Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. - How much does the period clothing and equipment cost to become part of the Regiment?

A. - O.K., the first question is about the bottom line. Fair enough.
    A member who wants to Re-enact the Regiment as a private soldier (or a corporal; there's very little difference) can expect to spend something in the order of $2,800 for the complete uniform, arms and equipment, from the hat to the shoes. The two big-ticket items are the musket and the regimental coat. A reproduction Long Land pattern Brown Bess musket, as used by the Regiment, will cost around $1,000, including sling, flash-guard, cleaning kit and various other accessories, most of which are mandatory. The coat is a tailored garment that has to be made to order, requiring special reproduction cloth and many yards of custom-made regimental lace. At present it looks like the best price available will be around $500.
    Most of the rest of the uniform and equipment is more easily and cheaply available from major suppliers in Canada and the U.S., like Jas. Townsend & Son. Most members will want to buy extras of some items, like shirts and stockings.
    Unlike any other re-enacting group, we have prepared a step-by-step guide called “What Shall I Wear?”, which will take you through the entire process of getting the stuff you need. This guide contains links to the exact pages of the various on-line suttlers' stores so you will know exactly what you should buy; in many cases you just have to click “Add To Cart” and then Checkout. You don't have to be an expert on 18th Century clothing to get a uniform that is, well, “uniform” with that of everyone else's in the unit.
    A member who wants to Re-enact the Militia will have to spend nearly the same amount for arms and equipment, but the period clothing costs can be somewhat less because it will be civilian wear (subject to approval by the Regimental Staff). This is a somewhat less expensive way to be involved in the Regiment, but the total cost will still likely be over $2,000.
    A member who wants to Re-enact a Civilian of the Period will, if male, probably be able to buy a complete outfit for under $1,000. And, though it seems odd to us today, women's clothing of the time tended to be less elaborate and expensive than men's. A complete women's outfit can be had for a bit more than $400, and the outfit for a child will be less than that.

Q. - Wow. That's a lot. Is there any way to make it less expensive?

A. - We agree, it's not a cheap hobby, although not nearly as expensive as some. However, the Regimental Staff have made every effort to make it as accessible as possible for everyone. This is one reason we are not re-enacting the grenadier company of the 40th; a grenadier's mitre cap and fuze holder together would increase the cost by at least $500. We have shopped around the many suppliers available for over a year to find the best values. Also, we are developing relationships with suppliers, such as Loyalist Arms, that will lower costs due to group discounts. Finally, we are not being nearly as fanatical about historical accuracy as some living history groups, in order to keep costs down. If all our clothing had to be hand-made, as some insist, the prices would double or even triple due to the labour involved.
    But we realize it's a lot of outlay all at once for most people. The Regimental Staff themselves aren't exactly made of money. For this reason, any member can make a commitment to have themselves fully equipped within 18 months of joining the Regiment, rather than immediately. (In any case, some of this stuff can't be bought ”off the rack” and will take some time to be made or delivered.) “What Shall I Wear” breaks the buying process down into basic uniform, completing the uniform, and arms and accoutrements. The basic uniform for members Re-enacting the Regiment or Militia will cost about $500, and allow you to get started in re-enacting. In the interim, a member can participate in all Regimental activities that don't require full uniform and equipment.
    One thing to mention is that getting involved in living history today is easier and significantly cheaper than it has ever been before. The strength of our dollar vs. the US dollar helps a lot. Also, due to the Internet, we have access to suppliers and resources from literally around the world that either didn't exist or would have been very difficult to find just 10 years ago. It's interesting and kind of fun to see how “the 18th Century meets the 21st Century.”
    Members will also be asked to contribute to the costs of Regimental equipment and supplies, like food, cooking gear, tents and marquees, flags, black powder, and administrative costs. Much of this will come from membership fees, and there will also be fundraising events and, ideally, sponsorships and grants.

Q. - Are there any restrictions on who can be a member?

A. - No. Membership is potentially open to any person who can show a connection to Nova Scotia, be it by history, genealogy, residence or sentiment. All applications for membership will be at the discretion of the local Company (or by appeal to the Regimental Staff) but no potential member can be denied on the basis of citizenship, residence, sex or sexual orientation, economic status, disability, religion or creed, race or heritage.
    Historically, recruits to the Regiment were expected to be at least 5', 6” tall, and between 18 and 35 years of age, with no obvious physical disabilities. In practice, many recruits were shorter, or under-age or overage, especially during wartime. Recruits had to have most of their teeth, and still do, because you need them to tear open musket cartridges.
    Today, the Regiment has included a wide range of re-enactment roles, partly to try to recreate many aspects of 18th century life and partly so a member can choose the role that suits them best.

Q. - What if I don't live in Nova Scotia? Can I still join?

A. - Yes, we will have a special category of out-of-province membership, and also for N.S. residents who can only participate occasionally. It's not that we don't want members “from away”, but obviously it will be hard to participate in our activities if you have a long way to travel.
    For now we are focusing our efforts on getting the Regiment up and running in this province. However, the fact is that New Brunswick did not become a separate province from Nova Scotia until 1783. Also, two companies of the 40th formed the garrisons of St. John's and Placentia, Nfld., from the 1720s to the 60s. And a company of the 40th helped take Ile St. Jean (P.E.I.) from the French after the fall of Louisbourg in 1758. So the Regiment has historical ties to all four of the Atlantic Provinces. At some time in the future it would be our goal to see the Regiment expand throughout the region.

Q. - Are women allowed to re-enact as soldiers?

A. - It's a historical fact that, up to the 20th century, when recruits began to get full physical examinations, hundreds, maybe thousands of women served in armies all over the world by disguising themselves as men. This website is just one of dozens on the subject. In fact, one reason full physicals were introduced in the late 19th Century was so armies could be certain their new soldiers were definitely male.
    Any woman member who wishes to Re-enact the Regiment or Re-enact the Militia is welcome to do so. For historical accuracy, any such member will be considered to be “one of the men” for all purposes when the Regiment is before the public. You might think of this as our “don't ask, don't tell” policy.

Q. - Are children allowed to join the Regiment?

A. - Yes. One of the reasons 18th century re-enacting is so popular is because it's a family affair, just as soldiering was back in the day. Soldiers' wives and children lived with them in garrison and accompanied them in the field, and the wives in particular were valued members of the corps. Many boys (and probably one or two girls) grew up to become soldiers themselves.
    The Regiment offers special family rates for membership. Every effort will be made to provide activities to keep the younger members interested. Teenage members may come up with special projects they can do as a group on their own. There are special and important roles in the Regiment for members age 14 - 18 as drummers and fifers. However, for insurance reasons, members under the age of 18 can't use firearms, and therefore can't serve in the rank and file of the Regiment or the Militia.

Q. - Do I need to get a Firearms Acquisition Certificate to buy a musket? Does it have to be registered?

A. - No. Flintlock muskets, including reproductions as used by the Regiment, are considered Antique Firearms by the Canada Firearms Centre. Note that flintlock pistols are considered handguns and are therefore restricted or prohibited, but this isn't an issue because the 40th never used pistols.
    The Regiment will hold regular courses for members on the safe handling and storage of their muskets.

Q. - What about those swords and bayonets? Do I need a permit to own these?

A. - No. All reproduction edged weapons are made with dull edges by the manufacturers for safety reasons. Having said that, these are weapons and, even if dull, careless use or handling could result in injury or even death. No member is permitted to sharpen their weapons for any reason. Horseplay or goofing around with any sort of weapon is absolutely prohibited. Anyone violating these basic rules will have their membership revoked and will be drummed out of the Regiment.

Q. - Any grooming hints? Didn't men wear wigs in those days?

A. - No, not many. Judges and lawyers did as a sort of badge of office. Otherwise, men and women in the 18th century mostly wore wigs for the same reason they do today -- to cover up the loss of their natural hair.
    The usual style for both sexes was to wear their hair long. Men would tie their hair back in a queue, or what we might call a pony-tail today. The hair over the ears was curled. Men's hair was sometimes powdered, but with the exception of some officers this was usually only done for very formal parades and reviews. And soldiers in this era were almost always clean-shaven.
    Now, it's great for authenticity if members can wear their hair in 18th century style. But we're not fanatics, and we realize there are lots of good reasons, including personal preference, why some male members will want to keep their facial hair, and some members of both sexes will want to keep their hair cut short. We all have lives outside the Regiment.

Q. - Is it a problem if I have to wear eyeglasses?

A. - No. Glasses weren't all that unusual in the 18th century. And there are several suppliers who sell reproduction 18th century-style frames. You can have your optitian make up lenses for these to your prescription. Or you can use them as sunglasses. Or both.

Q. - Wasn't the 40th Regiment involved in the Expulsion of the Acadians in 1755? Don't you think forming this Society might be seen as an affront to present-day Acadians?

A. - Actually, the 40th didn't have very much to do with le Grand Dérangement. Most of the Regiment was involved in the capture of Ft. Beauséjour in June, after which they stayed there as a garrison. It was almost entirely New England provincial troops who rounded up the Acadians for the deportation and burned their homes.
    The 40th was ordered to round up the Acadians in and around Annapolis Royal. This caused a lot of hardship on both sides. Remember that the men of the 40th had been the garrison of Fort Anne for decades, and many had married into Acadian families; some had Acadian mothers. Now they were being ordered to send their own families into exile. And any who objected could have been tried for insubordination or even treason.
    This is not to say that the men of the 40th were “just as much the victims” as the Acadians. That would be absurd. On the other hand, the record shows that, of all the English in Nova Scotia at that time, they were by far the most sympathetic to the Acadians' plight.
    The wrongs of the past are a difficult issue in the living history movement. Where wrongs happened, the goal is to gain understanding by studying history, and to make sure such wrongs never happen again.