Psychological Mass Panic (1 Viewer)

mikemiller1955

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The Highlanders’ Charge was a fearsome spectacle; crowds of clansmen running at top speed with broadswords, target shields and dirks, yelling their clan war cries.

The spectacle of Highlanders charging through the early mist making "wild Highland war cries and with the bloodcurdling skirl of the bag pipes often caused mass panic for even the well disciplined troops of the British army.

The charge was a battlefield tactic used by the clans of the Scottish Highlands in the 17th and 18th century.

It was developed as a response to the evolution of firearms.

Previously, Highlanders had fought in tight formations, led by a heavily armoured warrior elite, that carried heavy battle-axes or two-handed broadswords known as claidheamh mor or "claymores" – meaning "great sword" in Scottish Gaelic.

However, with the widespread use of muskets and cannon, such formations became vulnerable. As a result, in the 17th century, Highlanders developed a lighter, one-handed claymore with a basket hilt that protected the hand. This was generally used with a shield or "targe" strapped to the body and a "dirk" or biotag (long knife) held in the other hand. The use of the charge greatly mimicked the Celtic fighting styles of battle, where one side would rush at the other in an attempt to break the line of battle.

From the 1640s onwards, Highlanders in battle would launch rapid charges, firing their own muskets at close range, before closing with their enemy hand to hand. This became known as the "Highland charge". Its advantage was that it allowed the Highlanders to cover the range of the enemy muskets quickly, before the enemy could inflict many casualties. The Highlanders could then exploit their skills in hand to hand fighting. In this way, they could overwhelm regular troops who were better armed and more conventionally trained.

In practice, the Highland charge proved so effective as much for its psychological impact as its physical one. Regular troops, when faced with a tide of screaming Highlanders, often lost their heads, fired off an un-aimed volley and began to run away. They would then face the charge not as a disciplined unit, but as a mass of panicked individuals, whom the Highlanders would cut down with impunity.

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Mike, great dios. Beginning with your Zulu wars through War of 1812. Massed columns of marching soldiers, ambushes, artillery and firing lines. Very impressive. I also appreciate your dedication to early American history. My inlaws live near Bushy Run and while I've been to Fort Ligonier (very impressive), the locals there say there's nothing at Bushy Run. Well, now I got to check that battlefield out.
 
Mike, great dios. Beginning with your Zulu wars through War of 1812. Massed columns of marching soldiers, ambushes, artillery and firing lines. Very impressive. I also appreciate your dedication to early American history. My inlaws live near Bushy Run and while I've been to Fort Ligonier (very impressive), the locals there say there's nothing at Bushy Run. Well, now I got to check that battlefield out.

I've been out to Bushy Run a couple times. It is a state run site. Unfortunately, like many historical locations much of it has been lost over time. The good news is that they do have a small visitor center and you can venture up to Edge Hill where the Brits made their stand. A nice monument there with concrete flour bags. A lot of volunteers help out to keep it running. Like most states PA claims to be cash strapped. So places like the BR battlefield suffer with minimal budgets, but we still somehow get new multi-million dollar stadiums no one wants paid for by the taxpayers. You have to use your imagination a bit, but it's a great historical site to visit if you have some idea of what went on. Fort Ligonier is one of the best French-Indian War sites to visit.
 
Thank you...

GoforBroke...
Walt...
Titus...
Martyn...
Terry...

they are going on the shelf...too lazy to put them back in boxes...

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You don't want to put them in a box Mike,You have to let them breathe.:D
Seriously if I have to keep something in a box I just soon sell it.Of course I don't have a massive collection like you.:D
Mark
 
Just a suggestion for anyone who wants another Jacobite flag, the yellow cross flag is easy to convert to a white cross and just as accurate. I did it, and now have the three different flags. Looks good on display, one in foreground and one in background to hide the identical figure. I have no wish or ability to try and repaint the flagbearer. -- Al
 
Mike great shots! How many figures per inch do you have there???:eek: Battle of the Sardines!:p Great stuff Like the look of the rocks thrown in the mat.:cool:
 
okay I must stop buying from to many manufacturers.....and stick to one .........looks great!!!!!!!!
 
Just a suggestion for anyone who wants another Jacobite flag, the yellow cross flag is easy to convert to a white cross and just as accurate. I did it, and now have the three different flags. Looks good on display, one in foreground and one in background to hide the identical figure. I have no wish or ability to try and repaint the flagbearer. -- Al

Al...that sounds pretty cool...can you show the flag please.
 
Al...that sounds pretty cool...can you show the flag please.
Wish I could, Michael. I have no camera and wouldn't know how to post the picture, anyway. The flag change is just a simple matter of white paint over the yellow, (the "simple" being the key). It took three coats to cover. The flags of the Jacobites are many and varied but the yellow cross and white cross are both accurate for Culloden. There is also another conversion. There is a white flag with a red cross that would match up to the other two cross patterns mentioned already, but I won't attempt that at present. -- Al
 

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