Morning Parade

[79th New York]

After the band plays the Duke of York and is at the end of the formation, do they march back in front or behind the soldiers? I have seen both ways but I cannot find the regulations for this.

Also, its there a prescribed tune for marching back? I have heard Yankee Doodle all the way to the Minstrel boy.

[33rdaladrummer]

Most of the manuals (Hart, Nevins, Howe, etc.) have instructions for this, including how to march down and back. Use the search function to find out where they are available online for free. Dog and Gun is the troop in some sources. DOY was the Duke of York's Favorite Troop, but it may or may have not been a favorite during the Civil War. It's in a couple manuals, but that is not evidence of it being actually used. Generally, musicians played whatever they happened to know. No specific tunes are required. Traditionally, a piece in 3/4 or 4/4 was used on the way down and a quickstep on the way back. As far as Minstrel Boy is concerned, it is in no fife and drum manuals from the period, there are no accounts of it being played by fifers, and probably was not all that popular until reenactor fifers started playing it to death. I have read a post-war account of a fifer recalling that Villlage (Bartlett's) Quickstep was popular at dress parades during the war. Duke of York's or Dog and Gun on the way down and Yankee Doodle on the way back would be fine. But there are plenty of other choices. There is a tune called "Troop for Guard Mounting" in Keach 1861, Howe 1862, and is also in American Veteran Fifer.

[RJSamp]

We often troop down with Endearing Young Charms......and often with a small brass band.....

We always pass in FRONT of the colors and the covering officer (the Colonel). Company commanders are on line, never in front of their commands....you are saluting the Colors, not the Captains....

[lincolnsguard]

The song would be at the whim of the commander as would the time of parade.

[79th New York]

And for the regulations for where the band Marches? I have seen bands march both behind and infront of the formation, which way is correct?

[33rdaladrummer]

"The music will then, while standing, beat eight bars of common or troop time...then march four paces to the front, wheel to the left and march to the left of the guard, wheel or counter-march and return in front of the guard to their post on the right of the line."

-Hart (1862)

http://www.fifedrum.org/resources/mu...hart54sr.shtml

That is just how it is described in one civilian publication. So you could look in other sources for variations.

Howe:

http://www.nationalcivilwarbrassmusi...Instructor.pdf

Keach:

http://www.nationalcivilwarbrassmusi...ook_Ditson.pdf

Nevins:

http://www.archive.org/details/armyregulationsf00nevi

[RJSamp]

Am reading a Michigan Infantryman's diary......they have Parade at 6 every day......that's PM.....