Great kilts in the American colonies

[macwilkin]

True, but they weren't wearing their own (civilian) plaids, but were issued plaids, from royal storage, belonging to highland regiments such as the 71st, whose men were wearing philabegs on campaign.

I just don't think Iain's Jacobite look, w/ belted plaid, tartan waistcoat, targe - even white cockade, foresooth! - is anything that would have appeared in colonial N. America - other than in 1730s-40's Georgia (w/ black cockades) as mentioned above. Sorry, Iain...!

Quite right, Brian -- Reid clearly documents that the plaids were government surplus; apologies for not elaborating that point.

I agree with Woodsheal. In my research I've uncovered nothing to suggest expatriate civilian Highlanders wore their traditional highland garb. From all I've seen, it appears they adapted the same clothing as worn by the colonials where they lived. I think even the Scots bonnet is far overdone in the reenactment community (and I'm one of those guilty of it at times).

Yes, there were several Highland regiments in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution but they were soldiers wearing a uniform. And, as Woodsheal also pointed out, even they transitioned into breeches and leggings or trousers after a few years of campaigning.

As an immigrant Scot, you might have had a plaid stored by for special occasions, such as a wedding, but not for daily wear.

I've seen a similar "overdone" factor in ACW reenacting where numerous Irish harp badges and other Irish symbols abound; yet unless you were an Irish immigrant serving in a ethnic Irish unit, wearing and flaunting such obvious displays of an unpopular immigrant group among "native" Americans in the 1860s could get you killed!

It should also be pointed out that Highlanders were not universally popular among their Ulster-Scots neighbours in the colonies due to their Loyalist leanings and their religion.

T.