Drummer boys were boys around 16 and up that would beat the drums for calls to the soldiers. Drummers attracted attention during the war, and some tales of heroic drummers circulated widely. Rudimental drumming in america from the revolutionary war to the present a monograph submitted to the graduate faculty of th louisiana state university agricultural and mechanical college in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of musical arts in the school of music by eric alan chandler b. It is estimated that thousands of young boys joined the continental army and fought during the revolutionary war. During the revolutionary war, drummers in both the continental and english ranks marched bravely into the fight with nothing but their rudiments and sticks to protect them. History of drummer boys off beat with michael aubrecht. The revolutionary war drummers book robin engelman. However, it wasnt until 1789, when the united states war department was established, that the first published references to the enlistment of underage. Insignia civil war artifacts for sale in gettysburg. A school for field musicians was formed at governors island in new york harbor in the early 19th century and continued, at least, until the time of the civil war.
What did a drummer boy do in the american revolutionary war. Remarkably, some of these musicians were in fact, very young boys, not quite yet into their teen years. The combination of the fife and drum became known as. At age sixteen, vince attended valley forge military academy founded 1928 outside philadelphia, pa on a band scholarship, graduated from high school at valley forge in 1938 and and graduated junior college in 1940. Massachusetts soldiers and sailors of the revolutionary war boston, 1898, 694, george derecoat. Unquestionably the most renowned of the civil war s child soldiers was johnny clem, the drummer boy of chickamauga. As one of the united states armys premier musical organizations, the old guard fife and drum corps has inspired audiences throughout the nation and abroad for 50 years.
Drummer boys during the american civil war were younger than their predecessors from the revolution, but more advanced in their playing. Actual flags, drums, or uniforms from the period remain scarce. Why revolutionary war musicians wore different colored. Connecticut continental troops, second regiment general. It is widely recognized that the use of the fife and drum came from the armies of switzerland, hundreds of years before america was. For example, wake up call, food call, attack, retreat, etc. Remarkably, some of these musicians were in fact, very. Another uniformed musician is wounded, but marching and playing the fife. Music was the main way for them to communicate over long distances. Drummers of the royal regiments and foot guards wore coats of red, faced in blue. During the revolutionary war, armies didnt have radios to talk to each other with.
Excerpts from fife and drum music of the american revolution. The second oldest signed and dated american drum in existence, it is inscribed with the name of its maker, robert crosman of taunton, massachusetts. Journal of the american revolution is the leading source of knowledge about the american revolution and founding era. A history of civil war drummer boys part 1 emerging. Revolutionary war drummers and fifers were used in battle to signal the soldiers to fire. Revolutionary war music investigate some of the more familiar and famous songs of the revolutionary war period and how music was used to convey messages of patriotism and highlight. In 1793, joseph bara, a 14yearold french republican drummer at the time of the war in the vendee, was killed by royalist counterrevolutionaries, supposedly while he was shouting long live the republic.
Drummers of regiments with red facings wore white coats faced with red. Our work has been featured by the new york times, time magazine, history channel, discovery channel, smithsonian, mental floss, npr, and more. From the signal corps drummers in the revolutionary war, to the full jazz bands of wwii, music has been a critical part of the armys success. In fact, a knowledgeable source says that snowden has not even sold his life story and has rebuffed offers of cash for interviews. Connecticut continental troops, second regiment general spencer, 1775 as found in the record of connecticut men in the military and naval service during the war of the revolution, 17751783. The rule in the union army was that soldiers had to be 18 to join, but. Clem became known as johnny shiloh, though its unlikely he was at the battle of shiloh, which took place before he was in uniform. By war department orders of july 3 and 16, 1889, a record. Assembling documents that refer to the role played by fifers and drummers in the battle for american independence during the revolutionary war. The drummers coat was decorated with regimental lace. Drummers british tenth regiment of foot, 1775 1783 source. George washingtons drummer boy in a little known grave in southwestern marion county, indiana, lie the remains of an old soldier traditionally acclaimed as george washingtons drummer boy.
Read the revolution following the drum museum of the. Military drums or war drums are all kinds of drums and membranophones that have been used for martial music, including military communications, as well as drill, honors music and military ceremonies. Uniforms of the armies in the war of the american revolution, 17751783. It is also presumable that at this time, it was cut down in height by about three inches to its present height of eleven inches. During the revolutionary war, drummers in both the continental and english ranks marched bravely into the fight with no more protection than their drums and sticks. So much has been written and celebrated about him that it is practically impossible to separate truth from fable, but one fact remains unchallenged. Brad larrison for newsworks the sounds of the fife and drum filled the air outside of the museum of the american revolution saturday with standards like yankee doodle and the liberty song. It is presumable that this drum was reconditioned for use during the war, hence the label. Based in columbus, ohio since 1984, camp chase fifes and drums is an authentic impression of a regimental civil war fife and drum corps playing period military fife and drum. Drummers in the american revolution were key members of each company. Usa 1,060,369 massachusetts 47,432 massachusetts military records 777 statewide military records. An abbreviated study of the ages of musicians revwar75. We feature smart, groundbreaking research and wellwritten narratives from expert writers.
A list of pensioners in the state of massachusetts compiled in 1854 american ancestors abstracts and indexes to diaries from rhode island and massachusetts, ca. The civil war is sometimes called the boys war, because so many soldiers who fought in it were still in their teens. Nathan futrell 17731829 was said to have been the youngest drummer boy in the american war of independence. Each company was to have a captain, 2 lieutenants, an ensign, 4 sergeants, 4 corporals, a fifer, a drummer, and 76 privates. The old guard fife and drum corps reenacts a scene from the american revolution. Drummer keith henning shows off his replica drum made from the same materials as the drums used during the revolutionary war. This is the grave of sergeant john george, a revolutionary war veteran of the first battalion of the new jersey continental line. Fife and drum music of the revolutionary war youtube.
Following the years involving the revolutionary war, the army continued in a rather reduced state, with a consequent reduction in the number of active fifers and drummers therein. Each regiment would then have a total strength of 728 officers and men. Camp chase fifes and drums members, friends and fans. Military, civil war, uniforms, painted drums, canteens. While many initially entered military service as young as 14years of age, they were more frequently seasoned soldiers, despite the popular misconception of their relative youth. Music in the revolutionary war george washingtons mount. Drummers communicated most of the activities both in camp and on the battlefield. Founded on february 23, 1960, the men and women of the corps proudly carry on traditions that accompanied the birth of our nation. The image of revolutionary war soldiers suffering in winter encampments remains strong in our national consciousness, thanks to the diaries and letters of continental army officers and soldiers as well as evocative works by authors and artists like washington irving and william b. Revolutionary drummers off beat with michael aubrecht. Army bands members have the opportunity to serve their country while making music. Nov 27, 20 british 63rd regiment of foot, drummer 1775 1776. Matts earlier post was about jude hall, another african american revolutionary war solider. In it, a young revolutionary war drummer boy is marching alongside two other musicians.
A history of rudimental drumming in america from the. Uniforms of the american revolution drummers, british. George washington recognized the practical necessity of the fife and drum but also enjoyed music in general. George washingtons drummer boy field drums aka field.
Who where the drummer boys of the american revolution. During the revolutionary war, drummers in both the continental and english ranks marched bravely into the fight with nothing but their sticks to protect them. European traditions the foundations of american military music from lexington to valley forge of the different beats of the drum the stalemate in the north defeat, then victory, in the south the last. This story about jabez jolley is based on research by matt thorenz, a librarian and archivist, who worked previously at new windsor cantonment and has done extensive research on african americans who spent time there during the american revolution. Cover artwork by leading american revolutionary war artist don troiani. Eight companies lent themselves to better tactical deployment than ten companies in. Fife, drum, and bugle during the revolutionary war. Frederick blume moved his shop to 208 bowery street, nyc in 1861, during the civil war. Pre revolutionary war drum this rare americanmade military drum dates to 1740.
Twelveyearold union drummer william black was the youngest person on record to be wounded in battle during the american civil war 186165, and its believed that the youngest soldier killed during the american civil war was a thirteenyearold drummer named charles king, whod enlisted in the fortyninth pennsylvania volunteer infantry with the. The war department collection of revolutionary war records was begun in 1873 when secretary of war william belknap made the first of several purchases of revolutionary war records for the department. Military music in american and european traditions essay. With aidan gillen, michael malarkey, laura mennell, ksenia solo. Dewees, history of the life and services of captain samuel dewees, 331. A tough us air force officer and a skeptical scientist investigate ufo and alien conspiracies as cold war paranoia spreads. The boy is in his continental army uniform, looking up to an older drummer who is not in uniform. Whether its a ceremonial performance or a concert to boost the morale of soldiers, u.
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