What "The Rebel Yell" really sounded like

[DREDIOCK]

Recreation of what the real rebel yell sounded like based on recordings of Civil war vets

http://video.timesdispatch.com/v/59939918/the-rebel-yell-lives-part-one.htm?q=Civil+War

[DREDIOCK]

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buZ1M3iN-UE&feature=relmfu

[DaveJ]

Here's a whole a group of old Confederates that were recorded doing the rebel yell on film. Absolutely fascinating. Can't imagine the kind of terror it produced when there was a whole division or more doing this at once.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6jSqt39vFM&feature=related

The Civil War is my favorite area in military history. Finishing up Shelby Foote's epic trilogy on it. I highly recommend it to anyone that wants to get an introduction and a very thorough analysis on the entirety of the war.

[bortas1]

  thats is really cool find. have to send it to my unit 16th Ar. and other friends. thanks again

[Noir]

extended history of the American civil war. I've read it all, interesting stuff.

http://www.vectorsite.net/twcw.html

[Tupac]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPwZaQfoIbU

[rogwar]

Reminds me of what I've read about the Zulus.

Thanks for sharing!

[zack1234]

The old bloke introducing sounds like he is English

Strange to think that Amercian Civil war people were still alive and were filmed.

And Ex - Slaves were still alive as well in the 1900's etc

[smoe]

The old bloke introducing sounds like he is English

Strange to think that American Civil war people were still alive and were filmed.

And Ex - Slaves were still alive as well in the 1900's etc

Could be true. Back in the early days of the US a lot of its citizens were immigrants or sons/grandchildren of immigrants.

[MrGeezer]

The old bloke introducing sounds like he is English

Strange to think that Amercian Civil war people were still alive and were filmed.

And Ex - Slaves were still alive as well in the 1900's etc

The average age of a serving soldier in the South was around 20.  There were even drummers, buglers, who were allowed to serve down to age 10 or so...but mostly 12 or so.  Average age of a Brigadier General was 33 (One General was 12 when he was "Breveted" General, but that's another story).  Lt. Generals (3 Star) averaged 55 in the CSA, and that number fluctuated greatly after Shiloh and the loss of generals in combat.  So it's very easy to see where a "veteran" of the CSA could very well be alive and well in 1913 in the far early days of talking movies, albeit with many of them with long gray beards and a cane in hand.

On one side of my family both GGGGrandfathers survived the war.  My mother remembers very distinctly her GGGrandmother in her final years telling her that she had better settle down and act better or she would "hit her with her sheleighly" in perfect Irish accent.  And she had been born in America by Irish immigrants.

[Noir]

wasn't the 3 star general grade given for the first time during the civil war?

[DaveJ]

The CSA had many 3-star generals. However, Ulysses S. Grant was the only Union general to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General when he was given command of all the Union armies in 1864. That rank had only been used previously by George Washington and Winfield Scott.

[MrGeezer]

The CSA had many 3-star generals. However, Ulysses S. Grant was the only Union general to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General when he was given command of all the Union armies in 1864. That rank had only been used previously by George Washington and Winfield Scott.

This is true.  George Washington was a Lt. General, even as Commander in Cheif of The Continental Army.

[icepac]

It seems to be englishmen who keep "rebel yell" alive these days.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYYSyvE_iEw

[cpxxx]

Remarkable footage, the rebel yell has gone down in history as a terrifying war cry. The old footage of the civil war veterans is really quite touching. Hard to imagine they survived to the modern era.

I find the civil war era fascinating, both sides English speaking and believing in freedom (of sorts). All too often the only difference between the two combatants was where they were born. No good guys or bad guys. You have to wonder what kind of country America would have been if they hadn't lost the flower of their youth in a bloody and wasteful war.