10 fifers and drummers...I thought that only existed in the regulations...
"As nearly as we can recall, the formal composition of the field
music was Company A, fifer, Philip Woodling; drummer, Simon
Harper. B, fifer, Nathaniel Beerly ; drummer, Emory Hutton
C, fifer, William P. Harpster; drummer, Samuel D. Otto. D,
fifer, Abram Mattern; drummer, John B. Holloway. E, fifer,
Johnson Hamilton ; drummer, David N. Henry. F, fifer, Lawrence
& Bathurst (from C Company) ; drummer, Thos. Minnich. G,
fifer, Matthias Rider; drummer, Daniel Schreffler. H, fifer, William
Yeager; drummer, R. A. Cassidy. I, fifer, Thaddeus Rum-
berger (also of C Company) ; drummer, Joseph Arthurs. K, fifer,
Abram Courson (long division) ; drummer, John A. Lee."
And well equipped too:
"The field music shared largely in the benefits of Colonel
Beaver's assiduous attention to the most minute details of discipline
and organization of his command. Soon after our arrival at
Cockeysville he determined that we should have a complete equipment
of fifes and drums, instead of the ordinary contract issue of
the Government, and authorized the writer to arrange for the outfit
with a Baltimore manufactory. Thus in due season we were
equipped with a splendid complement of drums (including a basso
profundo) and fifes, on the former of which were emblazoned the
United States coat of arms, with appropriate regimental designation."
Definitely after Lincoln declared martial law:
"..the 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers marched through the streets of Baltimore on that well remembered winter day in 1862, enroute to Washington, the resounding echoes of the martial harmonies of its ten
fifes, ten snare drums and Billy Ishler's big bass drum drew to the line of our march much more popular attention and applause than
was usually accorded passing troops, which had become to the citizens
a monotonous experience.
The Story of Our Regiment By Joseph Wendel Muffly
"As nearly as we can recall, the formal composition of the field
music was Company A, fifer, Philip Woodling; drummer, Simon
Harper. B, fifer, Nathaniel Beerly ; drummer, Emory Hutton
C, fifer, William P. Harpster; drummer, Samuel D. Otto. D,
fifer, Abram Mattern; drummer, John B. Holloway. E, fifer,
Johnson Hamilton ; drummer, David N. Henry. F, fifer, Lawrence
& Bathurst (from C Company) ; drummer, Thos. Minnich. G,
fifer, Matthias Rider; drummer, Daniel Schreffler. H, fifer, William
Yeager; drummer, R. A. Cassidy. I, fifer, Thaddeus Rum-
berger (also of C Company) ; drummer, Joseph Arthurs. K, fifer,
Abram Courson (long division) ; drummer, John A. Lee."
And well equipped too:
"The field music shared largely in the benefits of Colonel
Beaver's assiduous attention to the most minute details of discipline
and organization of his command. Soon after our arrival at
Cockeysville he determined that we should have a complete equipment
of fifes and drums, instead of the ordinary contract issue of
the Government, and authorized the writer to arrange for the outfit
with a Baltimore manufactory. Thus in due season we were
equipped with a splendid complement of drums (including a basso
profundo) and fifes, on the former of which were emblazoned the
United States coat of arms, with appropriate regimental designation."
Definitely after Lincoln declared martial law:
"..the 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers marched through the streets of Baltimore on that well remembered winter day in 1862, enroute to Washington, the resounding echoes of the martial harmonies of its ten
fifes, ten snare drums and Billy Ishler's big bass drum drew to the line of our march much more popular attention and applause than
was usually accorded passing troops, which had become to the citizens
a monotonous experience.
The Story of Our Regiment By Joseph Wendel Muffly
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