Knowing the Bugle Calls

[flattop32355]

Re: Knowing the Bugle Calls

...and having an ear out for a Right/Left flank call......

Keep in mind that the first phrase of The Forward, By the Left Flank and By the Right Flank are the exact same notes. You know you're going to move, you just don't know yet in which direction until the second phrase is sounded.

Why it took me so long to figure that out beyond me.

Assemble on the Battalion is just an abbreviated form of The Assemby.

[riptailedroarer]

Re: Knowing the Bugle Calls

It can also be a result of the column stringing out, and when the call to halt is sounded, the commanders have the men close up immediately then halt, rather than halt them in place, then moving them up.

Can I point you to Casy School of the company, leson IV
To Halt The Column
236.The column beingin march,when the insrtuctor shall wish to halt it, he will command:
!. column 2.HALT.
237. At the second command, promptly repeated by the cheifs of the platoon, the column will halt; the guides will stand fast, although they may have lost both distance and direction.


So as I understand it, the will halt at the command and[U]stand still[U] Distance will be regained when the march is resumed.

[Indianabugles]

Re: Knowing the Bugle Calls

To be fair in the UK Bugle is used a a camp clock and a back up to voice, limited numbers. But we are working on skirmish drill and I seem to recall it was agreed that from line of skirmish skirmishers should complete any manouver it was doing forward or back before it rallied by four. So this often met with delay.
Also experimentation has explained some distance manouvering. This also met with delay. This time caused by distance. Sound does travel a lot slower than we generally perceive. I can stand on the hill at the back of my house and play a halt call to the houses 500m distant and the last three to four notes can be heard coming back. This is generally not noticeable at under 1000M though but thought was worth a mention.
Also because proper bugle calls are newish over here and I as I said before being used in limited numbers to allow folk to learn through uses. we are having to think of easy ways to memorize. Now the Left and right phrase are the same for wheel and Go(forward) so I broke them down that way. Got the boys to remember left and right by holding out the left hand as though they were driving a car and if the notes went down at the end so does the hand and the follow it as though they were steering the car. Same, opposite for up/Right. Silly I know but it works and the ten man team that does drill by bugle remembers it every time now.
Anyone else with any silly memory sticks for us beginners please share.
They do work. I take for granted the fact I read music and can simply look a a book and see the calls.

[flattop32355]

Re: Knowing the Bugle Calls

With ten days left to go, it would appear much as I expected: the vast majority of reenactors responding are not too well versed on the Infantry bugle calls.

While expected, it is a bit disappointing, with less than 23% saying they are proficient in recognizing at least most calls.

With the caveat that not all responders here on the AC are counted among the cph branch, it would appear that this is a definite area for improvement in impression, apparently all along the spectrum of reenactors.

And it's fairly easy and inexpensive to become proficient.

[A Baltimore Confederate]

Re: Knowing the Bugle Calls

I am definitely in the "I recognize a few, but that's about it," crowd.

Let me caveat that with the following, however:

1. I only recently became a CW Reenactor.

2. I joined an artillery unit, which means the brass is bronze, and sounds only one note: BOOOOM!!!

3. I am Retired Navy, so the bugle I am used to is really a whistle, and we had bells, too.

4. When I was a Boy Scout 30 years ago, the various Camps only played a few calls over the loud speakers, like Reveille, Taps, etc.


I know it has probably been mentioned before, but I will ask it again, just so it is attached to this thread: name for me a good CD or two, or an audiofile website, for all the calls: Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, etc...

Thanks,

JIMbo

[flattop32355]

Re: Knowing the Bugle Calls

I know it has probably been mentioned before, but I will ask it again, just so it is attached to this thread: name for me a good CD or two, or an audiofile website, for all the calls: Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, etc...

I'm not aware of anything on artillery or cavalry, though RJ Samp may know.
As for infantry, get the Melbay CD by George Rabbai. Easy to find on websearch.

[NM1859]

Re: Knowing the Bugle Calls

Gents,

I purchased from RJ a recording of cavalry signals in 1997-I listened to them 2-3 times, but since I serve with the infantry/sharpshooters, I've never been put in the position to take time and learn the signals.

Last time I checked RJ still has infantry, skirmish and cavalry tapes or CD's for sale. Geo. Rabbai's tape is excellent, but he only plays the signal once (following the name of the signal and then a spoken order-sometimes the narrator gives a brief history of the call and its use). RJ's presentation tends to be more informal, but he gives more details of when/how the bugle signal is to be used and some personal observations/experiences from playing in the field. When your trying to learn to memorize signals, the more often it is played the better your chances learning. Since I've learned to play instruments by ear and rote memory, this is the best system I've found.

Also, RJ also makes use of 'dittys'-created by the original soldiers to help them memorize the bugle signals ("I know your all tired but still you must go; off to Atlanta to see the big show"-Attention). It has always been amusing to hear my comrades groan and sarcastically growl out their own profane version of a 'ditty'-when they hear bugle signals calling them to duty.

I played bugle for 1000 4-5th graders at the Grand Traverse Heritage Day event last Friday--nothing better to quiet down unruly groups of students and grab their 'Attention' so the presentations could commence. Teachers asked if I played 'away dates' so I could help them keep order in their classrooms.

Bill Skillman
Randolf Mess-USSS

[flattop32355]

Re: Knowing the Bugle Calls

Results:
150 total responses.
34% recognize none or very few of the calls.
Just under 43% can recognize the more common calls, but aren't proficient with the majority of calls.
Just over 23% can recognize most or all of the calls.

Looks like an area of impression that could stand improvement by the greater majority of our folk. Relatively simple and inexpensive to correct.

'Twould be interesting to know the proficiency of the officer class across the hobby. I'm guessing it might be even lower than that shown in this poll, though possibly slightly higher in the cph branch.