civil war jackets

[Joseph]

If anyone cares, the Confederate Battle Flag was based on the St Andrews Cross because many southerners were also Scots.

[Tarheel]

I have no records nor photos to back up this statement but the Quakers of NC hired German Dragoons to fight in our stead during many conflicts. The bellowing "breeches" of those troops easily handled the "wire briars, black and honey locust tree thorns as well as every green plant that will cut a woodsman legs to shreds. I've heard that kilts were worn with leather spats when tromping untamed country.

[Joseph]

Hello to my brother in Oxford! I am from Natchez.

Also remember that many MANY confederates had no uniform at all, or only pieces they had found along the way. Many were even bare foot. So there is no reason to think some of them couldn't have issue tops with kilts. Having taken a coat or shirt from a fallen friend in the field.

[macwilkin]

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[macwilkin]

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[Scout]

Hello to my brother in Oxford! I am from Natchez.

Also remember that many MANY confederates had no uniform at all, or only pieces they had found along the way. Many were even bare foot. So there is no reason to think some of them couldn't have issue tops with kilts. Having taken a coat or shirt from a fallen friend in the field.

Unfortunately there are many reenactors who adopt the "they would have used it if they had it" approach to authenticity and think that because something was possible it's acceptable to incorporate it into a historical impression. And, since it's a logical impossibility to prove that something never happened, they'll attempt to justify all kinds of things as "authentic".

Absent any evidence that it ever actually happened, I'll confidently maintain that it did not.

[Joseph]

I don't recall CS Senator William P. Miles ever stating in his proposals for the flag that it was based on the St. Andrew's Cross. John Coski's history of the Confederate flag states that the design came about due to a concern about religious symbolism from a "secession" flag:

http://books.google.com/books?id=zs0...page&q&f=false

The Saltire is a common element in heraldry, and doesn't always necessarily mean "Scottish".

Regards,

T.

That is an exhaustive read. I cant possibly comb it all. But on page 7 and 9, it does seem to me in context to be referred to as a St Andrew's Cross.

Weather it is or isn't what it seems to be to me- there are plenty of theories and speculation out there to research that DOES back it up as a St Andrews Cross.

[Joseph]

I was a reenactor & living historian (volunteer & seasonal ranger) with NPS for almost twenty years, and under our living history guidelines, we always sought to portray the average Civil War soldier. My Scottish ancestors who served in the Civil War carried a copy of the works of Burns rather than wear a kilt. Remember that unless you were in an "ethnic" unit, open displays of ethnicity in 19th century America generally led to beatings from "Native" Americans.

While there were some Southern antebellum militia units that evidently did adopt some form of Highland kit, there just isn't enough conclusive evidence to state that it was retained throughout the war. There is much debate about how much the 79th New York wore its Highland kit. Best to stick with the average.

Fair enough, I certainly cannot get into a authority contest with a reenactor. SO thank you for your interest in preserving our nation's history. But that doesn't mean it would be wrong from someone to do so. Especially of their own accord. If that person were simply in attendance of if the other reenactors had no objection. You may yet find more history to be un covered to support enough recollection for emplimentation. I will whole heartedly agree it would not be "average". And so if you rulebook maintains that "average" must always be observed without exception, then that is what must be followed for those reenactments.

[macwilkin]

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[macwilkin]

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