Nnbook revolutionary war drummers

So much has been written and celebrated about him that it is practically impossible to separate truth from fable, but one fact remains unchallenged. In it, a young revolutionary war drummer boy is marching alongside two other musicians. Read the revolution following the drum museum of the. During the revolutionary war, drummers in both the continental and english ranks marched bravely into the fight with nothing but their rudiments and sticks to protect them. Cover artwork by leading american revolutionary war artist don troiani. Another uniformed musician is wounded, but marching and playing the fife. Actual flags, drums, or uniforms from the period remain scarce. At age sixteen, vince attended valley forge military academy founded 1928 outside philadelphia, pa on a band scholarship, graduated from high school at valley forge in 1938 and and graduated junior college in 1940. The second oldest signed and dated american drum in existence, it is inscribed with the name of its maker, robert crosman of taunton, massachusetts. Fife and drum music of the revolutionary war youtube.

The rule in the union army was that soldiers had to be 18 to join, but. In the hazy fog of battle, visual command was impossible and musical instruments were the only way to convey orders to the troops. Remarkably, some of these musicians were in fact, very. The boy is in his continental army uniform, looking up to an older drummer who is not in uniform. Revolutionary war music investigate some of the more familiar and famous songs of the revolutionary war period and how music was used to convey messages of patriotism and highlight. By war department orders of july 3 and 16, 1889, a record. During the revolutionary war, drummers in both the continental and english ranks marched bravely into the fight with nothing but their sticks to protect them.

For example, wake up call, food call, attack, retreat, etc. Matts earlier post was about jude hall, another african american revolutionary war solider. Uniforms of the armies in the war of the american revolution, 17751783. Whether its a ceremonial performance or a concert to boost the morale of soldiers, u. George washingtons drummer boy in a little known grave in southwestern marion county, indiana, lie the remains of an old soldier traditionally acclaimed as george washingtons drummer boy. Why revolutionary war musicians wore different colored. One of the most famous drummers was johnny clem, who ran away from home at the age of nine to join the army. It is estimated that thousands of young boys joined the continental army and fought during the revolutionary war. Our work has been featured by the new york times, time magazine, history channel, discovery channel, smithsonian, mental floss, npr, and more. Founded on february 23, 1960, the men and women of the corps proudly carry on traditions that accompanied the birth of our nation. European traditions the foundations of american military music from lexington to valley forge of the different beats of the drum the stalemate in the north defeat, then victory, in the south the last. This story about jabez jolley is based on research by matt thorenz, a librarian and archivist, who worked previously at new windsor cantonment and has done extensive research on african americans who spent time there during the american revolution. Based in columbus, ohio since 1984, camp chase fifes and drums is an authentic impression of a regimental civil war fife and drum corps playing period military fife and drum.

Unquestionably the most renowned of the civil war s child soldiers was johnny clem, the drummer boy of chickamauga. We feature smart, groundbreaking research and wellwritten narratives from expert writers. During the revolutionary war, armies didnt have radios to talk to each other with. The united states army old guard fife and drum corps 1. However, in his orders to his army during the american revolution, george washington complained on june 4, 1777, that the music of the army was. Journal of the american revolution is the leading source of knowledge about the american revolution and founding era. Drummers attracted attention during the war, and some tales of heroic drummers circulated widely. A history of civil war drummer boys part 1 emerging. Military drums or war drums are all kinds of drums and membranophones that have been used for martial music, including military communications, as well as drill, honors music and military ceremonies. What did a drummer boy do in the american revolutionary war. Army bands members have the opportunity to serve their country while making music. Drummers of regiments with red facings wore white coats faced with red. Military, civil war, uniforms, painted drums, canteens. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the.

Drummer keith henning shows off his replica drum made from the same materials as the drums used during the revolutionary war. Each regiment was to be reduced from ten to eight companies. A list of pensioners in the state of massachusetts compiled in 1854 american ancestors abstracts and indexes to diaries from rhode island and massachusetts, ca. Twelveyearold union drummer william black was the youngest person on record to be wounded in battle during the american civil war 186165, and its believed that the youngest soldier killed during the american civil war was a thirteenyearold drummer named charles king, whod enlisted in the fortyninth pennsylvania volunteer infantry with the. History of drummer boys off beat with michael aubrecht. As one of the united states armys premier musical organizations, the old guard fife and drum corps has inspired audiences throughout the nation and abroad for 50 years. The history of the drummer boy modern drummer magazine. Each company was to have a captain, 2 lieutenants, an ensign, 4 sergeants, 4 corporals, a fifer, a drummer, and 76 privates. The civil war is sometimes called the boys war, because so many soldiers who fought in it were still in their teens. However, it wasnt until 1789, when the united states war department was established, that the first published references to the enlistment of underage. George washington recognized the practical necessity of the fife and drum but also enjoyed music in general. Excerpts from fife and drum music of the american revolution.

While many initially entered military service as young as 14years of age, they were more frequently seasoned soldiers, despite the popular misconception of their relative youth. The image of revolutionary war soldiers suffering in winter encampments remains strong in our national consciousness, thanks to the diaries and letters of continental army officers and soldiers as well as evocative works by authors and artists like washington irving and william b. Clem became known as johnny shiloh, though its unlikely he was at the battle of shiloh, which took place before he was in uniform. Military music in american and european traditions essay. An abbreviated study of the ages of musicians revwar75. A school for field musicians was formed at governors island in new york harbor in the early 19th century and continued, at least, until the time of the civil war. A tough us air force officer and a skeptical scientist investigate ufo and alien conspiracies as cold war paranoia spreads. Insignia civil war artifacts for sale in gettysburg.

The old guard fife and drum corps reenacts a scene from the american revolution. Pre revolutionary war drum this rare americanmade military drum dates to 1740. Nathan futrell 17731829 was said to have been the youngest drummer boy in the american war of independence. Fife, drum, and bugle during the revolutionary war. During the revolutionary war, drummers in both the continental and english ranks marched bravely into the fight with no more protection than their drums and sticks. It is presumable that this drum was reconditioned for use during the war, hence the label. Remarkably, some of these musicians were in fact, very young boys, not quite yet into their teen years. George washingtons drummer boy field drums aka field. Uniforms of the american revolution drummers, british. Drummer boys during the american civil war were younger than their predecessors from the revolution, but more advanced in their playing.

Young people at war journal of the american revolution. Assembling documents that refer to the role played by fifers and drummers in the battle for american independence during the revolutionary war. Brad larrison for newsworks the sounds of the fife and drum filled the air outside of the museum of the american revolution saturday with standards like yankee doodle and the liberty song. Who where the drummer boys of the american revolution. Revolutionary war drummers and fifers were used in battle to signal the soldiers to fire. In 1793, joseph bara, a 14yearold french republican drummer at the time of the war in the vendee, was killed by royalist counterrevolutionaries, supposedly while he was shouting long live the republic. Eight companies lent themselves to better tactical deployment than ten companies in. Drummer boys were boys around 16 and up that would beat the drums for calls to the soldiers. Each regiment would then have a total strength of 728 officers and men. The combination of the fife and drum became known as.

Connecticut continental troops, second regiment general spencer, 1775 as found in the record of connecticut men in the military and naval service during the war of the revolution, 17751783. It is also presumable that at this time, it was cut down in height by about three inches to its present height of eleven inches. Following the years involving the revolutionary war, the army continued in a rather reduced state, with a consequent reduction in the number of active fifers and drummers therein. Revolutionary drummers off beat with michael aubrecht. Music in the revolutionary war george washingtons mount. Drummers of the royal regiments and foot guards wore coats of red, faced in blue. Nov 27, 20 british 63rd regiment of foot, drummer 1775 1776.

Camp chase fifes and drums members, friends and fans. Drummers british tenth regiment of foot, 1775 1783 source. Connecticut continental troops, second regiment general. From the signal corps drummers in the revolutionary war, to the full jazz bands of wwii, music has been a critical part of the armys success. A history of rudimental drumming in america from the. The drummers coat was decorated with regimental lace. Massachusetts soldiers and sailors of the revolutionary war boston, 1898, 694, george derecoat. Music was the main way for them to communicate over long distances. Drummer boys played important roles in the civil war, and.

Drummers in the american revolution were key members of each company. Usa 1,060,369 massachusetts 47,432 massachusetts military records 777 statewide military records. Rudimental drumming in america from the revolutionary war to the present a monograph submitted to the graduate faculty of th louisiana state university agricultural and mechanical college in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of musical arts in the school of music by eric alan chandler b. This is the grave of sergeant john george, a revolutionary war veteran of the first battalion of the new jersey continental line.

Drummers communicated most of the activities both in camp and on the battlefield. With aidan gillen, michael malarkey, laura mennell, ksenia solo. In fact, a knowledgeable source says that snowden has not even sold his life story and has rebuffed offers of cash for interviews. Frederick blume moved his shop to 208 bowery street, nyc in 1861, during the civil war.