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Home , Highland dress

The in the 42nd Regiment during the French & Indian War

Portrait of John Campbell, yr of Melfort (1730-1790)

Captain: 1 February 1763, 42nd Foot; half-pay, 24 October 1763.

A Case Study

Two battalions of the 42nd (Black Watch) served in North America from 1756 to 1767. During the French and Indian War, Captain James Stewart kept an book from 18th February 1759 to 7th November 1761 [1]. The daily orders include fascinating insights into the day to day existence of the company and its men.

From this document, we can glean important information on the development and uses of the kilt and plaid. To clarify general meanings for the words "plaid" and "kilt" : the kilt is generally 3 to 4 yards of single width (30 to 32 inches wide) used in lieu of a plaid which is generally 31/2 to 4 yards of full width (60 to 64 inches) tartan [2] which was the official and generally used garment. The word "kilt" is undergoing evolution and does not necessarily refer to the half plaid garment; 'when the Regiment is under arms the officers are always in boots and knee brickes, [britches] no soldier to appear for the future either on or off duty but in his plaid well kilted'. We can presume from this that they mean well put on and the in the back even and uniform. It is interesting to see the officers given the freedom when off parade to be in undress uniform. For a field day or review, the officers are ordered 'to be in kilt, plain regimental [] ... everything else regimental [accoutrements] ... well kilted...' Again referring to the plaid being properly donned with the pleats well set.

In the Spring of 1759, all of the men are dressed in plaids. In March, an order for short canvas, britches and leggings to be manufactured by the company tailors is issued. It was found that in the bush, the men needed the extra protection from the vegetation and insect population that britches and leggans [leggings] afforded. About this time, the officers who do not have plaids, only and britches, are ordered to supply themselves in order to be regimentally correct. By early April, most of the men who still are in want of plaids have been sorted out with preference being given to the 1st Battalion. At the end of April, in New York, a number of men receive their discharges and those who '...only [those who] have old plaids are allowed to carry them with them'.

During the sweltering summer months, the men are allowed to wear their kilts (half plaids) in lieu of plaids. At Albany [NY], we have the order for; 'The non- commissioned officers and men are at all times in camp to wear their kilts except when otherwise ordered'. Come October at Crown Point on Lake Champlain [NY], we find the men ordered to ready their plaids and to use them in a most unusual fashion: 'The men are to embark in their leggings and plaids well packed except for those as are intended for sails'. There must have been a shortage of canvas for bateaux sails. In November, britches are again ordered to be made and the men are back in kilts with orders approving wearing them over their long leggings. As soon as the weather starts to turn foul, the men are ordered back into plaids and are dressed thus for the King's Birthday [3] celebrations: 'As soon as the men return from work, they are to kilt their plaids over their leggings and appear as well and in clean dress as possible'. When winter was at its height, the men wore their britches and leggings under their kilts and the plaid on top of the kilt and coat to form insulating layers against the biting cold.

The new complete issue of uniforms are ready to deliver out for the New Year. There are many orders demanding that all of the , , etc. be well fitted to each man. The was fitted by the company tailors but not delivered to the men until the end of the month: "The mens' waistcoats, and breeches being finished, their new coats are to be delivered out and fitted with great exactness. They are to be extremely careful in keeping them and the new waistcoats clean, but to wear them except at work, for which they are to reserve their old coats, which are not to be turned or altered from the shape they are now in. In case it should be found that their present waistcoats will not last out the campaign, when the new coats are all fitted the leggans are then to be finished, according to the pattern fixed on at Crown Point. [b]After which the mens' old tents are to be cut down, washed and made into short drawers. To wear them with their leggans.[/b] The men to take to the field with four each, but if new, three will be sufficient together with two pairs of , three pair and leggans, it is also necessary that they should be completed in sufficient hair cockades for their bonnets, two dimity stocks and stock , two yards black tape for their hair, and red tape , with tomplins [4] for their packs before they take the field. The mens' arms to be in perfect repair and to be completed in stoppers, pickers, brushes and hammer , which ought to be of black leather...."

By spring of 1760, the men are in the field south of Fort Edward [NY] and back in kilts and plaids: The guard to mount in kilts [plaids]. The battalion to be also in the kilt and well dressed in case the General should chose to see them. The mens drawers to be mended and reserved for the battoes [bateaux] service which till on that occasion they are to wear shoes and not leggans. Those who have little kilts [kilts] they wear them when in the battoes."

In this case, the evolutionary usage of the phrase "little kilts" means the half plaid and the word "kilts" meaning full plaids. This transitional usage is not uncommon in the text. It does not appear in this record that any new issue was had until May 1761, in Montreal. We have an order for the Quarter Master to: "Deliver out to an officer of each company new clothing consisting of coats, plaids, bonnets, shirts, shoes, hose to complete what is due to the battalion to June next. The plaids when delivered to be directly scoured and to be wore for some time with old clothing to prevent staining the new, but as there is not a sufficient number of plaids to complete the battalion they are therefore to be divided in proportion to the strength of the companies allowing the grenadiers and light infantry a larger share. The commanding officers are to take particular care that they shall be delivered to the men who are most in want of them and that the old plaids shall be converted to fellibegs in which ye battalion must be completed, no man therefore presume to dispose of his old plaid till a return is given in the battalion is complete in both plaid and fellibegs..." For those who doubted the little kilts were half plaids, the above should put your mind at ease. In the above case, the distinct difference in the words kilt and plaid are obvious. It is very interesting to note that the dye has a habit of running and turning the other clothing some interesting colour combinations. This passage also exhibits that the little kilt was made from the full plaid.

In June, the men are again parading in their "little kilts". For a regimental review, the old plaids, waistcoats, and coats, were: '...to be given to the centre rank men of each company, and the front rank in particular to be completed with the best cocked bonnets and the newest waistcoats and that the battalion may appear to the best advantage...' The day after the review, the men are sent to the field at Crown Point. In planning for the trip, the following order was issued: 'If it should happen to rain the men are to be in little kilts with their plaid cloaked'. The plaid can easily be donned in such a way as to form a that is water resistant. In this case, belted on over the kilt and coat. Extensive field testing by the author has concluded that this is an easy and effective alternative to the modern . In August of 1761, the company is back on Staten Island in New York, sweltering in the heat: "As it will contribute to the health of the men while the weather continues hot not to be overdressed with clothes, therefore the guards and pickets to mount in their coats only [and fellibegs], the men are also to turn out to exercise in their coats only [and] fellibegs, but when not on duty and in camp they are then to be in waistcoats and fellibegs..."

In September, the men are still in kilts and those who are in need of new kilts are told to buy them from the local merchants: '...commanding officers... will likewise examine their men are all complete in fellibegs as they can easily be supplied with coarse tartan for the purpose in the market of the same pattern with the regimental plaids'. The note of coarse tartan implies that the enlisted grade of hard tartan was readily available and shipped from to the merchants in New York. For a battalion review in late September, the men are once again ordered back in plaids and properly turned out for inspection.

The famed red overstripe is not mentioned anywhere in the text, which is chock full of minute details. One would be very interested in learning how the tartan sails were applied to the mast of the bateau. One can see how the Regiment adapted to America. One can only wonder how or why these lessons in effective dress were lost to the returning Highland regiments come the American Rebellion. The plaid was such a versatile and useful garment that the officers and men of the 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants), many of whom served in the Highland regiments during the French and Indian War and who settled in North America, implied mutiny when it was suggested that they give up their plaids and , for trousers and felt tri-corned . All the more interesting for the fact that by 1780, only one quarter of the enlisted men in the 84th were Scots.

Notes

1. This Journal is in the Archive of the Black Watch Regimental Museum. Typescript of Order Books done by William B. Wilson 1947, with permission. 2. The author has conflicting information on the loom sizes, Perhaps readers can clarify. 3. November 10th, 1759. 4. Tomplins are canvas or sometimes leather slings formed in a loop. The blanket and plaid is then wrapped around the outside of the loop and the bundle then carried over the shoulder. This was in addition to the Knapsack which was not designed to carry additional blankets or plaiding.