Outlander, The Battle of Alamance, and Eighteenth-Century Warfare

It gets worse from here

Dear Reader,

First of all, the point of this post is not the provided a detailed description of the way that the show Outlander deviated from the actual history of the Regulator Rebellion, and the major conflict of that rebellion at Alamance. Rather, I hope to evaluate Outlander's first major battle scene, depicted from start to finish, (there was a mist hiding what happened at Prestonpans, and we only really saw Culloden in hazy flashbacks that focused on two combatants.) At the outset, I must say that I was rather shocked by the historical inaccuracies, even on a basic level that is separated from disconnected from the complexities of uniformology.

This post is a mix of actual historical criticism and tongue-in-cheek humor. Take it for what it is, I am trying to stay sane.

At the outset, I am not a specialist in this particular part of colonial history, although I highly recommend Marjoleine Kars' Breaking Loose Together, and Aaron J. Palmer's  A Rule of Law, if you are looking for a basic information regarding the regulator movement and opposition to it. Furthermore, I highly recommend talking with Jeremiah DeGennaro and Drew Neill, who work at the Alamance Battlefield State Historic Site, and  Scott Douglas, the director of Fort Dobbs State Historic Site, for more detailed information regarding the material culture of the Regulator Rebellion. Check out the social media of the Alamance Battle Site for more great and detailed information that you will find here.

So, without further adieu: my thoughts. Like I did with the George Washington miniseries, I'll give the timestamp for the events I'm describing. However, I'll give them at the end of the paragraph or sentence, so as not the interrupt the flow.  These come from the 7th episode of the 5th season of Outlander.

Obviously there were not uniformed regulars at this battle (no "redcoats"). I think Tryon actually had three cannon, but who is counting. Cannon are expensive.  For uniformed regular troops from the 1770s, these costumes really aren't horrible. [37:58] You all know that I am a fool for well-fitted gaiters, and these are mediocre.  Either Tryon has a very small number of regular dragoons, or he has an officer's suite comparable to that of a Prussian Field Marshall.  [38:07]

Your Formation... that's deep, bro

No-one has bayonets fixed. We'll come back to this point later. Also, this is a very odd formation that the troops find themselves posted in. 6 ranks deep, in an order that is too far apart to be open order, but too close together to be a true extended order.

Stack those cannonballs

Next, let us turn to the artillery. Eighteenth-century field artillery did not store their ammunition in little pyramids right next to the cannon.[38:46] Moving the cannons any length of distance would require picking up and re-stacking the solid shot. I am also a little confused why only one cannon has a caisson. Likewise the Royal Artillerymen (the part of the British Army who work the cannons,) actually wore blue uniforms during this period.

Shut the Pan, bro

The infantry engage in an odd fire and advance by ranks. I think that the director might have played a bit of "Napoleon Total War" before filming this sequence. Speaking of infantry fire: Jamie is aiming his rifle with the pan open. [39:05] Can't even get a flash in the pan with those mad skillz. In the next shot, the pan is mercifully shut. [39:19] It is all good buddy, rookie mistake. Now, I understand (again, from reading secondary works) that the militia did use fairly conventional tactics when engaging the regulators, but that really isn't what is being displayed here.

Governor Tryon as the Original G

Let's talk pistols. First of all,  I am taken aback at the number of pistols on the screen. [38:39] Also, Governor Tryon no-scopes a guy with a pistol at like 80 yards. [38:54] Although when it comes to smoothbore long-arms, I am of the opinion that ranges are a bit greater than generally stated, the Prussian officer Berenhorst wrote in the late-eighteenth century: "At a range of more than fifty paces, a pistol shot and a well-thrown stone have just about the same effect."[1]

After two or three volleys, the militia charges into hand to hand combat. Among the troops with military style muskets, narry a bayonet is seen. Historically, the fighting took place at range until the regulators ran low on ammunition, and that doesn't seem to be what is happening here.  In this charge sequence, a guy with a stick kills a regular soldier. This is what happens when you don't fix your bayonets.  During this same sequence, the militia appears out of the undergrowth, killing redcoat troops in an ambush. These are the stock images from which American identity is made.

Hereafter follows a relatively long and not horrible seen of two groups of militia fighting in a woodland environment. In the actual battle, it seems that the militia stayed in the open until the regulators ran low on ammunition.[2] As opposed to reloading their long-arms, most of the militia seems to be content firing a seemingly infinite number of pistols. A British soldier finally uses a bayonet, although he is holding it in his hand, and it fighting with it like a dagger. [42:01]

"Ahh! Both Grunt" Indeed

 Eventually, after some hand-to-hand fighting sequences with the lead actors, a pursuit montage depicts flying civilians with weapons being shot down by uniformed redcoats. See above point regarding American identity. Also, a montage of redcoats bludgeoning prisoners, and prisoners being dragged behind redcoats on horseback. One has to ask the question, did the dragoon dismount and tie these prisoners to his saddle mid-battle, or did he have some of his colleagues in the infantry helpful round up a few regulators for a drag?

Obviously, I am not trying to excuse British imperialism, or the rough way that the regulators were treated in the aftermath of the battle. One man, James Few, was hung after twice refusing a pardon from Governor Tryon, and there were more executions as well.[3] I do think, however, that choosing to make uniformed British regulars carry out these atrocities takes away some of the ambiguity that have a non-uniformed militia carrying out these acts might have.

All in all, it is important for those consuming Outlander as an enjoyable fiction to keep in mind that the show relies on stock images of eighteenth-century warfare that have actually decreased in quality over time. Season 3's Battle of Culloden montage was more true to actual events (even if it was still a bit shady) than this season's portrayal of the Battle of Alamance. So, ask yourself, why do you watch Outlander? If you are looking for Jacobites to get you hot and bothered,  I highly recommend the 1995 Kidnapped's Armand Assante.

He's bringing sexy back

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Thanks for Reading, 

Alex Burns

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[1] Berenhorst, Betrachtungen, Vol II, 434. (Quoted in Duffy, Military Experience in the Age of Reason, 223)
[2] Marjoleine Kars, Breaking Loose Together, 200.
[3]Ibid, 201.