The 79th New York State Militia was created during 1858 and 1859 by Scottish immigrants or people whose ancestors came from there. They adopted the number 79th in homage to that same number British regiment, the Cameron Highlanders, and their uniforms were ordered and specially tailored for them in Scotland.
Native to Manhattan, the unit was formed by 300 members but, when the enrollments started, as consequence of the call to arms for quelling the Southern rebellion, they managed to form a full regiment with ten full companies. They saw their first combat at the First Bull Run, on July 21th, 1861.
After the defeat suffered, the regiment asked permission for returning to New York for resting and reorganizing but when they received their new command officer, Colonel Isaac I. Stevens, their leaves were cancelled. That caused a mutiny that Stevens managed to address and turned the regiment into a much more effective combat group.
This uniform is quite particular, composed of glengarry, jacket of typical Scottish cut and a kilt that sometimes was substituted by trouser and sported the Cameron’s tartan. However, that was the look they have only for parades, as the infantry uniform regulations established the use of blue trousers on campaign. Our version shows two instantly recognizable elements, the glengarry and the epaulettes. There were two different types of epaulettes that could have the tassels either in gold or red. These elements are restricted to the parade uniform.
