Wounded

[yerbyray]

List,

I have searched on here and was unable to find anything in prior threads, or at least the titles did not seem applicable, on being wounded.

Last weekend at an event I sort of noticed a trend that I had not really caught before. We are either alive or dead.

I did watch in between loading and firing, a wounded pard on the field. He is the only one I have witnessed in three events.

I know I am not the best read WBTS student but from what I have seen the wounded seemed to outnumber the dead by 4+:1 ratio.

I think it would be neat to see a green grassy field alive with wiggly blue and gray "heaps" begging for water and trying to save themselves.

If I do get "wounded" should I just lay there or do I try and get off the field? No brainer in real combat is to get out of harms way, but I know it varies with simulation. I have made "bloody" bandages to carry so spectators with good vision will get what I am doing.

Maybe I am barking up the wrong tree on this, its hard enough to get folks to take a hit anyways. I know we have some medical re-enactors at events maybe this would be a way for them to get some "air time" so to speak.

What do ya'll think on being wounded?

Im not trying to start chatter but I do want to know what would be appropriate.

Thanks


Yerby Ray, Private
Co B 22nd NCT / 3rd North Carolina Mounted Infantry, USA

[tompritchett]

If I do get "wounded" should I just lay there or do I try and get off the field?

Depends upon where you were wounded. There are numerous reports of wounded streaming back from the battlefield. Personally, I would rather take a hit as a walking/limping wounded as, 1) there were typically more wounded than killed in any battle and 2) laying in the hot sun is a good way to develop a heat injury. At my last reenactment, I took a wound (shoulder) and was immediately captured. As the battle progressed I actually got up and limped further back to find cover from "friendly" fire.

In regards to searching for more threads on the topic try searching on the topic of taking hits. It has been discussed several times in the past.

[reb4lee]

As to the wounded I have seen about 6-7 wounded at almost every event.. In certain event's I have seen Hospital scenarios set up with wounded coming in adn being treated. (Confederate) We have medical corpsmen come out help them off the field or give them Ice.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Someone ought to write an article about this. Y'know, a how-to for reenactors.

Or maybe it's already posted in the AC Forum's "research articles" folder, and published in one magazine, and blatently plagarized word-for-word by another magazine. And it's in the CRRC2.

No, reenactors typically do not do a very good job of portraying casualties of battle.

[yerbyray]

Kevin,

Thanks for the research and writing, I was unable to open the PDF link of the AC but I will try it when I get home.

It is a shame you had your work stolen, too bad we don't tar and feather still.

I look forward to reading your piece.

Thanks

[7thNJcoA]

our unit has a hospital and we take wounded men off the field and bring them to the hospital, where we put on a demonstration. most times we take 7 or 8 to the hospital as wounded and they do their thing, and some 5-6 more limp off the field. i have done so many times with an old pair of trousers covered them in fake blood and used my musket to help me off the field, and either to the hospital or into enemy hands as a POW. we have a lot of fun doing these diffrent scenerios.

[NoahBriggs]

Considering you were wounded in OIF, I am not sure why you classify portraying wounded as "fun".

[Kevin O'Beirne]

used my musket to help me off the field

This has got to be the most hackneyed reenactor-as-wounded portrayal there is. During the Pickett's Charge aftermath scenes in the film "Gettysburg" there's a shot that has at least three or four guys all limping along using a gun for a crutch.

Wounded men were hit in every conceivable place--head, side, torso, fingertip, toe, back, buttocks, knee, etc. I recently read in Peter Cozzen's book, "Thie Terrible Sound: The Battle of Chickamauga" of a soldier hit in the head so that the bone next to his eye was utterly shattered and the eyeball pushed out of the socket and dangled by the optic nerve. He wrote of how he walked a ways with it like that, and then sat down to try to shove the eyeball back into the hole, while trying to piece together the shattered bones that would hold the eye in place without it falling out again. Now, certainly reenactors cannot portray that type of ghastly scene, but it goes to show that all kinds of wounds that reenactors rarely think to portray happened, and it's often surprising how mobile and ambulatory men were when they received terrible wounds--most of which did not require limping along with the gun as a crutch or walking stick.

At Payne's Farm 2005 we attempted to portray the variety of wounds received, and the many and varied reactions to them, using very detailed "fate cards". Among other things portrayed that one doesn't see very often in reenacting, we had lots of men simulating either "being hit with a spent ball"--knocked down or momentarily stunned--and others portraying that they were reacting to near misses (i.e., bullet hitting their gear, or perforating the clothing). The colonel of the Fifth New York Veteran Volunteers described being hit by several spent balls and near misses at the battle of Globe Tavern in August 1864 near Petersburg:

“I had a small piece of my little finger taken off & was slightly wounded in my left leg in two places. I had my India rubber blanket folded across my shoulder & tied to my left side—a ball struck it, turning me completely around & piercing the blanket in 8 places. I have four holes in my coat—one from a fragment of shell & two holes in my pantaloons. My sword was badly bent spraining my wrist but not knocking it out of my hand. Two horses were shot under me.”

A member of the 20th New York wrote of being hit by a "spent ball" at the batlte of Antietam:

“Just as I threw myself down, a bullet struck the thick overcoat which I carried rolled over my chest…. The bullet, which had enough force to knock me over, penetrated the overcoat and struck me on the arm. It felt as though I had received a hefty blow from a club, and the arm was very sore for several days.”

At Payne's Farm 2005, from my position a number of paces behind the center of the battalion's line, the line indeed looked as Lt. John Mead Gould described his regiment, the 10th Maine Infantry, in battle at Cedar Mountain, Virginia in August 1862:

“The behavior of those who were hit appeared most singular, and as there were so many of them, it looked as if we had a crowd of howling dervishes dancing and kicking around in our ranks. The bullet often knocks over the man it hits, and rarely fails by its force alone to disturb his equilibrium. Then the shock, whether painful or not, causes a sudden jump or shudder. Now as every man, with hardly an exception, was either killed wounded or hit in his clothes, hit by spent balls and stones, or jostled his wounded comrades, it follows we had a wonderful exhibition. Some wheeled round and round, others threw up their arms and fell over backward, others went plunging backward trying to regain their balance; a few fell to the front, but the force of the bullet generally prevented this, except where it struck low down and apparently knocked the soldier’s feet from under him. Many dropped their musket and seized the wounded part with both hands, and a very few fell dead.” (emphasis added for this post)

That's what the Federal line at Payne's Farm 2005 looked like from my vantage point. It was like I was seeing Gould's description--probably the best single quote I've ever read describing how men react to being shot--brought vividly to life right in front of my eyes, except with smoke, a lot of yelling and screaming, crashing and tearing musketry, and confusion. I'd scripted the whole thing and, compared to the accounts I've read, it looked and sounded so real, that even I had several "moments" during that battle reenactment.

Reenactors CAN do better at this, and one certainly doesn't have to be a so-called "hardcore" to do it. And forget limping along with that gun as a crutch.

[Memphis]

Is Payne's Farm an annual event?

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Is Payne's Farm an annual event?

Sadly, Payne's Farm is not an annual event...The single-best reenactment I have ever attended!

Paul

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Is Payne's Farm an annual event?

Rog,

Yes, it is. Didn't your group President get the 2007 registration package? Register early to get a spot at the ball before the keg runs out! Get your wife signed up for the "Mine Run Ladies' Tea".

In all seriousness, Rog is jerking chains as he is very aware that Payne's Farm was a one-time-only event.

[Rob Weaver]

I think that on the whole it would be a mistake for reenactors to try to replicate the gastly wounds such as you describe. Most of us are poor actors, with poor special effects, so the effect would become unintentionally humorous. Something none of us really want. Years ago, we used an EMT triage training kit that had hand, arm and leg wounds portrayed in latex. Again, not everyone can carry that off. I think real world practicality is one of the reasons that people who take a "hit" simply stay down. I've taken excellent hits, and writhed or twitched on the ground, only to have staff run over to me saying "My God, all you OK?" Kinda ruined the effect. I try to encourage my folks to walk to the rear holding an arm or hand, etc, but you'll get the same response from people who think you're really injured. Then there's what to do with your musket. Leaving it behind seems like a bad idea, and slinging it seems like unlikely behavior for a wounded soldier. So what's the safe option? Lie on the ground and wait for the call "Lazarus, come forth!"

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Rob,

There's a lot of different opinions on moulage, so I usually don't touch the subject much, because even if it's done right it's either utterly gross or becomes high comedy.

That said, portraying casualties more-correctly is not just about who brings the fake blood. It's how these men really acted when shot and in the aftermath of being wounded. I see no reason why all reenactors can't try a bit harder to do a better job during what is, honestly, the main reason why most reenactors come to a weekend event--to be in "the battle". It's up to the officer impressionists to learn the tactics and employ them properly; it's up to the event sponsors to develop history-based "battle" scenarios that aren't laughable cariacatures of history; but it's up to the individual participant to make his own actions as "accurate" as possible.

[7thNJcoA]

I think its fun Noah becuase I am giving back to the community by teaching others about our nations heroic past and I portray a wounded soldier becuase I know what it is like to be wounded in combat and give a more realistic impression for the Taters. I talk about 19th century medice and compare the procedures of the past with what I went through in the present. The people really enjoy my perspective.

[Southern Cal]

A good place to start might be to get some reenactors who never take a "hit", to do so occasionally. Most pards in our "outfit" have a concealed-carry "wound" on their person to deploy as necessary. At least 2/3 of our "hits" result in "wounded" where the character writhes around moaning, or crawls/limps away to the rear. Most often there is a "surgeon" or "orderly", who eventually works the "field" during the "battle", replacing hats and caps over the faces of the "dead" to keep off the sun, and pouring water over the faces and heads of the "dead" if they softly make the request.

[7thNJcoA]

thats a good idea for those extra toasty events! we do the same pretty much with out Nurses and stretcher bearers running up and down the field. We made a few period stretchers as well as some that would have been used as improvised such as sticks and a blanket or we have 2 non firing muskets tied to a blanket all for demonstration purposes.

[Rob Weaver]

I'm old enough to remember when taking good hits was a point of pride among reenactors. An individual who did it well was commended; a unit that was willing to take hits was thought highly. I agree that for a lot of folks, just deigning to take a hit at all would be a step forward. We've drawn cards a few times: a spade meant you were killed, a heart wounded (take your pick of walking or not), numbers were the rounds you should fire before going down. Face cards meant you could take your hit whenever you sensed it was right. This has worked pretty well, if you can remember what you drew!

Rob,

There's a lot of different opinions on moulage, so I usually don't touch the subject much, because even if it's done right it's either utterly gross or becomes high comedy.

That said, portraying casualties more-correctly is not just about who brings the fake blood. It's how these men really acted when shot and in the aftermath of being wounded. I see no reason why all reenactors can't try a bit harder to do a better job during what is, honestly, the main reason why most reenactors come to a weekend event--to be in "the battle". It's up to the officer impressionists to learn the tactics and employ them properly; it's up to the event sponsors to develop history-based "battle" scenarios that aren't laughable cariacatures of history; but it's up to the individual participant to make his own actions as "accurate" as possible.

[Parault]

I guess seeing the guys using the musket as a crutch has gotten really old.

Talking about that so called "fake blood." Kevin, I agree, most of the time if you don't know what you are doing it is a comedy. I have seen it many of times. I just laugh. It can be done properly and with taste with out making some poor spectator lose his funnel cake. Back when I was a Paramedic Instructor, I attended a weekend retreat for instructors dealing with realism for making wounds,for students to " know what to look for."
We had a makup artist from Hollywood come and do a two day seminar, on moulage. I remember alot of things from that class even after all of these years. For a long time I was very popular in our neighborhood for placing weird wounds on the kids during Halloween. Anyway as I was saying, fake blood that they put in those Halloween packages are really bad. It is way to fakish,lack of a better word, to use. Throw that crap in the trash. We were taught to use Karo Corn Syrup & #40 red food coloring. It doesn't fade after long periods of time,and,it doesn't look like someone spilled Kool-Aid on you.

Not that I would do it,but,that soldier that had his orbital bone shattered,causing the eye to hang down. It can be reproduced very easy.
That would be the talk of the event wouldn't it?

Helping the medical impression would be a fun thing to do sometime. I would like to prepare someone, maybe even two or three. All I would need to do is just go to Wal-Mart and the slaughter house.

[Poor Private]

At my last event I had to take an impromtu hit in the left cheek (not the face either). While doing a skirmish advance I hid behind a small group of bushes, when I felt something getting wet. I thought the cork had came out of my canteen. So reaching around to feel and check the canteen I found my hand a funny shade of red. Since I was in the moment, I didn't realize that I had inadvertantly sat on some polk berries and ended up with a nice shade of red on the left butt cheek of my pants, so I had to take a hit, especially with spectators not far from my left! So yelling and screaming and grabbing down I went.:D

[8thILCavalry]

I am known in my unit as the best at dieing. But since I am now a Sgt. I can't die as often. But as the battle comes close to an end or
if I have lost all of my men. (like two days ago at Minooka).
I will take a flying hit from the Rebs. (If you never seen a dead Cavalryman you have not seen me)

I take many wounded hits. As I fall and lay on the ground I am usually breathing too hard to look dead. If the crowd is close and usually is, I will wiggle around like am wounded but really I am just getting myself comfy (Sun out of eyes, canteen out of my ribs, carbine in my hand to protect,Etc..)
And then I will just drop and have no more movement til the end.

Now being a Sgt. I feel that all the bullets going past just have to hit me, so I bring a bloody bandage to every battle and take a slight graze, leg wound. I fall and tie it on and then I limb the rest of the battle.Falling down once in awhile while am giving orders to my men. I know how to ham it up. And the crowd loves it.

[gwagner]

"At my last reenactment, I took a wound (shoulder) and was immediately captured. As the battle progressed I actually got up and limped further back to find cover from "friendly" fire."

Why were you limping from a shoulder wound.

Something I have noticed is every "wounded" soldier limps off the field. If you are shot in the arm, why limp?

My $.02

[RJSamp]

"At my last reenactment, I took a wound (shoulder) and was immediately captured. As the battle progressed I actually got up and limped further back to find cover from "friendly" fire."

Why were you limping from a shoulder wound.

Something I have noticed is every "wounded" soldier limps off the field. If you are shot in the arm, why limp?

My $.02

It's quite normal to favor one side or the other when hit in an upper body part......not that the leg itself would be limping, but the movement of the leg would jar your rib cage, shoulder, etc.....your upper body would be favoring one side or the other, causing you to walk differently to lessen the pain. Probably being hit in an arm wouldn't affect your legs too much (as opposed to being hit in a shoulder, hip, thorax) ..... but the shock of any wounding affects muscle coordination, blood supply, state of mind, other parts of the body......

We need to start pulling out the wounded on shelter halves.....help a wounded comrade out of the battle line....and get yourself out of the line of fire...

[gwagner]

I am talking about the "Igor" leg drag limp most everyone does.

GW

[yerbyray]

I agree with the statement about those who neer take a hit ought to try it once, what I am thinking about is having scenario cards printed in advance and letting the men draw them so they will know at what point in the battle they need to react.

One thing that absolutely makes my better half roll her eyes when we take the field is that for thirty minutes we blaze away at one another and no one drops (maybe the guy whose nipple is clogged or the guy who really understands warfare) until they run out of rounds then it is like a bunch of dominos. The last five minutes the field is littered.

Kevin's article is dead on and offers some great tips and advice to taking a hit. I loved the info on spent balls hitting folks and taking them off their feet. That had to be a wild feeling.

[tompritchett]

"At my last reenactment, I took a wound (shoulder) and was immediately captured. As the battle progressed I actually got up and limped further back to find cover from "friendly" fire."

Why were you limping from a shoulder wound.

"Limp" was a poor choice of wording but it was the best that I could think of. Basically, I moved slowly as being in pain and weakened slightly from the loss of blood. The whole time my arm was limp by my side.

[Rob Weaver]

I loved the info on spent balls hitting folks and taking them off their feet. That had to be a wild feeling.
I have a testament that got drilled with a ball. (I know it was because I shot it myself.) I can do the "Bible that saved my life." (And before you ask, there's a hole in the pocket of my 4-button, too!)

[Ephraim_Zook]

I am known in my unit as the best at dieing. But since I am now a Sgt. I can't die as often.
Here is a natural learning opportunity for you to take advantage of! What a great time to let a corporal step up and take your place -- unexpectedly and under fire. Or, if you want to be kinder, let him know in advance that at some point he'll be on the hot seat. Take a look at the chapter on Corporals in Kautz's Customs of Service for Non Commissioned Officers and Soldiers. Essentially, it suggests that corporals are "sergeants-in-waiting", as it were.
"316. The duties of a corporal are simple...They frequently succeed to the responsibilities of the sergeant in his absence, and should therefore be familiar with his duties."

[tompritchett]

It is also a great opportunity for commanders to give the same experience to their Lts or 1SGT.

[HighPrvt]

Depends upon where you were wounded. There are numerous reports of wounded streaming back from the battlefield. Personally, I would rather take a hit as a walking/limping wounded as, 1) there were typically more wounded than killed in any battle and 2) laying in the hot sun is a good way to develop a heat injury. At my last reenactment, I took a wound (shoulder) and was immediately captured. As the battle progressed I actually got up and limped further back to find cover from "friendly" fire.

In regards to searching for more threads on the topic try searching on the topic of taking hits. It has been discussed several times in the past.

I've been known to limp from the field, to the parking lot, and get out while the gettin was good!!

This is a great thread! I've often wondered why most are compelled to take a hit, and not move at all. It's as if they think they're being farby if they move !?!? I'm guessing some have been watching too many movies!

[Kevin O'Beirne]

I agree with the statement about those who neer take a hit ought to try it once, what I am thinking about is having scenario cards printed in advance and letting the men draw them so they will know at what point in the battle they need to react.

"Fate cards" are good, but 1) They may represent considerable work (the one time I did them for a battalion of 120 men it took me probably 20 hours to research and repare the "fate cards"), and 2) They work better when they are really tied to the "battle plan" being depicted. In other words, it's easy to say, "take a hit early in the battle" but if there's not that much firing, then the hits look curious. In contrast, if the "hits" can be more-or-less coordinated with the portions of the "battle" where it's known there will be a lot of firing, then the whole looks and "feels" more realistic. Of course, that demands a LOT of coordination with the scenario plan that is often not possilbe at most events.


One thing that absolutely makes my better half roll her eyes when we take the field is that for thirty minutes we blaze away at one another and no one drops (maybe the guy whose nipple is clogged or the guy who really understands warfare) until they run out of rounds then it is like a bunch of dominos. The last five minutes the field is littered.


The lethality of the fire in the final five minutes of most "battle" reenactments is indeed amzing. And it's a mistake to think that spectators, even those who are far from experts on the era portrayed, are so ignorant that they don't notice (and comment on, and make jokes about) such outrageous depictions.


Kevin's article is dead on and offers some great tips and advice to taking a hit. I loved the info on spent balls hitting folks and taking them off their feet. That had to be a wild feeling.

Thanks for the kind words. Usually best reenacting results are obtained when the actions are similar to the history. :)

[7thNJcoA]

At our last event I was a Cpl and the whole chain of command took hits the officers were among the first to go then the 1st Sgt and the other NCOs I was in Charge of the company which was devistated from 35 men to 12 and I had no choice but to deplot them in a skirmish line and advance the few Rebs who were firing from behind cover next to thier camp. It was alot of fun and I learned so much. I am glad I knew a thing or 2 about about deployment and tactics or I would have looked pretty silly out there.

[jthlmnn]

At my last event, I took a hit in the leg as part of a scripted scenario that continued with the medical folks: stretcher off the field, over to the surgeon, screaming in pain, etc. It all went very well. I did not see Kevin's article until after that, but was glad to see that I was thinking along the right lines.

Something to consider, if you do first person impressions, is to include aspects of that person in the scenario. I portray a German immigrant, so I worked in some German exclamations, insults, requests (like for a priest, since the immigrant is Catholic), and some butchered English. The surgeon and my comrades didn't understand German, and that added something to the presentation. Having read Kevin's piece, I have some ideas to further improve my impression, wounded or not.

Kudos to the Author,

[vamick]

The best hit I ever took was as follows....we drew numbers and had a pesky sharpshooter out ahead of us whittling down our cannoneers till one gun was completely abandoned to man the other, I was # 2 man on the six pndr, and knew 'my time was near' er 'number was soon up' in this case, I assayed to do it pro fess ional hollywood style! and planned my demise out to tha tee ( I thought) I would of course have to get rid of the worm in a semi violent motion, but still leave it close by for my replacement off the limber, I would also need to die clear of the wheel ect..so I determined that when I saw yon sharp a shooter peek thru the tall grass on one knee I would in turn rise from my semi crouch duckin lead at that fatal moment to get a better view down range of something er other..all went well..I saw my reaper I even saw the dark deadly end of his Enfield aimed about my left eye..oooOOOH! spooky really! I imagine he was a pretty good deer hunter!..BAM! with a sharp hat flying twist of my head he plugged me in my brain pan! my right arm shot outward rag doll like to spin the worm away to my right..body racked hard right and tensed I hit the ground like I was plowed by a linbacker..eyes tightly closed mouth agape in a breathless grunt and elated at my MGM closeup!..BUT...what was that shadow I saw thru those red lids decending upon me??? WHACK****!!! the answer came swiftly from above..that ^&&&** worm had spun , caught the ground on the end of the pole and bomeranged right back ..at ..me..hitting me square between the eyes with the business end, with a sound not unlike a nice ripe..mellon! :shock: D**Nation!! I sputtered..
the next shadow I saw was a bemused captain asking if I were 'alright'? H*** no captain Im dead!...that as they say 'left a mark' and was the funniest dead man of that day;)

[8thILCavalry]

Here is a natural learning opportunity for you to take advantage of! What a great time to let a corporal step up and take your place -- unexpectedly and under fire. Or, if you want to be kinder, let him know in advance that at some point he'll be on the hot seat. Take a look at the chapter on Corporals in Kautz's Customs of Service for Non Commissioned Officers and Soldiers. Essentially, it suggests that corporals are "sergeants-in-waiting", as it were.
"316. The duties of a corporal are simple...They frequently succeed to the responsibilities of the sergeant in his absence, and should therefore be familiar with his duties."


I've done this a few times and boy the look on the Corporal's face is priceless. Its like OH Cr*p I'm in charge now.

I will be doing this more often next season and telling the Corp. to follow just after my death to see who will step up at the plate because we have men pulling away on stepping up. I think if all the command goes down someone will have to take charge. :D

[Major Duane]

I'm not much into hokey make-up or theatrics, but something easy to do and probably more common than portrayed would be taking a hit and then crawling to the rear.

As Kevin has pointed out, there were lots of different reactions to being hit. Some dramatic, some silent, most caused by impact or result of shock. Unless you take a flying pin-wheel fall, most spectators aren't really watching how you fall down. However, many do get drawn into what you do once you're down if it is something unique (and accurate to history). There are many accounts of soldiers being hit and then looking or feeling to find the wound. I usually just "sit down hard" in the ranks. When the line moves forward, I start taking accoutrements off -- sometimes hurriedly, sometimes slowly. Then I'll unbutton my jacket (sometimes take it completely off) and then I start crawling -- either to the rear or towards the spectator line. I stop every couple of yards and take an obvious breather and then start pulling myself further back. Occassionally, I'll leave a trail of accoutrements behind me leading back to my musket. Sometimes I'll crawl and rest for 45 minutes if hit early on and I've never had anyone mess with my accoutrements or musket...usually I'm less than 25 yards away by the time the battle ends.

As I said, crawling was probably more common than portrayed. You can move without necessarily walking or limping.

John Adams
Huckleberry Mess

[Ephraim_Zook]

I have to admit that I impressed myself (and a bunch of other folks, too) with a hit I took back at 135th G'burg. I've forgotten which scenario it was but it was the first day and we were at the top of a fairly steep slope; the grass made the slope pretty slippery. At any rate, I went down, but instead of staying where I was I slipped, and because of the steepness of the slope I started rolling -- and rolling -- and rolling until I fetched up against a "dead" rebel. Once my dizziness abated, I looked around and was astounded to see that I had gone a good 75 feet down the hill.

[drummerboyMarine]

I think its good that this thread was posted. It may help other people like me who are fairly new to reenacting and need some tips on how to portray this stuff. I think that we should have fun but also not forget that we are portraying somthing that really did happen and take that into consideration. Any tips on how a drummer boy could portray this? Thanks

[Kevin O'Beirne]

A wounded drummer would be portrayed the same way that any woulded man would be portrayed. However, I suspect that, typically, wounded field musicians were somewhat rare, considering how it was typically common practice to send the musicians to the rear for duty assisting the medical department before the shooting started in earnest.

[Rob Weaver]

Of course, the dying drummer boy was a romantic favorite of the day, i.e. "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh." Just be careful landing on that drum; your folks paid a lot for it!

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Of course, the dying drummer boy was a romantic favorite of the day

Rob,

Very true. It's also a favorite today. I don't wish to recall the large number of "have the drummer boy take a hit for the crowd to watch" scnearios I saw back in the day when I attended "mainstream" events.