Rebel Yell Captured - Fiendish Effect Discounted

emediawire ^ | June 28, 2005 | PRWeb

[stainlessbanner]

Civil War mystery may be solved by modern technology.

(PRWEB) June 28, 2005 -- One of the mysteries of American Civil War lore may have finally been solved.

The famous rebel yell, long known to have an unnerving effect on Union soldiers in the American Civil War, has just been examined by the History Publishing Company. Using as its core base, the only known yell by a living Confederate soldier recorded early in the Twentieth Century, History Publishing Company, through the use of sound technology, has emulated the sound of a company of soldiers charging a Union line.

“The effect was startling, “said Don Bracken, Senior Editor of History Publishing and Civil War author( Times of the Civil War, ISBN 1-4208-0694-7). “It wasn’t a frightening sound in the nightmarish or fiendish sense. It was an audible sensation of being overwhelmed. It was like having a sonic tidal wave approach you. What might have unnerved the Union soldiers who reportedly fled from it was a sense of helplessness.”

The rebel yell has long been a source of curiosity to students of the Civil War. It was a recognized fact that seasoned Union veterans would become unnerved by it. “When we came across the recorded yell made in the early Twentieth Century, of an actual Confederate veteran of the Army of Northern Virginia, we knew we had to take it a step further,” said Don Bracken.”Technology has made it possible to do that.”

History Publishing Company, a company dedicated to furthering the study of history through modern technology will make the sound recording of the Confederate charge available to schools or Civil War study groups for educational purposes.

[stainlessbanner]

Yeeeeehaw!

[Constitution Day]

SWEET.

[Lazamataz]

How do I get to hear it?

[AnAmericanMother]

The headline doesn't fit. It leads one to the opposite conclusion than that reported by the story.

(I didn't need this to tell me that it was unnerving to be charged by a whole gang of Confederates screeching at the tops of their lungs. Plenty of contemporary reports from Union soldiers confirm that the sound scared 'em $#!+less.)

[stboz]

I prefer the bourbon type, myself.

[DJ MacWoW]

I clicked on this because I thought they were talking about our Freeper rebelyell. ;)

[stainlessbanner]

It is a particularly odd headline, given the short article reaffirms the effectiveness of the Rebel Yell.

[stainlessbanner]

I'm working on it. Will post if I get a sound bite.

[Nasty McPhilthy]

http://www.26nc.org/History/RebelYell/main.htm

[Dante3]

My question also - I'd like to hear it.

[rintense]

Did someone tell Billy Idol? Apparently, with his rebel yell, she cried, MORE! MORE! MORE!

[Billthedrill]

A group of wild-eyed Southern boys charging my way shrieking "Hillary's Thighs!" would scare hell out of me too...

[Thebaddog]

I'm supposing that the modern military R&D boys might like to bottle that sound for the ululating babes in Arabia.

[TASMANIANRED]

Imagine the effect of 10,000 of them doing in all at once.

[Leatherneck_MT]

Shelby Foote, noted author of several War of Yankee aggression books, and a talking head on PBS's The Civil War, told a story about a Confederate Veteran who described it this way.

"The yell could not be done at anything less than a full run and it was a cross between a foxhunt yip and a squawling Banshee."

The old Vet, in his words, was too well fed and too comfortable to try and recreate it for the ladies at the gathering.

[Constitution Day]

Thanks friend.

[Nasty McPhilthy]

I'm sure that by now , you have heard of Shelby's passing yesterday.

[AnAmericanMother]

Mr. Foote's death was just reported. Civil War authority Shelby Foote dead

[AnAmericanMother]

God rest his soul. I met him once, and he was a nice man.

[Leatherneck_MT]

No I hadn't :(

That's sad, the man was a good writer.

[LibWhacker]

According to this website, here is an authentic rebel yell performed by living Confederate veterans. Unfortunately, they crack up and start laughing during the performance, ruining the effect.

[LibWhacker]

Never mind! Nasty McPhilthy posted a much better version in #10 above.

[LAURENTIJ]

I'd imagine that really would scare the sissy boy liberals from up north back then.

[streetpreacher]

Sons of Confederate Veterans member Billy Idol re-enacts the infamous "Rebel Yell".

[Hilltop]

In the still of the night, as I hear the song of the cricket and tree frog, I remember Gettysburg and Cemetery Ridge.

I urge you to visit the Rotunda, which enumerates those that fell in the Battle of Vicksburg.

I recall the name of Brigadier General Edward D. Tracy, whose name is inscribed on a bronze plaque. Killed on the first day of battle, he was an officer of the Confederacy.

The rebel yell is now an echo, but it still resonates with those that see beyond the label of racism and understand history.

[jocon307]

This is the kind of post that really sets this site above and beyond any and all other corners (?) of cyberspace. Good job!

[SouthernFreebird]

Hmmmmmmm, that's not how we do it now....

[RightWinger]

A sweet sound, indeed!

Yeeehhhaaawww!!!

[in the Arena]

Interesting...

http://www.stonewallbrigade.com/articles_rebelyell.html

http://www.stonewallbrigade.com/rebel_yell.wav

[fso301]

Thanks for the link. It sure wasn't what I expected. Sounds like one of those alleged recordings of bigfoot.

[Nasty McPhilthy]

That's ok. I'm sure they would approve.

[Cruz]

ping

[mass55th]

Hadn't heard of Shelby Foote's passing until you included it in this thread. I also just found out that Brian Pohanka (reenactor & Civil War historian) passed away on the 15th of this month. I had heard that he was ill and near death, but hadn't seen anything more about in the news. Brian lost an eye a while back to cancer, but didn't let it stop him from continuing the work he loved. I had the opportunity to meet him several times over the years. He was always gracious when we ran into each other at the National Archives. He will be sorely missed.

Here's a link to an article about his passing:

Brian Pohanka Dies

[ozzymandus]

Shoot, Jethro did it all the time on "The Beverly Hillbillies".

[Travis McGee]

How do I get to hear it?

There is this way....

A cold starry night in Dixie, in the company of friends, is to be preferred when experiencing.

[Corin Stormhands]

Origin of the Rebel Yell

(my home county)

[groanup]

How do I get to hear it?

Go outside. Scream. Vibrate your throat and say "yahoo!!".

[Corin Stormhands]

The Rebel Yell today...

[bluefish]

Thanks for the link. It sure wasn't what I expected. Sounds like one of those alleged recordings of bigfoot.

At first, it didn't scare me. But then, it made the movie "Deliverance" come to mind. I actually heard the banjos starting up in the background. At that point, it began to scare me.

[Gwaihir]

Mo! Mo! Mo!

[stainlessbanner]

What great courage those boys had.

General Pickett was heard, "Up men, and to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from old Virginia!"

[Nateman]

If you saw the PBS series on the Civil War they had a film of some cofederate veterans marching in a parade. One of the vets gave a yell similar to the one posted here but with more of a corkscrew sound to it.

[bluefish]

Oops, forgot to italicize the first line, quoting you. Anyway, listen to the yell again, but put this in the background:

Hope this works...

NOW it is scary, no?

[MacDorcha]

Might be interesting to ya!

http://www.26nc.org/History/RebelYell/main.htm

[Corin Stormhands]

I keep trying to find a family connection. But the only unit I've identified so far was my great-grandfather's, the 8th Virginia Cavalry.

[04-Bravo]

I bet the veterans of the Army of Northern Virginia let out a friendly rebel yell to welcome Shelby Foote to heaven...

[girlangler]

As a born and lifelong southernor, I can tell you it is not so different from a screech owl.

I have heard it a few times, but mostly from drunk southern rednecks.

It's the sound of desperation.

[oyez]

You can say that again.

[SICSEMPERTYRANNUS]

When I was a cadet at VMI we would do the "rebel yell" prior to the march out for parade. Always very cool.

SIC