The Alabama in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Massed Bands
In Response To: Massed Bands ()

Massed bands might be found during a review of large commands. In camp, individual bands could be called on to serenade senior officers, or play during religious services, or else for dress parades. On the march, bands were often called up to play as the soldiers passed through towns and villages, or to liven up the marching pace. Some units had drum corps, and there was an occasional glee club or choir. Kershaw's South Carolina brigade had a company of minstrals. If the enemy were in close proximity, he might be inadvertently entertained, but at least during the Gettysburg campaign there were times when no music was allowed on the march because it could alert the opponent. A war was being fought after all, and presumably no one was interested in cheering up the foe, and besides they had much different tastes when it came to popular songs. But there were rare instances of a singing voice being heard across a battlefield in the dark of night after a hard fought battle, which was always deeply moving to friend and foe alike. Incidentally, during the Gettysburg campaign, the two most common tunes mentioned as having been played by southern bands were Dixie and Bonnie Blue Flag. Yankee Doodle was popular with the northern bands. One song that both sides liked was Maryland, My Maryland.

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Massed Bands
Re: Massed Bands
Re: Massed Bands