Kilts in the American Revolution?

[HeathBar]

Kilts truly are very practical to wear. I first started wearing kilts on the job after seeing a picture of a WWI Scottish soldier leaping into a trench in his kilt. Further research revealed that even the kilted soldiers in the American Revolution faired better health wise than the trousered soldiers. (Yes, there were kilted citizen soldiers back then.)

I saw this too. I knew that British forces had kilted troops in North America during both the French-Indian War and the American Revolution. But during the Revolution, were there any kilted American troops.

[MacWage]

I saw this too. I knew that British forces had kilted troops in North America during both the French-Indian War and the American Revolution. But during the Revolution, were there any kilted American troops.

Is that "Colonials" AKA "PATRIOTS" and "Whigs" (also a contemporary Brit political party)?

"American" can apply to loyalists and patriots alike.

This, i would like to know. Thus far, my research is focused more on South Carolina and religious matters.

There was a settlement in Western North Carolina (New Sterling and New Perth ARP churches-> "dissenant presbyterians"), where members spoke gaelic and wore kilts before the war. From what I can tell, they were patriots. I'm not sure if they wore any in combat (pitched battles or skirmishes).

[M. A. C. Newsome]

MacWage,

Do you mean east North Carolina? There were no permanant settlements in western NC before the Rev. War that I am aware of (though a couple of illicit attempts were made) and never any Gaelic settlements.

Eastern NC, on the other hand, was another matter....

M

[HeathBar]

Is that "Colonials" AKA "PATRIOTS" and "Whigs" (also a contemporary Brit political party)?

"American" can apply to loyalists and patriots alike.

Yes, I meant Patriots or Colonials. I just couldn't think of the word at the time.
I too, had read, in How Scots Invented the Modern World, that during the Revolution, Scots living in the colonies remain loyal to the king. But Scots/Irish sided with the Colonists.

[MacWage]

This is a brief aside. To finish my second masters, I did a research project on the Associate Presbyterians and the Reformed Presbyterians in the Southern campaign of 1780/81.

I was examining the myth/legend that the "dissenent presbyterians" (these two groups) were patriot to a man and the backbone of the patriot army. As many were Scots who came through Ireland, many called them Irish presbyterians (as opposed to the Church of Scotland) or simply "Irish" (to seperate them from the main presbyterian body). Others came direct from Scotland, though they were still called by these names, showing a religious distiction, rather than racial/national.

I found that there was a split among these bodies, as with most. A notable figure is the Reformed/ Covenanter preacher William Martin, who was arrested as a patriot. There was also a notable Tory pastor, who served a church that came out as pretty much patriot when the British army forced the issue. He served several churches and wasn't ran off from them until 1781 or even 1782! He died in 1782, on the return ship to Britain.

I found a remarkable number of congregations that tried to skirt the issue until the last possible moment, showing a congregation of mixed sentiments. When the time came to force issue (namely Tarleton and Cornwallis coming to the immediate vacinity), most came out as patriot, BUT NOT ALL. One church, in Vidette, Georgia (near Augusta) was Loyalist, while its yoked partner 8 miles away was solidly Patriot. The Loyalists went to one and the Patriots the other, with members passing one to get to the other. Up until the issue was forced, both were served by the Tory pastor, as well as Long Cane (the home of the Calhoun family-famous in the years between then and the Civil War/War between the States). After the war, these same churches called another pastor to serve BOTH.

Of note was the RAPID rise in the legend, that by only a few years later it was preached and, suddenly, the loyalists were converted into patriots. I believe that this was deliberate to repair burned bridges and reconcile old friends. The relavent church histories are remakably silent or evasive about that period, though it was EXTREMELY important to the communities. Such is stark in relation to the complexity and detail immediately before and after the war. It looks EXTREMELY deliberate.

In short, it was not as clean and easy as:
"Scotch-Irish"/Presbyterians-> Patriot
"Scots"/"Highlanders"-> Loyalists

The Cape Fear Scots (including Flora MacDonald) were by a vast majority Loyalists.
The rest of the Scottish immigants were much more mixed.

By and large, the Loyalists either moved back to Britain, to Canada, to another area under assumed histories, or fought to rebuild lost friedships (not something easily done). A simple way to see the mixing of people is the post war exodus of Loyalists and the mix of people who were patriots and stayed.

To get back of topic-> the "Western" highlanders were mentioned in "From Sterling to New Stirling" (the history of the New Stirling ARP Church in Stoney Point, North Carolina). I can't locate the book for some reason or another, otherwise I would quote it directly. Also, nearby is New Perth In Troutman, North Carolina. Both setlements included Covenanter and other like minded Highlanders. Upon investigation, I was told some of the early sessional records were in Gaelic and contemporary records describe Kilt and bonnet wearing dirk wielding highlanders as church members in both of these areas BEFORE the war.

These towns are, generally, near Charlotte, North Carolina, which was settled in the years right before the war, by many Scots of both Highland and Lowland descent. It was also the area to which the general fled after Camden and the destination that Cornwallis hoped to go after leaving South Carolina. South Carolina, however, held him and the army in that state for a year, instead of letting them march out in a mater of weeks, much to the death and destruction of the state and its people. Patriots and Loyalists came to help/hinder from Georgia and North Carolina.

What I do not know is if any of these kilt wearing Reformed Presbyterian Scots actually fought garbed as such in actual combat during the Revolution/American Rebellion. But, if there were kilted Patriots, these make ideal candidates. The history I read made no mention of it either way, only that these highlanders fought as patriots.

Does anyone here know any answers? Or come across anything?

[Magnus Sporrano]

But Scots/Irish sided with the Colonists.

The colonists were pretty well split between loyalists and patriots.

Do you mean to imply that the Scots Irish sided with the patriots?

EDIT: I shoud amend my assertion - The colonists who cared about who ruled them were pretty well split between loyalist and patriot ideals. The majority of American colonists, much like today, didn't much care and just wanted the issue to go away.

[HeathBar]

The colonists were pretty well split between loyalists and patriots.

Do you mean to imply that the Scots Irish sided with the patriots?

EDIT: I shoud amend my assertion - The colonists who cared about who ruled them were pretty well split between loyalist and patriot ideals. The majority of American colonists, much like today, didn't much care and just wanted the issue to go away.

I guess I've just been a little to vague in my replies. Sorry about that. Yes I had read that a majority of the Scotch/Irish sided with the Patriots. (the revolutionary Patriots, not the New England Patriots )

[Chris Webb]

I guess I've just been a little to vague in my replies. Sorry about that. Yes I had read that a majority of the Scotch/Irish sided with the Patriots. (the revolutionary Patriots, not the New England Patriots )

Yep, the modern Scots-Irish all side with the Dallas Cowboys!!

Chris Webb

[MacWage]

So, to sum up, the consenses seems to be:

Kilts were definately worn by Scottish highlander units.
Kilts are worn by loyalists who acted as a highlander unit

There were no kilted units of the regular patriot army
there were patriots who were patriots and wore kilts,
BUT there is no evidence, yet found, of kilts being worn in combat by patriots.



Note-> I use the term Patriots and Loyalists quite intentionally. Both terms are contemporary, show allegience in a positive manner, and are easily identifyable as to which side they were on. These terms also show the pressures and mixed feelings of the times. Today, to be patriotic and loyal are virtually synonymous, yet then they were not. There was loyalty to the crown verses patriotic sentiment to the American ideals. Other terms are much more confusing and/or reflect the speaker's bias (using negative terms).

[Freedomlover]

I saw this too. I knew that British forces had kilted troops in North America during both the French-Indian War and the American Revolution. But during the Revolution, were there any kilted American troops.

Doubtless, but I can't prove it just yet. However, there were kilted Union troops during the War of Northern Agression (1861-1865).

BTW, the figure of "88 frigates" in the quoted OP article is ludicrously wrong. According to the Navy List for those years the RN only had about 60 in commission at any one time, and there were never more than half a dozen in American waters at the same time.