Frequently asked questions

From the threat of war to land grants. This forum is for general discussion relating to the Glens.
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Frequently asked questions

Post by admin » Thu Jun 29, 2006 6:50 pm

I'll try to post answers to the most frequently asked questions that we get.

1) Where do you get your uniforms?
All of our uniforms and accoutrement's are made by various members of our group. Where possible, they are copied from originals and made using period techniques.

2) Which cap badge is correct, the plain one or the one with the "GLI" in it?
As far as we are aware, there is only one cap badge in existence. It is thought to belonged to an officer, for it is silver plated. It has the "GLI", so we have no reason to believe that that they all didn't.

3) Are your coats lined?
The bodies are lined, but the sleeves are not.

4) Why do you have muskets instead of rifles?
They never got them, besides, as Tiger Dunlop stated, "The Glengarry Regiment being Provincials possessed many excellent shots. They were not armed with the rifle, but what I greatly prefer to that arm, the double sighted light infantry musket. A rifle is by no means suited to a days fighting; when it gets fouled from repeated firing it is difficult even to hammer the ball down, and the same foulness which clogs the barrel must injure the precision of the ball. The well made smooth barrel on the contrary is to a certain degree scoured by every discharge, and stand sixty rounds without the necessity of cleaning. Nor is it in the precision of its aim for any useful purpose inferior to the rifle, that is to say in the hands of a man who knows how to use it. I have seen a Sergeant of the Glengarries who would allow you to pick out a musket from any in the corps, and let him load it, when he would knock the head off a pigeon on the top of the highest tree in the forest."

5) Are you also known as the Green Tigers?

No. the 49th regiment of foot were known as the "Green Tigers". They wore red coats with green cuffs and collars. However, the Glens were also known as the "Black Stumps" You can see why in this picture.

6) What is a fencible?

A fencible regiment is one that was raised for the defence of a province or territory. The difference being, is that they couldn't be shipped overseas. In the case of the GLI, there is a popular misconception that they were not required to leave their respective province, but in fact they had to go anywhere in the two Canadas or North America that they were ordered to go.

Also, they signed up "for three years, or 'till 6 months after the proper account of peace", and couldn't make the annual return to harvest crops like some of the men who were in the militia.

To be continued...
Last edited by admin on Wed Jul 26, 2006 4:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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