Tin whistle

[Faugh-A-Ballagh61]

Does anyone know how popular the Irish tin whistle was amongst soldiers?

[Dan Munson]

Re: Tin whistle

Eric - since no one has leapt in here with any response, I will venture something. First, I don’t believe anyone has attempted to quantify the overall “popularity” during the war of the instrument you ask about. If one were to judge solely by pictures (photographic and sketched), one would probably say “not too popular.” And that would probably be right for the two armies, taken as a whole. But six-holed, diatonic whistles, whether of tin or wood or some other material were clearly around and available during the period. I once saw, at a privately-run museum near the New Market battlefield, a tin whistle nestled amongst what were alleged to be some of the personal effects of a Confederate soldier. Rolled tin body (rather patina’d), six holes, wooden fipple -- just about like one which can be obtained today from the Clarke Whistle Co. Obviously, I can only report what I saw - I can’t vouch that the whistle was indeed a genuine war-time artifact.

The six-holed whistle (or flageolet, as it was then called in some circles) had been an integral part of Irish musical culture for centuries before the Civil War. However, the traditional “Irish” whistle was typically made of wood or some metal other than tin. It seems it was actually the Brits who first engaged in using rolled tin plate to fashion cheap (as in “inexpensive”) whistles, during the 1820s. Clarke began mass producing his six-holed tin “flageolet” in 1843 for the English market. The Clarke Co. still offers (or at least they did until a few years ago) a model just like their originals.

Okay - that ends the “history” - what follows is simply a best-guess deduction. It would not be a large leap to say that the six-holed whistle -- not necessarily made of tin -- would have had some practitioners amongst predominantly Irish units, given that instrument’s prominence in their musical culture. Since most Irishmen actually served in units which were not predominantly Irish, the whistle might likely have made some appearances in those ranks. The odd English immigrant might be found toting a Clarke (or similar) whistle. Without anything factual to at least reason from, I would hesitate to say the six-holed whistles had any real popularity in other ethnic groups and/or among native-born Americans at that time.

Dan Munson

[EM_Powers]

Re: Tin whistle

Does anyone know how popular the Irish tin whistle was amongst soldiers?

Eric,
Most of the whistles of the period were keyed in "D" some in "C". They were and are very easy to play. My ancestors, from county Wexford, in his letters of the period, reference playing the whistle at dances here in the States. The whistle can be used in lieu of the fiddle or pipes. The "D" and "C" whistle can be played in two keys as well.

Some songs/tunes of the period that wre undoutedly played were "ON THE ROAD TO BOSTON" also known as General Greene's March this tune was played by General Nathaniel Greene's fifers while on his way to the siege of Boston in 1775. "The Eagles Whistle" which is an Irish bagpipe tune can be played as a march, lament or even a lullaby depending on the mood of the player. During the Christmas season Don OI'CHE U'D i mBreithil (That Night in Bethlehen) was probably played by the men. Numerous slip jigs, reels and polkas would be known by most whistlers of the period as they are today.

The 7th Missouri Infantry USV (my Unit) which was an Irish Unit that mustered in at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis in June of 1861 no doubt had a few whistlers in their ranks. Our unit boasts three whislers, all of Irish ancestory.

James Bair