Band Instruments Communicate Orders

Did you know …

During the Civil War, fifes and drums were used by the northern armies and the southern armies. Bugles were also used. All three instruments communicated signals and orders to troops.

These instruments played an important role in a soldier’s daily activities.

Fifes and drums

A company of soldiers had about 100 men and usually had a fifer and a drummer. They entertained the troops, but they had a much more important job. They played particular tunes to let soldiers know when it was time to march, or eat dinner, or retreat from battle.

Not only did the fifers and drummers have to memorize about 50 songs, but the soldiers listening for the orders had to know what each tune meant.

They also marched and played for parades.

Drummers could train before joining other troops in camps

There were two military “Schools for Practice” where a drummer might be trained – Governor’s Island in New York Harbor and Newport Barracks in Kentucky. The Drummers’ and Fifers’ Guide was used to teach them.

Drum majors taught some of the drummers at the camps.

Bugles could be heard during battles

With the sound of booming cannons and musket fire, bugles could be heard more easily than fifes and drums during a battle.

Buglers also had to learn many short songs to play when the army officers wanted to pass along an order to the men.

 

– Sandra Merville Hart

If you want to hear some of the bugle calls, there is a wonderful website by the Armory Guards that plays these tunes. Ask your parents to look up the following website: http://www.armoryguards.org/bugle_calls.htm.