might be kilted simply due to it being a festive occasion.

It's probably the same reason parade organisers want pipe bands in their 4th of July parades. The irony of having a pipe band march down the street playing Scotland The Brave while spectators along the route wave American flags is probably lost on everyone; all anyone thinks about is that pipe bands are festive.

Ironically, if the family stories are to be believed, we (the family) arrived here in the US as a part of the 71st Regiment of Foot (Fraser's Highlanders) and after the battle of Cowpens we changed sides and were from then on Americans. Though I did not wear the kilt, I suppose that family history might be a reason I would wear it for July 4th.

I'll try not to get into a history lecture here, but I will also point out that though it is called the Revolutionary War on this side of the pond most colonists really did view themselves as British citizens and felt more forced into a rebellion than anything else. In years since we've down played our British roots and carved out a modicum of identity on our own, but we're still a very young nation without a single national identity other than a shared experience of immigration be it recent or in the distant past.

[Luke MacGillie]

French and Indian War, so not bad Redcoats :-) In fact that's the Royal American Regiment behind us....

[OC Richard]

I had an ancestor that came from England in 1762 but when the war started he fought on the colonists' side.

[Sir Didymous]

Though not from the Scottish side, I have an ancestor that was a tax collector for the crown as late as 1772. How's that for popular family members?

[mikepalmer]

Just curious... Why would you want to wear a kilt to the amusement park?

Because Kilts are Amusing? I wear my modern kilts all weekend everywhere.

[OC Richard]

French and Indian War, so not bad Redcoats :-) In fact that's the Royal American Regiment behind us....

One question: how common was it for kilted Highland soldiers to wear those high gaiters?

Is there imagery from the period showing it?

I had always thought that kilted Highland troops, when they wore gaiters, wore short ones.

[Luke MacGillie]

One question: how common was it for kilted Highland soldiers to wear those high gaiters?

Is there imagery from the period showing it?

I had always thought that kilted Highland troops, when they wore gaiters, wore short ones.

Well Richard, you don't know just how much of a can of worms you might have opened here. Not your fault.........

I don't know of any evidence that the 42nd ever wore brown marching gaiters. That is a decision that was made by the unit I fell in with for that event. Ive pretty much joined that unit, so thus you see the rub. No one likes a new guy telling everyone else they are doing it wrong.......

Now there is ample evidence that the 42nd while in the Lake George theater, prior to their retasking to the Caribbean and Pennsylvania did wear a type of leg covering that reached from the top of the shoe to above the knee. The Orderly book entries all speak of blue wool. The journal of an officer in another unit in the same period has detailed instructions on how to construct those leggings. They are basically Indian Leggings that have a vamp installed on the front to cover the top of the shoe.

Units in Pennsylvania in 58 to the end of the war speak of blue or green Indian leggings being worn on campaign, but nothing indicates if they are just tubes of wool with external flaps, or if they had the vamp installed.


Here are a couple of Quotes from the 2/42 Orderly Book:

"The officers of both battalions (it is agreed) are to be uniform in their regimental frocks, which are to be made with a lapel, a collar and a slash cuff, the buttons to be the same as those sent from England for their new lac dRegimentalls. The officers who want tents will no doubt provide them and of the same pattern as last year that they maybe all uniform. If any of them should want shoulder belts they will also give orders to have them made together a pair of blue leggans each to be uniform with the mens."

"The men to be completed as soon as possible in leggans and fellewbeggs sufficient at least for 3 months wear. Each man to have also a pair of good socks which may be made out of old hose or old flannel waistcoats. Such companys as do not chose to provide themselves will give in returns to morrow morning, to the Quarter Master, who will provide these necessaries for them."

Edited to add:

There are 5 books in the Black Watch Museum, 4 Orderly Books and one Quartermaster book that are, well lets just say not available to the general public to look at. They have not been digitized and despite being listed on the website as available to researchers, inquirys about them go unanswered. The entries above come from a 1947 transcription of one of the orderly books. I have seen quotes from the Quartermaster book from 2 authors, one in an article in 1952, and another in a book written by a former Commander of the Black Watch of Canada who obviously used his status to get access. Those books just might reveal that in the Southern Campaigns the BW received marching gaiters, but we will never know since so much of the information is just not accessible by people who do not have privilege. There is a mountain of documents out in California that until such time as I am a PHD Candidate, the repository will not even think of allowing me access to, and then only after I present a compelling argument as to why those documents are needed for my Thesis........

[Chaps]

Since one of the reasons I wear a kilt is because of the Presbyterian Church's connection to the Church of Scotland, on the 4th I was thinking of John Witherspoon. An emigrant from Scotland, a Presbyterian Clergyman, and signatory to the Declaration of Independence, he left his mark on the United States as well as the Presbyterian Church.


Here's to you Rev. Witherspoon!

[tripleblessed]

While not kilted FOR the the fourth, I was kilted ON the fourth. A Methodist church in a nearby community hosts
a meal every first Monday with the intent of offering the homeless and/or unchurched to gather and break bread.
Allows some who are used to being ignored or even avoided to have normal, face to face conversation with folk
who have chosen to sit down with them. Our bluegrass association was asked to provide music, so I'm almost
always there, and virtually always kilted. On the fourth, clergy tartan USA Kilts semi-traditional with dark olive tee
imprinted with a Celtic wheel cross in teal and gold. Brown Lewis hose, gold garter ties, sgian, and undyed elk
hide moccasins.

[Alan H]

Actually I had on blue jeans. I had to fix some plumbing. We don't go see the local fireworks any more as the harbor where they were held has been sold off for expensive condominiums. Our street turned into a war zone with massive, I mean *Massive* explosions all night long. This was no fun and has diddly to do with independence.

A kilt is sub-optimal clothing for doing plumbing, so blue jeans it was and then I was much too lazy to change out, later.