US Civil War Highland Units

[davedove]

Can anyone give me any sources for Highland units in the US Civil War? I know there were units on both sides, but can't find much information about them, other than the Cameron Highlanders of New York.

[sav]

Actually Dave, although Highland culture was something of a novelty in the antebellum period, the 79th NY Camerons were the only distinctly Highland unit. Even the 79th did not wear the kilt after their inital muster parade in New York City. Just as the Irish, many Scots fought on both sides of the conflict, but unlike the Irish, there were few ethnically based Scots regiments, or even companies. I have a relatively large base of articles concerning the 79th if you're interested, PM me.
~Sav

[macwilkin]

Can anyone give me any sources for Highland units in the US Civil War? I know there were units on both sides, but can't find much information about them, other than the Cameron Highlanders of New York.

Unfortunately, there is not really a lot out there on Civil War-era Highland units, and what is out there is based on faulty or no evidence. One good article is from the Scottish Military Historical Society:

Many American cities raised Highland or Scottish militia units prior to, or for service in, the American Civil War. There were 101,409 Scots in the Union States. After the initial recruitment or embodiment, manpower needs opened enlistment to non-Scots. Most seem to have kept their "Scottish" identity despite large influxes of Germans, Americans, and of course the ubiquitous Irish. Little has been found to date on many of these obscure groups. Please let the author know of any information on these units.


Scottish Guards


Raised in Charleston, South Carolina, as a company in the 17th Militia Regiment, circa 1835. The Guards are not mentioned in the order of battle for the mobilisation of 1860.



Scotch Rifle Guards


A company of native Scots or decedents were raised in New Orleans, Louisiana for the defence of the city. Not known if embodied at this time.



79th New York Volunteers, Cameron Highlanders, AKA: Highland Guards, Bannockburn Battalion. New York State Militia. (United States)


American Civil War


Formed in 1859 as a volunteer regiment in New York from a corp cadre of ex-British Cameron Soldiers. Enlisted mainly Scots and Scottish-Americans and modelled after the Cameron Highlanders of the British Army. They wore the Cameron tartan kilt and Highland pattern jacket in dark blue with red trim and Glengarry bonnet. Mustered into Federal service for the American Civil War in 1861. By mid-war, uniform conformed to Union regulation. Embodied for the entire length of the War. Enlisted 795 men and took over 558 casualties. Initial 6 companies mainly Scots and then with expansion to 1000 men, Irish. Known to be very "clanish" and not friendly to American Scots and other "Americans" who joined. By mid-war, the Irish outnumbered the Scots. Went back to kilts after the war as formal dress. Disbanded in 1876.



78th New York Volunteers, Cameron Highlanders (United States)


American Civil War


Formed as part of the recruiting efforts of the 79th to form a Highland Brigade. Failed due to insufficient men and amalgamated with the 102nd New York Volunteers.



68th New York, Cameron Rifles (United States)


American Civil War


Nothing known at this time.



12th Illinois, Scottish (United States)


American Civil War


Wore Tam-o-Shanter caps. Nothing known at this time.



65th Illinois, Scottish (United States)


American Civil War


Nothing known at this time.



1st Battalion, Maine Light Infantry (United States)


American Civil War


Recruited mostly from Scots from Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and P.E.I.).



Highland Company of South Carolina Militia (Confederate States of America)


American Civil War


This company was formed in the south by the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Reported to have been kilted. No other information at this time. Possibly the Scottish Guards above? Possibly Charleston Highlanders?

Charleston Highlanders (Confederate States of America)


American Civil War


Formed before the war. From William Todd's book 79th Highlanders: "We learned that there was a battalion of Charleston Highlanders on the main land, and a sort of armed neutrality was observed [Beaufort Island, SC]... We succeeded in securing one prisoner, a lieutenant belonging to the Charleston Highlanders who was acting as aid to the rebel commander. He seemed relieved when he found himself in the hands of his countrymen, and remarked: "Had I known I was to have been taken prisoner, I would have worn my kilt." Sergeant Campbell of the 79th had a brother serving in the Charleston Highlanders as a lieutenant.


Charleston Highland Artillery (Confederate States of America)


American Civil War


Thought to be part of Rockbridge Artillery. Possibly Charleston Highlanders above.


Company I, 2nd Alabama, Scotch Guards (Confederate States of America)
later the Company A, 45th Alabama


American Civil War


Organized 1861 or 1862. Reported to have had a Highland company in each regiment. Thought to have had 80 to 90 members, most of Scottish birth. Served at Fort Morgan for the year of enlistment, then reorganized as the 45th.

18th North Carolina, Scottish Rifle Guards(Confederate States of America)


American Civil War


Reported to have had a Highland company.

-- http://www.btinternet.com/~james.mckay/dispatch.htm

The 79th New York is probably the most documented, and yet many questions still remain concerning uniform and the use of Highland dress in combat. As with many other militia units, most of the "fancy" uniforms worn before the war when the militia was still a "chum & chowder" society were discarded for standard issue after the first year of the war (save the French Zouave uniforms, and even some regiments that wore them modified them with standard "kit").

Today at CW reenactments, you will see a large number of kilts, glengarries and even pipers, which give the impression that kilted Scotsmen were all over the United States during the war. This isn't exactly true to history; whilst Caledonian & Scottish societies and the 79th did wear Highland attire, there was still a strong anti-immigrant attitude among many "native" Americans (even the 79th came under fire because of its adoption of "foreign" dress at one point) -- "Ethnic" regiments composed of German, Irish, Scots, etc. usually displayed ethnic symbols, but individual immigrants usally attempted to assimilate into American society for fear of being ostracized by the community, and in some cases, phsyically harmed by "native" Americans.

Cheers,

Todd

[macwilkin]

Follow-up:

Here is a news item from 2002 about a request to the State of New York for the re-formation of the old 79th New York:

http://www.scotia-news.com/issue2/ISSUE02d.htm#pat

Cheers,

Todd

[davedove]

Thanks guys for the quick responses. I do know that whatever ethnic units were raised quickly reverted to standard uniforms and such. It's just that you always see stuff on the Zouave units, which I understand were very popular at the time, and I was wondering about the others.

[macwilkin]

Thanks guys for the quick responses. I do know that whatever ethnic units were raised quickly reverted to standard uniforms and such. It's just that you always see stuff on the Zouave units, which I understand were very popular at the time, and I was wondering about the others.

The "Zouave craze" began with Elmer Ellsworth, an Illnois lawyer (who was a partner in Lincoln's law firm for a while) who formed a drill team called the "U.S. Zouave Cadets" that travelled around the country demonstrating "Zouave drill" -- usually Ellsworth would challenge the local militia company to a drill competition, and right after they would leave, the militia company would change to a "Zouave" company! :mrgreen: The Zouave also gained a lot of fame through the exploits of the French Zouaves in the Crimea, and many considered the Zouave the "beau ideal of a soldier". Ellsworth's Zouave cadet uniform was not totally "authentic" to the French style, however; some regiments went the "whole nine yards", such as the 5th New York (Dureya's Zouaves) and copied French style, while others adopted "bits and pieces" -- you see a lot of Zouave style jackets with other pieces of standard kit -- for example, Lew Wallace, the Colonel of the 11th Indiana (and author of "Ben Hur") refused to adopted the "Mohammedean Fez" for his unit.

The Zouave uniform comes from the Zouavea (sic?) tribe in North Africa, which was recruited as colonial forces by the French. The Zouave uniform lasted until WWI, although there are still French regiments who carry the name "Zouave", even though the uniform is long gone.

How does this relate to the Highlanders? Well, during the Crimea, the Zouaves and the "Jocks" developed a fast friendship, and many contemporary French and British drawings show Zouaves and Highlanders fighting in the Crimea -- how's that for keeping this "on-topic"? ;)

Cheers,

Todd