79th NY Highlanders

[gilmore]

East Tennesseeans dressing up as YANKEES? Say it ain't so.

[79thReproductions]

Oh of course!

Check your history my friend, East Tennessee was very pro union. The 79th New York spend over 6 months there, and yes...there were FEDERAL regiments that mustered out of East Tennessee. Good ol' regiments like oh....you know, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, ect. Tennessee Infantry USA

[macwilkin]

East Tennesseeans dressing up as YANKEES? Say it ain't so.

As Rachel mentioned, there many loyal men in East Tennessee who did not support the rebellion. In fact, every state that seceeded also raised at least one regiment for Federal service.

Besides Eastern TN, Northern Alabama, Northwest Arkansas and Western Virginia were strongholds of loyal Union men. Here in my neck of the woods, no less than six regiments were raised from Arkansas Unionists -- known as "Mountain Feds", never the "Y" word -- that spent a great deal of the war fighting guerillas in the Ozark hills. The Mountain Feds, mostly Scots-Irish yeoman farmers, had no love for the planter aristocracy in the Arkansas River valley which basically ignored them.

Check out Lincoln's Loyalists: Union soldiers from the Confederacy by Richard Nelson Current for a basic overview of Southern Loyalists in the Civil War.

Loyally,

Todd

[Galician]

Wow, that's a bit of history I had never heard. Thanks. Rachel and Todd, for informing us about a neglected part of the mess a Civil War is for the identity of a national population

[Colonel MacNeal]

In several states such as Kansas, Arkansas & Missouri, some families/groups intentionally joined as small militias/guerillas on the opposite side of families/groups with which they held personal enmity. The war gave them a legal excuse to raid and kill their enemies. This in turn led to even more grudges in the postwar era, and the development of criminal gangs in the west.

[79thReproductions]

I'll have to re-sort my references, but from what I've read, even late in the war, officers did wear their kilts and/or tartan trews in the field (Secessionville, Spotsylvania and Appamattox (sp))

After just re-reading William Todd's book (a Company 79th Highlander himself) he confirms that the fatigue uniform for the early volunteers and conscripts was indeed the Cameron trews.

This still contradicts what some of these 79th reenactors accept as their 'official uniform'.

Seems odd to me.

This bring up a good point. What is a good source? I don't think this is just a 79th issue (Though it plagues the 79th community) Its a life issue.

Remember that books are written by human beings and the internet is still, and will always be, the internet.

My friends and I keep bad information of the 79th along with the good to show how the understanding has progressed since the 1960s.

There are a few kinds of bad sources.

Bad images: created by modern people that have an idea of what things looked like (Or based off of previous work that was incorrect or re-enacters)




Bad written text: Embellished, made up, or just plain wrong things about the 79th.

WARNING: INCORRECT INFORMATION ;)
"Many where veterans who had seen service in the Crimean War, only to return home to Scotland and fine nothing left after the clearances. Of course, their Highland spirit made them excellent soldiers. In fact, so greatly were they esteemed that General Sherman specifically requested the regiment be attached to his command."

Personal interpretation of primary material for an agenda: People will see what they want to see and often come to their own conclusions.

Primary sources say that kilts Officers paid for their own uniforms. It could be assumed that the 79th officers bought kilts and trews when the pictures show them federalized before most of the regiment.

Just plain making things up: Exactly how it sounds.

Other things to think about.....
Being misinformed, not doing research, some sort of power complex ("Im right! You are wrong!") that does not leave room for personal growth in understanding new information that contradicts an already held belief.

Oh! My favorite. Keyboard Campaigners! I must say, I love them with a passion. And when I say love, I mean I am frustrated. Its easy to do what I seem to do. Blaze away on forums with fancy words and numbers.
Get out and get hands on history. Examine relics and read original journals!

Here are some super awesome pictures of 79th relics btw! I have been meaning to post them Some are Scottish...some are not. Yes yes. Thats me It was an exciting trip. Even made it up Matthew Newsomes way in NC.

This is an original glengarry that belonged to Francis Judge, the 79th MoH recipient for his actions at Ft Sanders in November of 1863! Its in a private collection.



Original print of the Harpers Weekly May 25th, 1861 paper


Now this is interesting. Its a pass to a dance held by the 79th (More specifically the NY Cal. club I think.) Its post war, 1866 and a ladies ticket.




Post war, 1872 79th Highlanders breast plate, also pictured are some "NY" and thistle insignia and a better view of Lang


If anyone wants to see all of the trip pictures just ask I have pictures of sites the 79th were at...their winter quarters, pictures of more relics and neat things. ith:

[hospitaller]

Rachel you dear bonnie lass, I think I'll send you a fraoch just for making me smile.

Keep them coming.

[79thReproductions]

heh. Thanks I love talking about the good ol' 7 9.
I really like your passion for the unit hospitaller. Your frustration is more common then you think. I even feel it a great deal of time...but channel that into something constructive

If you have any sort of IMing program, I would love to chat sometime Send you more pictures and information.

I have got to say though. Im not the expert. The boys in Tennessee are the big guns!

[hospitaller]

heh. Thanks I love talking about the good ol' 7 9.
I really like your passion for the unit hospitaller. Your frustration is more common then you think. I even feel it a great deal of time...but channel that into something constructive

If you have any sort of IMing program, I would love to chat sometime Send you more pictures and information.

I have got to say though. Im not the expert. The boys in Tennessee are the big guns!

Well yeah I sort of feel your pain as well.

I used to be a WWII Reenactor and the unit I was with was 'famous' for being true to the original/real guys we portrayed.

Most reenactors like to 'reenact' what is popular or what the audience wants to see.

We took the opposite approach, we didn't reenact, we did living history. No running around in the woods shooting blanks, but rather spend ridiculous amount of time talking and meeting with the 5th Ranger Bn. veterans and get our impressions right to the 'T'. And only then we would go to memorials, or living history events, or yearly reunions, etc.

When I was too old to accurately portray an average 5th Ranger in WWII, I called it quits, so nowadays I mainly participate with the Ranger Battalions of WWII association and coordinate their reunions, BBC/History Channel documentaries unit participation, etc.

With that said, I'd like to transfer that same attitude into joining a group of people in the same 'frequency' when it comes to the 79th, as I had with my other guys in the 5th RIB.

Thanks again for your thoroughness!

[79thReproductions]

That is something I'm working on right now....a pure 79th pre war living history group. Its hard to do. The money involved is astronomical. I see this group doing highland games, school presentations, our own small events, non civil war orientated things like pizza parties, being heavy on research, light on theatrics like battle re-eanctments.

The gear list is long but I can keep costs down by making most of the things myself. Keep in mind, these are the most quality items the hobby has to offer, not cheap goods.

Average pre war impression:
Kepi: $115
Jacket: $400 - $500
Trews: $100 - $200
Shirt: $100 - $120
Drawers: $35 - $60
Shoes: $79 - $149
Socks: $35

Other Items: The belt and leathers, haversack, canteen, Militia Hardpack, blanket, soldiers items, Rifle. When done right, the 79th's uniform is the most beautiful uniform I have ever seen.

Eventually it will happen....Im trying to get a pure 79th web site going with information about the original unit.