Rare Footage of Civil War Veterans Doing the Rebel Yell

[redskeleton1954]

Why didn't they sing "The Battle Cry of Freedom"? Y'all.

[Tinstar2]

This is fantastic! I have many relatives who fought for the Confederacy and I had always wondered what the sound of that famous, fearsome rebel yell would be like. Now we know and that is fantastic! What a great and brave bunch of men..."we don't have much to give, but we'll give you what we got!" What a powerful statement! Back when men were men and the women were glad of it! "Give em hell boys, give em hell!". Gotta love em! God bless them.

[medicinelady20]

I can't thank you enough SmithsonianMagazine for finding this and uploading it. It's become the best way for me to learn how I should do my own Rebel Yell for my Civil War reenactments.

[CosmicCaprice]

ok boys and girls, as you can see back then there were good old men, the kind of old men that they don't exist any more. as you can see people mocked the old men but they loved to be mocked by their friends, because back then people had better understanding of how to have a good time. everybody had his or her well defined role in society; kids were kids, mothers were mothers, fathers were fathers, and old men were old men. but they all were in the same place together. now we're seperated loonies

[Elvisissouthern]

This is by far the greatest video you will ever see on youtube.God bless the southern soldier

[Onlymusical]

Even emanating from these poor old codgers, some of whom were hurting themselves in the attempt, it sounds scary. I'd always read that nobody knows what the Rebel Yell sounded like but now we do, or at least can easily imagine it after seeing this.  Speaking as a Virginian, this is a rare treat and the solution to a lifelong mystery.

[motoshop07]

Thats why they lost,if you sceam like that you are an easy target,not a black guy in that celebration,its that good or bad?

[TexianPride]

@motoshop07 Well there werent many blacks who served im the Confederate armed services in combat, of the thousands of blacks who wore gray only a few thousand acually saw battle

The blacks who wore gray worked as cooks and such for the most part, however there are several pictures of formor black Confederates celebrateing with white Confederates.

The most famous of which has a large number of gentlemen standing together with a battle flag held up several blacks in uniform can be seen

[CharmingLordSausage]

This is epic!

[ShunkawakanOkawingha]

Imagine the fear of them yankees as hundreds of these guys ran at them with no fear and a bayonet

[hollywoodwerewolf]

"We can't give you much but we'll give you what we got left." That gentleman, and his comrades, gave so much on the field of battle.

[billymonkeyreed]

This is fantastic. That someone had the wisdom to record these events at the time is astonishing. Were any actual interviews of civil war veterans made ?

[Blaakobolt]

"Go ahead, you talk!" -00-57.

Epocha, this.

[Alevuss92]

Anyone notice that the guy at 3:25 is named James Blunt?

[Kravis63]

Thank you Smithsonian for uploading this! Most thought the rebel yell was lost to a memory. The sound still gives this northern born boy a chill up his spine. Happy Veterans Day!

[Jubilo1]

The hell you say!!!!

[ona1098]

"With a rebel yell, she cried MORE! MORE!! MORE!!!" -Billy Idol.