Homefront Tennessee:  Children and the Civil War

Lincoln Letters for Kids and the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum

In conjunction with

The City of Harrogate and the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area present

Homefront Tennessee: Children in the Civil War Soldiers and Music

Written by Natalie Sweet

Music was very important during the Civil War. This week, we will be learning popular songs from the time period and the importance of the fife, drum, and bugle to soldiers.

Three Reasons That Music Was Important During the Civil War:

1. To tell soldiers what to do in battle

2. To give soldiers instruction about what they should be doing in camp when they are not taking part in a battle

3. To build morale

Giving instruction during battle

Why would music be needed during battle? Well, there were no walkie-talkies during the Civil War, or phones. The Civil War battlefield was a very scary place. Smoke clouded a soldier’s vision, canons boomed, bullets whizzed, and men cried out in frustration, fear, pain, and anger. It all made for a very noisy setting. A soldier could not expect to hear his commander over the racket, and besides, Civil War battlefields could stretch for miles. That’s why drums, bugles, and fifes were important.

When musicians played their instruments, they knew they could be heard. A drum’s beat was steady and sure, the bugle had a very distinct sound, and fifes were so shrill they could be heard above the loudest canon. A bugle might give a specific command while the drum sounded clear instructions and the fife accompanied it with courage. In the chaos of battle, music might be the one thing a soldier could be sure of.

Today we will learn some of the most basic drum commands that Civil War soldiers followed. Imagine you are lined shoulder to shoulder with your fellow soldiers. Ready? What might this drum roll mean?

Commence the “assemble quickly for battle” drum roll
Quick drum roll

Soldiers needed something to quickly gain their attention if an enemy was suddenly upon them. The “assemble quickly for battle” drum roll gave soldiers the warning that they needed to move as fast as possible. Civil War soldiers lined up together shoulder to shoulder on the battlefield, creating long lines. None of you have fired yet, but you see the enemy clearly standing across from you on the battlefield. Your drummer begins to drum this beat. What does it mean you should do?

Commence firing
5 fast beats with both sticks, pause, another 5 fast beats, alternate 3 beats, pause, 1 beat both sticks

The “commence firing” drum roll means that the fighting has begun. Begin to fire your weapon!

You and your enemy are both tiring. You finally hear this drumbeat. What does it mean?

Cease firing
Drum roll 5 beats, drum roll 5 beats, alternate sticks one time each, drum roll 5 beats, begin again

Either you have won, lost, or are retreating from the battlefield. Cease fire, soldier!

Now you know some of the instructions that drumbeats gave soldiers. But did you know that drumbeats told soldiers how quickly they should march as well? Form two lines side-by-side. The rhythm of the drum will tell you how fast you should march. Listen: pum, (beat), pum, (beat), pum, pum, pum. You left foot should hit with every pum of the drum, except for the third pum. Watch out, the beat can get slower or faster, depending on fast your commander wants you to march! Let’s practice.

Practice moving at a faster and slower beat.

That’s it! You’re almost ready for the army now. Learning how to take commands as a part of a group is one of the most important things a soldier could learn how to do.