• U.S. ARMY BANDS IN HISTORY
  
  
• PRE-REVOLUTIONARY WAR
• THE COLONIES GO TO WAR
• PROBLEMS IN THE NEW ARMY
• THE FIRST ARMY REGULATION
• PEACE WITH GREAT BRITAIN
• WEST POINT
• THE WAR OF 1812
• THE ARMY'S FIRST BAND AUTHORIZATION
• BANDS FROM 1830-1860 - RISE OF THE BRASS BAND
• THE SCHOOL OF PRACTICE
• THE CIVIL WAR
• CIVILIAN BANDS REPLACE MILITARY BANDS
• BANDS OF THE WEST
• THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR AND THE PHILIPPINE INSURRECTION
• THE MEDAL OF HONOR
• THE ARMY REGAINS ITS BANDS
• GENERAL PERSHING AND ARMY BANDS
• THE ARMY MUSIC SCHOOL
• THE ARMY BAND
• BANDS IN THE PEACETIME ARMY
• BANDS IN WORLD WAR II
• PEACE RETURNS
• KOREA
• THE ARMED FORCES SCHOOL OF MUSIC
• VIETNAM
• POST VIETNAM ERA
• THE BICENTENNIAL BAND
• BANDS IN THE 1980'S
• OPERATION JUST CAUSE
• DESERT SHIELD - DESERT STORM
• HURRICANE ANDREW
• HAITI
• DOWNSIZING THE ARMY
• BOSNIA

U.S. ARMY BANDS IN HISTORY

BANDS FROM 1830-1860
RISE OF THE BRASS BAND

In 1830, General Winfield Scott headed a board to prepare a manual of infantry tactics for the Army. Drummers and bands were given a place in the regimental order of battle: "The field music will be formed in two ranks, the drummers in the rear, ten paces in the rear of the left center company." This manual contained the music and bugle signals used in maneuvering the companies within a regiment.

By 1832, almost all of the regiments had bands. Most able-bodied men had to serve in state militia units and these units were more supportive of bands then federal troops. Many state militia regiment units hired professional or town bands to perform at their musters and encampments. Many state militia allowed qualified musicians to fulfill their military obligations by performing in the unit's band.

In 1832, Army Regulations specified that regimental bands be limited to ten musicians with the rank of private and a chief musician. Artillery regiments, which were not provided a chief musician, were allowed one sergeant to act as master of the band, and one corporal in addition to the ten men. Bandsmen were liable for regular military training, and if the need arise to serve in the ranks as soldiers.

The 1832 regulation became the first regulation to provide for a position as master of the band. It also separated this position from the junior principal musician of the field music units. Bandsmen finally became regular members of the Army.

The pay for enlisted bandsmen was now $17.00 per month for the chief musician and $8.00 per month for each bandsman.

In 1841, regimental commanders gained the authority to increase the number of privates serving in their bands from 10 to 12 and the use of post funds for the maintenance of bands. During the Mexican War in 1847, authority was granted for a further increase from 12 to 16. This authorization also specified that bandsmen would no longer be mustered with other troops, but that the bandleader would muster his band in a separate squad with the headquarters staff. This established the precedent that eventually set the band apart as a separate unit from the other troops.

During the Mexican War, bands performed many additional duties in place of performing music. Bandsmen were employed as stretcher bearers, field messengers, and water carriers. It was common for bandsmen to not play a single note during the entire war.

The period from 1830 to 1860 bands improved their instrumentation. The tremendous influx of foreign musicians, who provided their services to bands, helped upgrade musical standards. Some of the famous bandmasters of the time were Harvey Dodworth (Thirteenth Regiment Band), C.S. Grafulla (Seventh New York Infantry Regiment), D.L. Downing (Ninth Regiment), and Patrick Gilmore (Twenty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry).

With the perfection of valved brass instruments in the 1830s, bands' size and sound changed drastically. Brass instruments now played all the melodies once reserved for woodwinds. The keyed bugle required many years of study to become proficient. The invention of matched valve brass instruments, saxhorns, made playing a brass instrument available to amateur musicians.

The Dodworth family, comprising of Thomas, the father, and sons Allen, Charles, and grandson Allen contributed greatly to the band world during this time. They were composers, conductors, performers, publishers, and importers of musical instruments. In 1834, Thomas Dodworth used brass instruments exclusively , instead of clarinets, to play the lead lines. Allen patented the over-the-shoulder brass horns in 1838. These horns, designed for military bands, projected their sound to the troops marching behind them. This was accomplished by having the bells rest on the player's shoulder. Because of the Dodworth's influence, most bands became brass bands.

The great influx of German musicians in the 1850s caused the larger bands to follow the Prussian cavalry band model of the time. The Prussian bands included clarinets, saxophones, and tubas. There was much competition between the German "Moravian" bands and the militia bands. The public liked the mix of brass and woodwinds of the Moravian bands and the larger military bands reverted to a mixed instrumentation. The first military band to use mixed instrumentation was the Seventh Regiment, New York Militia Band under the direction of Froll and Reistel.