Stripes On Musicians

[billyreb61]

At every event I have gone to, I have seen musicians with stripes on. Now, I know the drum major wore stripes. It was discussed on a thread not to long ago. Did any other musicians wear them, or is it something musicians today began to wear for the look?

Thanks,

[John Legg]

Re: Stripes On Musicians

Well Principle Musicians also wore chevrons. I also have seen many different musicians wearing stripes at mainstream reenactments.

Here are some pictures i have found. They are from the Civilwarphotos.net website. The pics are just to show you that some Principle musicians had stripes, and some didnt.









Hope this helps.

[Angel of Mercy]

Re: Stripes On Musicians

John,
I absolutely love the second to last image! there is so much going on in it. One guy is doing a stabbing motion (left backgound) and another's drum head is torn and drum dissasembled (denter foreground)...there's just so much it's really interesting. Thank you for sharing these!

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Stripes On Musicians

Doug,
I am the Principle Musician for my battalion and I wear corporals chevrons.
John,
Thanks for posting the photos I don't think I've ever seen the second to last one.
Regards,

[Infantry Grunt]

Re: Stripes On Musicians

I will have to agree with the others about the second to the last image. That is a great one. Always nice to see something unique.

[myster]

Re: Stripes On Musicians

Where did the bass come from?
Sean Harla

[Guy Gane III]

Re: Stripes On Musicians

Notice the 2nd to last image shows NO trimmed frock coats.

I'm totally diggin' the paper collars on a few of those fella's!

Great image!

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Stripes On Musicians

The only period photograph I have ever seen of a musician wearing NCO chevrons except for a principal musician or drum major is that of Johnny Clem, a most extraordinary example, if one believes all of his stories to be true. If one really wants to justify(or discount) the wearing of chevrons by reenactors, he should look to the muster rolls. Musicians are listed with the ranks of "drummer", "fifer", "musician", "drum major", or "principal musician", sometimes as "private". However, I have seen men mustered in as musicians and discharged as sergeants, for example. In these cases, the NCO in question may have been ordered to serve in the ranks and finished his duty as such. Even if a musician held the rank of sergeant and served in the drum corps or band, it would make little sense for him to wear chevrons, as his comrades would recognize him just as easily as they would recognize their principal musician, who often times wore no chevrons.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Stripes On Musicians

That I understand, field musicians and, when appropriate, members of the regimental or brigade band, were not non-commissioned officers and, therefore, should not wear chevrons in reenacting. Doesn't matter if you see it at reenactments--it doesn't mean it's correct.

I suspect that, as listed above, a lot of reenactor field musicians base their wearing of chevrons on the "Little Drummer Boy of Shiloh" photograph. It's worth noting that Johnny Clem was a little kid who was informally adopted by his reigment as a mascot, and hence the corporal chevrons on him were not--I understand--bestowed by the US Army.

I imagine that Principal Musicians and, when present, Dru Majors wore rank insignia, but I'm not at home at the moment and don't have access to my copy of the US Army Regs of 1861, Kautz's COS/NCO&S, and ORs to verify what the Principal Musician and Drum Major were authorized to wear in the way of insignia.

"Birdcage" coats were worn by some musicians, but due to their price, they were a lot more rare than one sees at reenactments. Birdcage trim was not rank insignia, however.