Field Music and Camp Duty

[HangarFlying]

I understand that fifers learned the music by rote, but unfortunately I do not have that luxury. If Scott's or Casey's manual is used as a basic guideline for what songs should be played during reveille and tattoo, where does one look for the complete songs listed? At the present time, I have a very limited fife library; which manuals should I invest in that would provide the fife and drum music to play the proper songs for camp duty.

Regarding B&E, I know the pit-falls surrounding this manual but, the actual music aside, it provides a clear guideline of when reveillie, breakfast call, dinner call, pioneer call, etc should be played. Generally speaking, does B&E provide an accurate guideline of what songs should be played when?

I have Ashworth's manual, which appears incomplete, especially when trying to compare it to the drum beatings (ie. three camps). I also found Hart's manual on-line. I know I have a long way to go. I'm currently focusing on the music for the Camp Duty, and will expand the repertoire from there.

Thanks,

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

First of all, what is your portrayal(i.e. confederate or federal)?

One downfall of B&E is that it was written by a master drummer and fifer, so as you get through the manual some of the music becomes quite difficult.

Also, what do you mean by complete songs listed?

Remember that the reveille was not always th official one, sometimes musicians would play there favorite tunes. Delvan S. Miller states in his diary that some units would play The Girl I left Behind Me, while others would play OH Sussana for reveille.

[HangarFlying]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

Sorry, I should have clarified in my first post: I plan on focusing on a Federal Field Musician impression. Regarding B&E, I understand the difficulties of this manual's music. My question regarding this manual does not involve the actual songs played for camp duty, rather the actual organization of the Camp Duty. Is B&E a good reference to know when to play the various calls. (Reveille played at 6 a.m., Pioneer's Call played 15 minutes after, Drummer's Calls played 15 minutes prior to the associated song, etc etc).

Regarding my "complete songs listed" comment: there was a previous thread talking about the music in Scott's and Casey's manual as being incomplete songs. Those authors only put the first few bars of a particular song in order to list what song they intended to be played, a guide for what they wanted since those musicians who were learning the music were not learning it from paper but learning it by listening to more experienced players.

I don't have the ability to learn from a mentor, I need to have the sheet music to learn the song. Since I am on a limited budget, which manuals should I invest in that will provide the complete songs.

Going back to Scott's manual, in his tattoo he has bars with no music. Is he indicating that he wants those types of songs played but is leaving the actual song up to the individual?

I understand that there were many variations and that many field musicians played "non-standard" music. For right now though, while I'm learning, I want to stick to the basics and get the standards down before changing things up.

Thanks,

First of all, what is your portrayal(i.e. confederate or federal)?

One downfall of B&E is that it was written by a master drummer and fifer, so as you get through the manual some of the music becomes quite difficult.

Also, what do you mean by complete songs listed?

Remember that the reveille was not always th official one, sometimes musicians would play there favorite tunes. Delvan S. Miller states in his diary that some units would play The Girl I left Behind Me, while others would play OH Sussana for reveille.

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

My suggestion as far as manuals would be Howe's 1862. This was used pretty much universally by federals and confederates. I would also recommend you getting Keach's manual. It should have the info regarding times of calls, etc.

One thing to remember is that Howe essentially copied Keach's manual and then added on a LOT more to his manual.

[HangarFlying]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

Thanks for the input!

[RJSamp]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

The times for the calls are based on your commander's/the events schedule. Be prepared to rock and roll based on a bugled camp schedule. don't let me catch you staring at an event schedule calling for Sick Call at 9AM when you are reporting to your command staff.....go on their orders, not the event organizers....and be prepared for a change...If I had a buck for everytime some field musics started playing whatever "because that's what was posted on the internet site a few months ago" I could retire.

doesn't matter what the manual's say (they are guidelines).....when your CO orders something to happen....then hop to. and ALWAYS know when Reveille is before you go to sleep, get it straight from the horses mouth, not from a lowly Sergeant or mess mate.....they'be been know to steer newbies wrong...... "I though Reveille was at 5AM?!!) yea right.

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

Tattoo (Scott's, Gilham's, etc.)

3 Cheers
Doublings
Quickstep
Doublings
Common Time
Doublings
3/4 (a Waltz, Dutch, or Troop)
Doublings
Double Quick (Single Drag)
3 Cheers
Doublings

The above is basically the "short Tattoo".

Based on the fact that the Downfall of Paris is in B&E and Hart's, it more than likely was added along with other pieces when playing a "long Tattoo".

Howe mentions that the Tattoo should commence and end with a national air. He gives "Hail to the Chief" and "Yankee Doodle". Ending the tattoo with Yankee Doodle conforms with the tactics manuals sense it is given as a single drag (double quick).

For such a short piece, the Doublings can be tricky. Sometimes it's hard to get the fifes and drums in sync. In my opinion, the Howe or Keach Doublings is easier. Something's not quite right about the B&E version.

Don't be misled by the appearance of "Tatter Jack" and the "Quick Step" (called Montezuma in the AVF) in B&E. Any quickstep can be used. Most of the manuals give more commonly-known tunes like College Hornpipe or Duke's Q.S.

Duke of York's would be a good choice for a Waltz as it is included in Howe's and the various Oliver Ditson publications (Keach-Burditt, Keach-Burditt-Cassidy, Simpson-Canterbury).

There is evidence that some Confederates had access to Howe's, but my guess is that Yankee Doodle would not be played that often. Moneymusk was popular among southern fiddlers, so it might be a good choice for a single drag. You can't go wrong with Bonnie Blue or Dixie as a southern "national air".

All the above information is good if you want to follow the manuals. While it is true that a great number of musicians probably didn't know much of the "standard" camp duty, it's not much of a stretch to think that some musicians did play pieces such as the Austrian and Hessian reveille. Every 1860's fife and drum manual (except for B&E and Hart) copied the majority of the reveille straight from what was being played in 1812 (e.g. Ashworth). None of the manuals really included anything new. The camp duty basically consisted of the same tunes and beats that had been played in the army for decades prior to the war.

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

Will,
What cadence would be played for a waltz? I've been wondering for some time.

Also,
Have you ever heard of something being played in the place of doublings?

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

A simple beat for tunes in 3-4 time can be found in Gilham's (which is available online) as the Dutch. It is very similar to the beat for "My Lodging's on the Cold Ground" in B&E. Another variation is the "Slow Dutch" beat found in Howe or Keach.

The Doublings was probably skipped entirely if it wasn't known.

I'm glad this thread was started. The focus of beginner fifers and drummers should be the camp duty rather than fancy quicksteps. The same words are as true today as 150 years ago.

"The mere beating of a quickstep in the street, however well it may be done, it by no means the whole of Drum-playing. The present war has revealed the fact that our militia drummers and fifers are but very imperfectly acquianted with camp and garrison duties, and, when at last there is a need of their services, they are incompetent to properly respond to their country's call."

Delavan Miller wrote that "a boy would not "pass muster" in those days unless he could do the double and single drag with variations." The best way to learn the camp duty is to start with the simplest versions. I would much rather hear the simpler versions played well than fifers and drummers attempting to play the more complicated versions (B&E) poorly. The most common fault when drummers attempt to play the reveille, for example, is that they drag out their rolls. Start out with the versions with 7 stroke rolls. Most of the time when I hear drummers trying to play the B&E reveille, they are actually playing slurred 11 stroke rolls instead of clean, tight nines. They might as well just beat the long roll instead.

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

I couldn't find Slow Dutch in my version of Keach. Maybe I just didn't look hard enough.

[DonH]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

I guess I don't really have to say this, but I think it's really important that field musicians know the calls in order to more accurately portray a Civil War field musician as well as life in camp, and it's really sad to attend events that don't emphasize that. It's also sad to see that when the music does play them, the infantry often times thinks they're just simply more fife and drum tunes.

This is something that was attempted to be fixed by Don Hubbard when he started the Eastern Field Music School at Fort Delaware back in 2001 - to teach field musicians the calls, so that they could go back to their unit and then teach the infantry. I think this was a totally awesome idea! If only more students would continue to attend the school, and continue to teach their units what they learned.

But as far as Reveille and the Tattoo, I feel that other tunes could be substituted for listed ones, and if necessary the two calls could be shortened or lengthened (by adding or cutting tunes). I think most everyone knows what Reveille is when they hear it regardless of the tunes played haha!

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

But as far as Reveille and the Tattoo, I feel that other tunes could be substituted for listed ones

This practice was definitely used in the 1860s by musicians who could not perform the regulation calls. In Delavan Miller's A Drum's Story and Other Tales he mentions many different tunes being played for reveille by various drum corps. I believe this tune substition is what separates the different classes of field musicians. A well-schooled drummer would insist on the Three Camps, Austrian, Hessian, Dutch, Slow and Quick Scotch for Reveille, and the Double Drag beat for Dinner Call. A less skilled group of musicians would be content to play the Girl I Left Behind Me or whatever tunes they happened to know. During the first year of the war, it would be fairly common for a drum corps to be capable of playing only a handful of tunes together.

History of the Twelfth Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteers in the War of the ... By Asa W. Bartlett:

http://books.google.com/books?id=TXAhAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1&dq=History+of+the+Twelfth+Regiment,+New+Hampshire+Volunteers+in+the+War+of+the+...+By+Asa+W.+Bartlett#PPP1,M1

"When the twenty knights of the drum and fife — two from each company—
first came together at "Camp Belknap " in Concord, thev were
quite as verdant in the practice of music as in the science of war. With
one or two exceptions they had enlisted as musicians, not so much because
they were, as because they wanted to be such; thinking, perhaps, if
allowed to make their own music, they would not be obliged to face the
music of the enemy. It is doubtful if there were half of the drummers
that knew a "flam" from a " ferrididdle" or two-four time from six-
eight; and the fifers were but little better, although two or three of them
could play quite well. But think not there was any lack of native talent
or ambition in this crude score of ear-distractors, for the development of
both was soon apparent, though not so much in the greater harmony and
sweeter melody of the players as in the consummate strategy and shrewd
tactics used by some of them to see who should have the undying honor
of being leader"

This is what Moeller had to say about the duty:

"The CAMP DUTY is given here as an exercise in the highest type of execution on the drum and is recommended for serious study to every student. No one should disregard it because he is not of a military disposition. Its figures and beats, while essential to marches, overtures of a military nature, war music, national airs, etc., are not confined to them but are found in every class of music. Its persecutors, who do not understand, die, while it lives on. Time proves it a classic, its worth being more and more appreciated by the lovers of art.

It was written by natural musicians to meet the needs of our soldiers -- for their guidance and inspiration. It was handed down showing the perfection and advancement of the drummers of the past and to what extent drumming has deteriorated.

No matter how well a drummer can read, if he does not know the rudimental system of drumming it is impossible for him to play THE THREE CAMPS, BREAKFAST CALL, or in fact any of the Duty except the simple beats such as THE TROOP."

[HangarFlying]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

The times for the calls are based on your commander's/the events schedule...doesn't matter what the manual's say (they are guidelines)....

RJ,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I understand the manuals are guidelines and the actual times of the calls would be dependant on the commander's actual schedule. My question regarding B&E's "schedule" of the Camp Duty was to know if it is representative of a common camp duty schedule (within reason of course).

Everyone,

Someone mentioned that "most" of the later manuals were based off of the Ashworth manual. I do have the Ashworth manual, but I am having a hard time understanding what he intends. I have a few questions:

Three Camps: Ashworth has three parts for the drummer, yet only one for the fifer. I came across a Rev War site that had an interpretation for the three camps based on the English duty that pretty much said that the fifer's played an AABB AB ABA format. Is this how Ashworth intended the fifer's to play in order to match what he wrote for the drummers?

Church/Parley Call: Ashworth named this for church/parley, but other manuals I have seen use this song as surgeon's call, and use another for church/parley. Just looking for clarification.

The Troop: Ashworth didn't have guard mounting, but was used for hoisting the colors. The order played:
Three Rolls (3 cheers)
Rising of the Troop (lead drummer)
Singlings (at least twice) (drums only)
Doublings (once or twice)
Singlings until you roll off (looking back to my band days, the drumline would "roll off" before starting a song - is this the same meaning? If so, what song would then be played?)
Three Rolls (3 cheers)
1st part of the Doublings
Again, looking for clarification to see if I'm reading the manual correctly.

Retreat: start with three cheers, play a song that has "retreat" in the title, end with three cheers and the first part once through (first part of what?)

Tattoo: I think I'll just quote Ashworth and ask for clarification:
"Begins with three rolls the singlings of the tattoo are then beat by all the drums. ___Some favorite Air is then played by the Drums and the Fifes: at the end of each part of the Tune the Drums Beat the Singlings.___ When through the Tune the Signal is given from the right to begin the Doublings, which are Beat but once through, after which the Singlings as at first, and go on alternately 'till the Signal is given for Rolling off; ____ End with three Rolls and the Doublings once through. ____". Will someone please just take my hand and walk me through this?

I think part of my frustration is that as a fifer, I cannot read drum music. At least with modern music, I can match drum music to the fife music. With this older style of drum notation, I am having a difficult time understanding how the drum music fits to the fife music. I just want to get it correct and make sure things are done properly.

Thanks again,

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

Although many manuals contain tunes and beats that are identical to Ashworth, much evolved over 50 years. Also, I don't think there is one manual that doesn't have typographical errors or inconsistencies. Ashworth's fife part for the Three Camps is missing the third camp. Some sources really have what could be called the Two Camps. Nevins has the Ashworth drumbeat and a complete fife part.

Nevins is available online, but for some reason the person who scanned it in did not provide the drum section.

http://www.fifedrum.org/resources/music/nevins/

Hart's manual is also available on the same site. Unfortunately, his strange drum notation is nearly impossible to decipher unless you already know how to drum.

Your best buy in terms of the 1860's manuals is Howe's Drum and Fife Instructor. I also recommend the 1905 American Veteran Fifer. Although I have found one tune in the AVF that is post-war (Post No.2 G.A.R. Reel, composed by McCarthy, early 1880s), the majority of the tunes can be found in pre-1866 sources. This one is also available for free online, but you will have to buy the actual book to get the Camp Duty section.

AVF: http://www.drumband.org/music/avf/avf.html

Most of the 1860s manuals can be purchased by visiting www.beafifer.com or www.ropedrum.com.

Additional resources that are not available as reprints:

1853 Klinehanse, George D. The Manual of Instruction for Drummers. Washington, DC: n.p., 1857. Pp. 25.

1861 Howe, Elias. The Army and Navy Fife Instructor. Boston: Elias Howe, 1861. Pp. 64.

1861 Leighton, Frank. The Modern School for the Fife: Containing the Most Improved Rules to Perfect the Learner in the Art of Playing Without a Master. Boston: Russell and Tolman, 1861. X(Cifaldi); photocopy at Company of Fifers and Drummers, Ivoryton, CT.

1861 Winner, Septimus A. Winner's Perfect Guide for the Fife. Boston: Oliver Ditson and Company, 1861. Pp. 80. American Antiquarian Society

1862 Simpson, Henry and Ira Canterbury. The Union Drum and Fife Book. Boston: Oliver Ditson and Company, 1862. Pp. 64.

1863 Howe, Elias. Howe's New Fife Without a Master. Boston: Elias Howe, 1863. [pp 3-198 from Howe,
Elias. The Musician's Omnibus No. 1. (1864) and The Musician's Omnibus No. 2. ca 1864]. X(Cifaldi), photocopy at Company of Fifers and Drummers, Ivoryton, CT.

1863 Winner, Sep. Winner’s Tunes of the World. Philadelphia: Lee & Walker, 1863. X(Cifaldi); photocopy at Company of Fifers and Drummers, Ivoryton, CT.

1864 Musician's Ominbus Complete. Boston: Elias Howe, 1864. Library of Congress, M177.H865. Pp. 1–6, "The Full Camp Duty as practiced in the United States Army and Navy."

[HangarFlying]

Re: Field Music and Camp Duty

Will,

Thanks for the input, I appreciate the help. I'll plan on investing in Howe's Manual and the AVF as a start.

I do have an ulterior motive regarding my qestions about Ashworth, as my drummer and I are planning on getting into the post-1812 war era as well.

Thanks again!

James