The Rebel Yell (What did it really sound like ?)

General Lee

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This video describes it but it seams to be up for debate for many people since we don't have anyone alive to do it. There is a video of Veterans doing it but they were pretty old at that point which I will post below as well. It seams to me that the rebel yell as described in the first video wasn't an all out yell it had cadence which I noticed also when those veterans tried to do it too.



 

Nitti

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There is an essay in the Southern Hisorical Society papers by Mrs Stonwall Jackson that describes the real sound of the rebel yell..I can't tell the month that it was in as i no longer have my copies anymore.you may find it by a google search.
 

diane

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I've always thought the rebel yell was well reproduced but could not fully be reproduced for the same reason war whoops can't be authentically reproduced. You gotta be in the mood to kill somebody!
 

diane

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Oh, yeah! That just adds so much style, especially when you figure your ugly face is going to be your enemy's last view!
 

O' Be Joyful

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If I recall correctly, Shelby Foote described it as a cross between a fox-hunt call and a war whoop.
 

5fish

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I noticed also when those veterans tried to do it too.
I do not know if it could be called a yell or a yep or what. I think we miss the fact if you have thousands upon thousands of men making that yell it would sound impressive. It even have been scary...
 

General Lee

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I do not know if it could be called a yell or a yep or what. I think we miss the fact if you have thousands upon thousands of men making that yell it would sound impressive. It even have been scary...
Your right, in the reenactor video one man demonstrates it and it didn't sound very impressive but when all of them did it it sounded scary to me.Just imagine being in a formation and hearing thousands of men making that sound.
 

rittmeister

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I do not know if it could be called a yell or a yep or what. I think we miss the fact if you have thousands upon thousands of men making that yell it would sound impressive. It even have been scary...
Your right, in the reenactor video one man demonstrates it and it didn't sound very impressive but when all of them did it it sounded scary to me.Just imagine being in a formation and hearing thousands of men making that sound.
it was supossed to - a bit like the jericho trompeten
 

O' Be Joyful

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@diane will most certainly tell you
The rebs stole the "war whoop" from Native Americans.

Note: I do not discount that "war whoops" have been employed throughout human history. Many members of the animal kingdom use the same tactic as a warning.
 
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