Drummers and Fifers to the Front!

[RJSamp]

Re: Drummers and Fifers to the Front!

you guys aren't getting it.......

most of us know that 'strike up the band' means to start the music..... and most of us know (have the common sense) that playing music on the march improves morale and lightens the step. And NONE of this is in any manual. Kevin, Jason, RJ, Jim, et al are all on that step.

If a Sergeant in 7th Company yelled out in English "Loosen the Joints" would you know what that meant? Would a Non Prussian army veteran know what that meant? would it be common sense? good, now tell me what it means without referring to any outside materials. If you get that I've got another 25 terms right after that that will test your period vernacular. and don't forget to "Grease the Pail" either.

If a Sergeant in 1st Battalion, 6th Company yelled out "Drummers and Fifers to the Front!" at McDowell 2009 or an upcoming event, would you start the field music's from the 2nd battalion playing Jason? Will you? after all it's common sense. and by the way the unit is at the Route Step per the General's Order's (and your Colonel is right in front of you). Would you ask your Colonel if you can 'stike up a tune'? Which mean's that 2nd Battalion is now forcing the Regiment/Brigade out of route Step. Kind of like 3rd Company going to Right Shoulder Shift Arms while 1st Company is still at Shoulder Arms....

It's the argot, the usage, the term, the period speak that I'm after.....and a Sergeant ordering Field Music's to break Route Step...... [I don't know many commanding officer's or Company Captain's in reenacting today that would tolerate the Sergeant's order, including Kevin]
not the common sense of playing music on a dusty march after 15 miles on the road.

[ThehosGendar]

Re: Drummers and Fifers to the Front!

Okay... How about we start over on this one.

Just read this again in the 21st Wisconsin Dutch Mudsills book.... a lowly Sargeant (Otto, the author of the book) during a long, monotonous, energy sapping march.....suddenly yelled out "Drummers and Fifers to the Front!".....expecting the Field Musics to march to the head of the regiment, come up with a snappy tune, and a cadence to pull the men out of their stupor and put a bounce in their step. All good stuff.

The Colonel in the regiment behind (24th ILL) heard the yell, and had his BAND start up a tune. When they were done his field music's chimed in....and soon the column, much revived, was singing, smiling, stepping lively to the cadence.

1. Have never seen this in any manual as a command.

2. But a Field Officer immediately recognized what the shout was all about.

3. So much for silence in the ranks....

4. Have you heard of this anywhere else?

Would love to reenact this sometime/put it in our repetoire.

First, we don't have the full, exact quote to dissect, so outside of those who have read the book, we don't know exactly what's going on. From the subsequent replies, I take it they were marching at the route step.

So, if they are marching at the route step, the forequoted #3, "So much for silence in the ranks...." doesn't apply, as, according to Butterfield's:

"Article II
On the March.

7. The men must be perfectly silent, dress, and keep the step, covering in file as on drill, until the word "route step" is given by the commanding officer. [pg 34]"

So silence may be broken, allowing, from R.J.'s snippet, a sergeant to speak and order his field music to come forward and play.

But why are they coming forward to the front? Again, like the old multiple choice math problems, we have to fill in circle 'E' - "not enough information."

Now, again, from R.J.'s snippet, it seems like the sergeant was "expecting the Field Musics to march to the head of the regiment, come up with a snappy tune, and a cadence to pull the men out of their stupor and put a bounce in their step."

But did they?

It appears that the commanding officer of the next regiment in the column ordered his band and drum corps to play, and they did. But from the snippet, it doesn't appear that the band or field music of the 21st WI, the sergeant's unit, played. So, in fact, the sergeant didn't do anything. He just shouted something, which he wished to have happen, to no effect in his unit. If anything, he wanted to hear a tune, and the officer of the regiment following thought it would be a good idea, and since he had the power to do something, and knowing of the inspiring effect of music, he did something.

So, go ahead. Be a sergeant, and shout out an order to the band, and expect nothing to happen. That's just what happened to the 21st. However, you might be the catalyst to make someone with the power to do something to do something.

Now, once the band played, did the men then snap into step and return their arms to a uniform position, and close order, thus fully converting from route step to a cadenced step? Or, did a band just play?

Then, if the column did break route step and return to a cadence step because of one colonel within a brigade in column of march, did he get brought up on charges or disciplined because of that? I'm sure that's beyond the scope of Mr. Otto's book. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't.

And, to your question, R.J. If the effect of a having a band play would bring the men out of a funk after a long and grueling march, and I were in command of the 2nd Battalion, yes, I would order the band to play. That sergeant's grumbling would have alerted me that the men were uncomfortable, and any good officer looks after the well being of the men under his command. And that is very likely what the C.O. of the 24th IL was thinking, too. And you know, what? That, that a responsible officer looks after the men under him, is what Kautz, Butterfield, and a host of other manuals say.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Drummers and Fifers to the Front!

First, we don't have the full, exact quote to dissect, so outside of those who have read the book, we don't know exactly what's going on.

Here you go:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Mi3xpiqrzGIC&pg=PA58

As soon as the train was by we followed. It seemed something of a novelty to walk once more on a solid level road without fearing to knock a two or three pounder out of the way with tender toes. But there is nothing perfect in this world, even if the creator has made everything good, and the pike made no exception to the old rule. Thousands of troops and horses and mules, and batteries and wagons had passed this same road and the dust was half a foot deep. By the constant stirring of it the air became so filled with it as to make the sun appear like a big round Slice of a watermelon. To a short breathed person the dust was most inconvenient and more dangerous than sore feet. We had not gone far when the lines began to lengthen. Not a word was spoken. Everyone dragged wearily along busy with his own thoughts and troubles. Even Walk Fish was serene and quiet. Men would get mad if some one came in his way. It is in such trying times that the true character of a person reveals itself. I was thinking about this and how in the prussian Army under similar circumstances the drummers and fifers had to play once in a while, "to grease the joints" as we used to say, and how effective it always was. I wondered why they could not do that here and on a sudden impulse shouted: "Drummer [yes it's singular] and fifers to the front"! But none came. They had betaken themselfes to the wagons. But all at once the 24th Ill. Music band struck up a march. A deefening jell [sic] arose from the ranks; Like as by magic the men straightened up, took [step] ["step" is in brackets in the published version] and to all appearances stepped as easy as on parade ground. The 24th marched behind our Regt. Col. Mihalotzi had heard the call for the drummers and seeing that none came had ordered his band to play. When the music ceased their drummers took it up and in that manner we went along in good style.... [ellipsis in published version] at 10 p.m. we went in camp where a bridge spans the "Rolling fork" a river of considerable size. They called the place "New Market" but no City or village could be discovered. Only 25 men of the Comp. were present to stake arms. Even the "dutch squad" was "demoralized."

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[TheRegularsDrummerCo.H]

Re: Drummers and Fifers to the Front!

Usually playing tunes while marching will keep them in step or just paying attention, but most of the time it is to boost there moralle

Adam Ward

[RJSamp]

Re: Drummers and Fifers to the Front!

I'm lost here. On the march, I'm not aware of this as a requirment, especially at the route step. Am I missing something?

Rob Willis

How many Sergeant's do you know who yell out for something (as in giving an order/request)? what's a Sergeant doing bypassing his 1st Sergeant, 1st Lt., Captain?

I'm actually amazed during the entire book Otto doesn't get reprimanded more.....he speaks with Colonels, Captains, and Privates as if they were not in a military setting. Quite different from what we've been told to act like.....

[markj]

Re: Drummers and Fifers to the Front!

I've already sent this to R. J. Samp and am posting it here for s***s & grins. The item dates to 1867, but it's still intriguing. Field musicians may immediately note that a certain "Drum Major Bruce" is mentioned as having judged the below contest:


New York Times, 12 May 1867, p. 6:

NATIONAL GUARD.

Considerable activity was observable in [New York] National Guard circles during the past week. We give our usual summary of events:

*************

DRUM CORPS DRILL.

The first of the series of competitive drills for the drum corps championship, took place on Thursday evening [May 9th, 1867] at the Stadt Theatre, between the Drum Corps of the Fifth and Twelfth [New York National Guard] Regiments. The occasion drew together a large audience. The Fifth Regiment Drum Corps appeared with thirty drums, and gave the United States Regular Army beats and the German Army calls. They displayed great proficiency in the latter, being aided therein by the Bugle Corps. The Twelfth Regiment Drum Corps appeared with seventeen drummers, and confined themselves wholly to the United States Army beats, being highly successful in their rendition of the same. Both corps received their meed of applause [sic], and public sentiment seemed greatly divided regarding the issue. Drum Majors BRUCE, SMITH, TOMPKINS and JUDSON acted as judges, and they have not yet pronounced their decision. As we have been requested to give our opinion on the subject, we comply by saying that the Twelfth Regiment Corps were the most accurate in their rendition of the army calls now in use in the Regular Army of the United States, the Fifth Drum Corps displaying too many flourishes while beating the common calls. As the test was made upon the American system of army calls, the exhibition of the German system by Mr. BERCHERT’S Corps, though a very handsome performance, cannot count for anything in the contest. To our mind the Twelfth Regiment Drum Corps is entitled to the palm so far, though they have need to be careful while contesting with other American drum corps.***

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[RJSamp]

Re: Drummers and Fifers to the Front!

Sounds like the buglers were practicing up on how to beat the French in a few short weeks!