Highlanders in the French and Indian Wars

[Bugbear]

So what you all seem to be saying is that there were kilts being worn in North America, in what would become the United States, all before the heavily, Scottish influenced creation of the United States... I'll have to remember that.

It's already been established on the forum that there is historical proof, across several time periods and locations, of the kilt being worn in America after the creation of the US. Hmmmm...

[MacBean]

So what you all seem to be saying is that there were kilts being worn in North America, in what would become the United States.

Archibald MacBean returned from the Scottish settlement in Darien, Georgia to Inverness in 1736 in order to recruit more settlers for the colony. His list of supplies was long but included instructions to Mr. Hossack to "buy ... for the Highlanders...300 yards of Tartan at 12d sterling a yard for short Coats & short Hose & 1200 yards of Tartan at 14d sterling ayard for Plaids..." The settlement failed, but it does indicate the custom clothing of Highlanders at the time. Although this may have been the first Scottish colony, there were certainly Scots in the Americas at least 100 years before this.

Anthony W. Parker, "Scottish Highlanders in Colonial Georgia, The Recruitment, Emigration, and Settlement at Darien, 1735-1748". U. Georgia Press 2002.

[kiltedpresbyterian]

Archibald MacBean returned from the Scottish settlement in Darien, Georgia to Inverness in 1736 in order to recruit more settlers for the colony. His list of supplies was long but included instructions to Mr. Hossack to "buy ... for the Highlanders...300 yards of Tartan at 12d sterling a yard for short Coats & short Hose & 1200 yards of Tartan at 14d sterling ayard for Plaids..." The settlement failed, but it does indicate the custom clothing of Highlanders at the time. Although this may have been the first Scottish colony, there were certainly Scots in the Americas at least 100 years before this.

Anthony W. Parker, "Scottish Highlanders in Colonial Georgia, The Recruitment, Emigration, and Settlement at Darien, 1735-1748". U. Georgia Press 2002.

I know some people over at UGA I will follow up with this and I really appreciate it!!! This is what I was looking for.

This is all great info from everyone. I really appreciate it.

[MacBubba45]

Archibald MacBean returned from the Scottish settlement in Darien, Georgia to Inverness in 1736 .

I believe Darien was originally called "New Inverness".

[puddlemuddle]

I believe Darien was originally called "New Inverness".

Correct,
however it was quickly changed to Darien as a memorial to the Darien settlement in central america where the Spanish massacred all the scots inhabitants.

Also, Cajunscot is correct. You have to remember that Southeast Ga is a bit more hot and humid than Scotland, and from experience, I know wearing the Great Kilt or Belted Plaid, in that area (Darien) in the dead of summer is not very pleasant. The Highland Independent Company of Darien would have only worn their great kilts as uniforms while on duty, most after that would have been wearing regular civi clothing of the time.
A little side note: General Oglethorpe had such respect for the Highlanders that he himself had a great kilt, waistcoat, jacket and hose made up for him to waer at the arrival of the Highlanders in Darien from Scotland. Also (and please note that I have not found SOLID evidence of this) but the reason why Oglethorpes was never allowed to return to Georgia after his regiment (The original 42nd of foot (non highland)) was disbanded, was because he took part reluctantly in the Highland clearances, and was always thought upon as not pursuing the Jacobites as hard as he should have, so the British military refused to let him go back, and upon meeting Benjamin Franklin some many years later, was reported to ask "How is my little colony"...
Cheers,
Chad

[MacBubba45]

Correct,
however it was quickly changed to Darien as a memorial to the Darien settlement in central america where the Spanish massacred all the scots inhabitants.Chad

I'd never heard that. Thanks!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Correct, however it was quickly changed to Darien as a memorial to the Darien settlement in central america where the Spanish massacred all the scots inhabitants.

I only ask because I knew that the Scots in New Caledonia (as they called the colony they established on the Darien isthmus in what is now Panama) suffered dreadfully from disease as well as the depredations of the local indigenous tribes and skirmishes with Spanish colonists. I was not aware that the Spanish massacred all the Scots inhabitants. So, if you would be so kind as to point me in that direction, I'd appreciate it.

[Bugbear]

Archibald MacBean returned from the Scottish settlement in Darien, Georgia to Inverness in 1736 in order to recruit more settlers for the colony. His list of supplies was long but included instructions to Mr. Hossack to "buy ... for the Highlanders...300 yards of Tartan at 12d sterling a yard for short Coats & short Hose & 1200 yards of Tartan at 14d sterling ayard for Plaids..." The settlement failed, but it does indicate the custom clothing of Highlanders at the time. Although this may have been the first Scottish colony, there were certainly Scots in the Americas at least 100 years before this.

Anthony W. Parker, "Scottish Highlanders in Colonial Georgia, The Recruitment, Emigration, and Settlement at Darien, 1735-1748". U. Georgia Press 2002.

Ok, now that I understand this quote was refering to uniforms and soldiers, I was mostly pondering whether some colonial Americans would have had the opportunity to see the kilt being worn, whether by civilians or soldiers, in America going back to this time period. The same might not be true of some other type of ethnic clothing from a different culture, for example, Middle Eastern clothing.

[macwilkin]

Ok, now that I understand this quote was refering to uniforms and soldiers, I was mostly pondering whether some colonial Americans would have had the opportunity to see the kilt being worn, whether by civilians or soldiers, in America going back to this time period. The same might not be true of some other type of ethnic clothing from a different culture, for example, Middle Eastern clothing.

If colonial civilians lived near the theatre of operations in the French & Indian War, Ted, then no doubt they would have seen some Highlanders in kilts.

The historian Fernec Szasz notes a particularly nasty incident during the Revolution in one of the Carolinas where Highlander POWs were verbally and phsyically abused by Colonial civilians as they were being escorted behind the lines.

T.