Search just our sites by using our customised site search engine



Click here to get a Printer Friendly PageSmiley

Click here to learn more about MyHeritage and get free genealogy resources

The Scot in New France (1535-1880)


by them Caipal Mor, from his large stature. They wore the full Highland dress, with musket and broadsword. Many of the soldiers added, at their own expense, the dirk, and the purse of Otter’s skin. The bonnet was raised or cocked on one side, with a slight bent inclining down to the right ear, over which were suspended two or more black feathers. Eagle’s or Hawk’s feathers were worn by the officers. During six years in North America Fraser’s


[William Skene, F.S.A. Scot, quotes desly (AD. 1578) in speaking of the Highlanders, ability to stand cold when clad in kilt and plaid—’ His solis noctu involuti suaviter dormiebant. Reliqua vero vestimenta erant brevis ex lana tunicella manicis inferius apertis, uti expeditius cum vellent jacula torguerent, ac Jcemoralia simplicimma, pudori quam friqori aut pompce aptiorie." Wrapt up in these for their only covering, they would sleep comfortably. The rest of their garments, consisted of a short woollen jacket, with the sleeves open below for the convenience of throwing their darts, and a cover ing for their thighs of the simplest kind, more for decency than for show or a defence against the cold."

In a lively newspaper discussion with the late Dr. W. J. Anderson, P. L. & H. S., the question of the effects of climate on the kilted "Scots" in Canada in 1759 was discussed; we held forth as follows:

"Highland regiments as late as 1780, not only wore the kilt by choice but exchanging it for any other dress, was in their eyes, positive degradation. Regimental orders were found insufficient to do away with it. Nothing short of an act of Parliament would effect it, and even that in some cases failed. They appear to have held more staunchly to the kilt than to the Stuart dynasty. An instance of this powerful national feeling of the Highlanders occurred at Leith, about 1780. " Two strong detachments of recruits be-. longing to the 42nd and 71st Regiments, arrived at Leith from Sterling Castle, for the purpose of embarking to join their respective regiments in North America. Being told that they were to be turned over to the 80th and 82nd,—the Edinburgh and Hamilton regiments who wore the Lowland dress, they declared openly and firmly they had not been enlisted for such regiments, and refused to join them. Troops were sent down, but the Highlanders flew to arms; a desperate conflict ensued, in which Captain Mansfield, of the South Fencible Regiment, and nine men were killed, and thirty-one soldiers wounded. Being at last overpowered, the mutineers were carried to the castle; three of them were tried for mutiny. At their trial, they pleaded first the difference of their language, the Gaelic, and also that they had been acustomed to the Highland habit, so far as never to have worn breeches, a thing so inconvenient and even so impossible for a native Highlander to do, that when the Highland dress was prohibited even by act of Parliament,


Previous Page  |  Return to Book Index Page  |  Next Page

This comment system requires you to be logged in through either a Disqus account or an account you already have with Google, Twitter, Facebook or Yahoo. In the event you don't have an account with any of these companies then you can create an account with Disqus. All comments are moderated so they won't display until the moderator has approved your comment.