Drummers Of The Pennisular & Napoleonic Wars

Barry Roy Turnbull-Burchmore

To The Drum Boy’s

The sound of the drum, and to a lesser extent the fife, being the background to the events of daily life, and in the case of the drum alone, the voice of command on the battlefield, it was but a short step to invest the drums themselves with a certain mystique.
They were therefore prominent among the household gods of the regiment, second only to the colours in symbolism. It was again but a short step to illustrate the veneration in which they were held by adorning them with the symbols of the regiment which appeared on the regimental colour.
The drums were therefore painted in the facing colour, which appeared on the collars, cuffs, and lapels of the red coats, and was the field or background of the regimental colour.
Murray David, MUSIC OF THE SCOTTISH REGIMENTS, The Pentland Press, Bishop Auckland Durham 1994.(P21)

Advice for Officers of the British Army was published in 1782.
It warns that drummers, in particular, were’ sure of bringing off a girl in every quarter. After infecting her with a certain disease, and selling her clothes, you may introduce her to the officers, your employments making a dependant on mercury as well as Apollo’, a reference to the contemporary treatment of venereal disease. When matters did get out of hand -’the women of the camp are pretty much in common’, according to the same source– or perhaps when the married women of the battalion mutinied at the behaviour of the sluts and bawds who hung about the lines after dark, soliciting custom, the long-suffering commanding officer might turn out the drums and fifes to play the pioneer march to drum out the idle women from the camp.
Murray David, MUSIC OF THE SCOTTISH REGIMENTS, The Pentland Press, Bishop Auckland Durham 1994.(P20)

The Drummer boy dates back to the early eighteenth century, though just when he entered the scene is not clear. Jo Brome becoming a drummer boy at eight was not exceptional but the more normal age was between ten and twelve.
He must after all have been able to carry a regulation side drum—there were no ‘boy’s sizes’ like cricket bats. They were not mascots but functional members of the regiment.
Barty-King Hugh, THE DRUM, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London, 1988 (P 73)

‘the colonel would call to his drummer ‘sound the halt!’ The boy would beat The Halt. And each company drummer in the column behind would hear it and beat The Halt too. Knowing the captain was unlikely to know the meaning of the beat, the company drummer would turn to him and say ‘That’s the Halt. Sir!’.
And the company commander would give the necessary order.
Barty-King Hugh, THE DRUM, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London, 1988 (P 84)

‘Whenever a new drummer and fifer was brought into the ranks of the Drum Major, he begins a process of training to his duty. The Drummer or Fifer is to receive no more than a privates pay until the Drummer of Fifer can performs his duties at a tolerable manner. In the recruitment of a Drummer, one needs to search for a handsome young individual, no younger than the age of fourteen. A Drummer beneath the age of fourteen, unless extremely stout, would be unable to burden the weight of a full drum while on the march. In the search of a fifer, any of the finest children can be an extremely good choices; for this duty, since a fifer has little or no laborious duties.
Cutherbertson, System for the complete Interior Management and economy of a Battalion of infantry pg. 12-13

THE HISTORY OF THE DRUM

Origins and Developments
The drum is nearly as ‘old as Adam’ and is believed to have evolved from the biblical ‘timbrel’. Sir J Gardiner
Wickinson stated that martial music occupied an important place in Egyptian affairs about 1600 BC in
which the drums would be included. In the Chinese army of the fifth century BC the drum was used for giving signals during battle and, to ensure that the drummer was in his place in difficult situations and when he was most urgently required, Spau Wu, the Master advised that “the drum” should be given “to the bold”.
The credit for having introduced the drum into Europe is generally given to the Crusaders who, having seen how the Saracens used it brought the idea home. However a man called James Blades once wrote that the drum was actually introduced to England by the Romans in the form of the tabor. These differed in size from that of the tambourine to that of a bass drum and early documentation suggests that some were even fitted with some type of snare mechanism. Some later tabors were rather like a large side drum with rope tension and snares and eventually slung around the player’s neck and supported with one hand whilst being struck with a single stick in the other hand. At about the mid-sixteenth century, the player began to sling the drum diagonally across the body, controlling it with his leg, thus freeing both of his hands to beat the drum. Since the drum was now at the side of the body, it was not unnaturally called ‘the side drum’. Originally drums were made out of hollowed out tree stems, open at the bottom. To make them easier to carry, the depth of the rim was diminished.

Employment
The most savage type of music in vogue with civilized people has to be that of the drum and fife band. Drums have been covered with human skins. Tom-toms have been so covered and human skulls tied to them. They were beaten to drown the cries of the victims in the festival of Jagannatha. The Bohemian nobleman, Ziska, who fought with the English at Agincourt, ordered his skin at death to be made into drumheads. Being a loud instrument, it was used to beat calls for military formations, to signal commands and to beat the charge. Its rhythmic beat was also admirably adapted for regulating the movement of soldiers on the line of March. The marching speeds or tempi were:

1. Ordinary time. 75 paces to the minute. The standard pace for all drill movements and, in the eighteenth century, the usual speed on what passed for roads at the time
2. Quick time. 108 paces to the minute. Used when forming from column of route into line, i.e., deploying; also used by small parties on the march on good roads, hence the term ‘quick step’ used to describe a march time.
3. Double time. 120 paces to the minute. Used when a line was required to change direction by forming or wheeling.

The double three-paced roll of the drums that start a march was the marching beat of the Lanz-Knecht or Free Companies of Germany; famous for their drummers during the sixteenth century. Adventurous Britons, returning home from the wars, took a hand in the training of the Militia at home bringing the continental pikeman’s drumbeat with them. The roll they played on the march as well as other drumbeats of theirs is exactlythe same as those still used in the Army today. It is presumed that the five-paced roll used by the Foot Guards is simply a variation of the three-paced roll. Also, all routine and tactical orders were passed by beat of drums. Three routine beatings still survive in the form of ‘Officers Mess Beatings’, ‘Retreat’ and ‘Drummers Call’. The first occasion on which the drum was first used on service on British soil appears to be at the Battle of Halidon Hill (1333). A few years later Edward III had drummers in the forefront of his triumphant entry into Calais (1347).

Association with the Colours
Drums obtained through Ordnance bear no embellishments whatsoever. Drums purchased privately are painted in the old facing colour of the regiment. Each drum is embellished with the battalion title, e.g., 1st Battalion, 2nd Battalion, etc., the regimental crest and the same battle honours as those borne on the Regimental and Queen’s Colours. The emblazoning is paid for at private expense. In earlier days a company had its own Colour and drummer, thus providing its own visual and audible rallying points in close battle. In the Foot Guards, and in some Infantry Regiments, company Colours still exist and each company has a drummer attached to it. A further link to the past is the company bugle call used in the Foot Guards and in some line battalions. Each company has its own call, which is documented and printed in Regimental Standing Orders. Originally drummers stood round the standard to assure the fighting men that the flag, although perhaps hidden from their view in the din and dust of conflict, was still flying. In this we see the origin of our own drummers in the past accompanying the Colours in battle.
The drums of a battalion are as cherished and as closely guarded as the Colours. When the Highland Division was about to be captured at St Valery in 1940 the drums of the famous Scottish Regiments were buried in the hope that they would be recovered later, rather than allow them to fall into the hands of the Germans. The drums were in fact recovered with much ceremony after the war. In the retreat to Dunkirk in 1940 the 2nd Battalion The Wiltshire Regiment buried their drums too but unfortunately only two were recovered after the war, one coming from Denmark.

Evolution of the Drum
The mid-seventeenth century would be a good time from which to start to trace the evolution of the present day side drum as used by the British Army. When the Royal Regiment of Guards (Grenadier Guards) returned from France in 1662 they were authorized to paint their new drums and a warrant to this effect still exists, though it is vague as to the actual appearance of the drums which would most likely have measured 22 inches deep x 19 ½ inches wide, the shell and hoops being made of ash wood. The vellum heads were no doubt thicker than those in later use. The whole thing was tensioned by means of cord which, as we see in old paintings, was not as white as we are used to seeing. Braces were in use though these could have been either of rope or buff, tied in a sort of bow knot. As to the existence of snares, there is little or no evidence that they were in use at this time. Engravings of drummers at Monks funeral in 1670 show the drums quite clearly but there are no snares to be seen and there are no drag ropes evident either.

The actual ash shell of the drum was joined together by means of nails or tacks. This area of the join, which was normally to the drummer’s right, had by this time assumed the most ornate appearance with the nails used to join the shell being arranged in elaborate patterns. This area became known as the ‘Nail Board’ and still exists today on bass and tenor drums, being now a coloured panel on the left hand side of the drum, the colour being one of the unit’s regimental colours. The front half of the shell was painted, even at this date, with the facing colour of dark blue and emblazoned with, in the case of the Foot Guards, with the full Royal Arms only. The hoops were painted plain red and accounted for two and a half inches of the overall size of the drum. The side drum of most other Regiments of Foot would have been much the same, though obviously the facing colour was appropriate to the regiment as was the emblazoning on it. Regiments of Foot carried the Royal Cypher CR and crown with sometimes a number or other device below it.
A Typical Nail board Paintings show very heavy sticks to have been in use at this time and generally there were no drag ropes. The drum already described was, with little alteration, to remain in use with the British Army until modern times.
The changes in the intervening years were mainly in the size of the shell. Generally by the last quarter of the eighteenth century a reduction in size took place to an overall size of 18 inches x 18 inches, the hoop size being down to 2 inches. Around about the Waterloo period, the size of the drum decreased again to roughly 16 inches x 16 inches overall, though the drums carried by the Guards and some other regiments at Waterloo were of the older, larger size. It was probably about the time of this reduction that the shells were changed to brass.
In general, drums were issued from Ordnance and were probably not as good as they might have been. About 1810 an ex Drum Major of the Coldstream Guards established a private company to supply a superior drum, which regiments could purchase at their own expense. It is fair to assume that from this period Corps of Drums began to acquire the extras at their own expense and the drums improved in appearance and general manufacture. Fine gut snares were now in use, which gave a new sound to the brass–shelled drums.
The drag rope established probably at the beginning of the eighteenth century and used to carry the drum over the shoulder on the march was now universal in the British Army. By the outbreak of the Crimean War of 1854 the Foot Guards had firmly settled on a drum of 14 inches x 11 ½ inches brass shell with two inch ash hoops, calfskin heads, white hemp rope and eight buff braces and six or more gut strand snares. Apart from a one-inch variation in the 1900s the Guards stuck rigidly to this drum and it became known as the ‘Guards Regulation Pattern Drum’.
It might be as well to make a mention here of the evolution of the bass and tenor drums. The bass drum had started life as a massive version of the side drum worn around the neck with the vellum (heads) pointing to the left and right of the drummer. Over the years the width of the bass drum decreased dramatically.
Before World War II an average bass drum shell might have been 30 inches x 16 inches. Today the average Corps of Drums bass drum could measure 28 inches x 12 inches. The tenor drum was larger than the ordinary side drum.
It was also played with felt or soft headed drumsticks, which contributed to the special tonal character of the drum which was due, not only to its size, but to the fact that the lower head had no snares. It has generally been accepted that the tenor drum superseded the small kettle drums that were used by the marching regiments in the eighteenth century, and we can see the latter in a well known engraving of a band of a regiment of Foot Guards mounting guard at St James’s Palace about 1790. The earliest record of a tenor drum being used is in 1834 by the Royal Artillery band.

Drum Emblazoning
From about the turn of the century, regiments began to go to great lengths to ensure a smart appearance for the Corps of Drums. They purchased many extra items for the drums at regimental expense. The wooden counter hoops were often painted at considerable cost with such devices as heraldic roses in the case of the Lancashire Fusiliers and for the Cheshire Regiment, the regimental No.22 in Roman numerals all around the hoops.
Since the rope used to assemble and tension a drum was one long piece, the habit developed very early of winding the spare unused end round the lower hoops of the drum, often finger-plaited into what is sometimes called “drummer’s plaits” and gradually this became an accepted decorative part of a drum finishing and was called flashing.
The old Royal Arms, which had been painted on the drums for years by all regiments gradually, began to be replaced, by Regiments of the Line, with enlarged regimental badges, which is still the practice today.
The emblazoning of drums is best carried out by experts due to the many operations involved; nothing looks worse than a badly emblazoned drum. The front panel of the drum should be of the unit’s facing colour.
The emblazoning details for the Guards Division are laid down in Standing Orders and are strictly adhered to.
Basically for side drums these consist of:
“The Royal Arms upon a stand of the Queen’s and Regimental Colours. Below this are the badges, mottoes and devices as applicable; laid out down each side of this are the battle honours as borne on the Colours. The whole is surmounted by the regimental title ribbon. The whole upon a very dark blue ground.”
For Regiments of the Line, the heraldry is usually traditional but can be decided by the Commanding Officer. This consists of either, in the case of some Royal Regiments, the Royal Arms or more often, the enlarged regimental badge in full colour with the
additional mottoes and devices of the regiment. Below and down each side are the battle honours as born on the Colours.
The whole surmounted by the regimental title ribbon.
On the bass drum the layout is slightly different but the Royal Arms should always be carried, the golden rule being that nothing is placed above the Royal Arms except the regimental title ribbon.
Hoops of regimental pattern are an obvious attraction and these are normally traditional. Where side drums are professionally emblazoned, all gold work is in 22-carat gold leaf, which adds greatly to the appearance, and all colours are in finest oils, the heraldry is finished with a covering of coach varnish.
*(Unknown Author- Grenadier Guards?)
The fife, drum and bugle were the three popular signal instruments of military service in the late 18th century. The three instruments were chosen because their loud and distinctive sounds are audible even amidst the sounds of battle, and signalers were key to good communication on the battlefield. The drum was (to our understanding) the principal instrument, and regardless of the instrument a signaler played, he was referred to as a drummer.
In general, drummers were sons of soldiers who were on strength with the regiment, but anyone showing a talent or inclination for this job was likely accepted. Under the direction of the Drum Major the drummers would learn the appropriate rudiments and tunes. Young boys were considered the best candidates for this job because learning the drum was a skill best taken on while young and while the wrists were still supple. The drummer was paid more than a regular soldier as he held a role that was more specialized and entailed greater responsibility.
Uniform—
Drummers were dressed in exotic uniforms, with chevrons and wings on the arms and the body of the coat covered in the regimental lace. In usual circumstances the drummer wore a coat that was the reverse colours of the infantry coat, the colour of the facings,(cuff and collar) switched with the colour of the body of the coat. Because the Yorkers bear the designation of a 'Royal Regiment' and had blue facings, the coat would not be reversed, as blue-bodied coats belonged to the British senior services of the Artillery, Navy and Cavalry. The modern Yorker drums coats are based on an extant drummer's coat of the Coldstream Guards [1776] in the British Army Museum. The drummer's uniform was calculated to make him easily visually detectable, a necessity on the battlefield and a convenience in garrison, encampment or tavern.
* Each Regiment will have its own coat colour and lace design specific for that regiment, also there may be specific cyphers or designs on the drum. – (Author)

Duty Drummers—
The most important and least appreciated role of drummers was the calls they played for the daily functioning of the army. In the days when watches were relatively rare, drummers were used to inform soldiers of the timing of their daily activities. A soldier was awoken by a 'Reveille', assembled with a 'Troop', told when to eat with a 'Dinner call', informed of the close of the day with a 'Retreat' and was to be bedded down at the conclusion of the 'Taptoo'. Besides these routine daily activities, soldiers could be informed of a variety of special duties, 'The General' would replace the 'Reveille' on days when the army was to pack up and move, the 'Church and Recruiting call' for days of worship or recruiting duties. The 'Pioneers march' assembled troops for special fatigue duties or 'To Arms' could be played to raise an alarm. Almost all general orders could be relayed by a specific tune on the fife or bugle, or by a beating on the drum, and signalers chosen for that daily duty, were referred to as Duty Drummers.

Punishment Duty—
One of the other particular duties that were performed by drummers was that of meting out punishment. Once an offender had been tried and found guilty, the troops would be formed into a hollow square to witness the punishment, the crime and sentence was read aloud to the troops, the offender was paraded in front of the ranks of soldiers to the tune of 'Rogues March' and then secured to a tripod made of halberds (pole arms). The drummers would flog (or whip) the bare back of the offender, rotating the job amongst those drummers present to ensure the punishment was executed consistently. The whip of choice was referred to as the 'cat of nine tails', a short-ish whip with nine flails. The 'Cat' came in many forms some considerably crueller than others. When not in use the 'Cat' was carried in a red silk bag by the drum major and when 'the cat was out of the bag' trouble was imminent. Drummers were paid extra money for performing flogging duty.
http://royalyorkers.ca/drums.htm

Floggings
A soldier who was to be flogged in barracks was marched onto the parade ground or inside a large building like a riding school, with the men of his regiment formed up, in full dress, in hollow square.
The adjutant read out the sentence and its confirmation, and turned to the prisoner, ordering ‘strip sir.’
The prisoner removed his shirt. He was tied up. An infantryman to a large iron triangle, derived from the traditional pyramid of sergeants’ halberds, and a cavalryman to a short ladder made fast to a wall or tree.
Short whips called cats o’ nine tails were already on hand in green Baize bags, in of the drum major (for infantry units) or the farrier major (for the cavalry), * I would surmise here that in the absence of a drum major or farrier major the senior unit drummer would also have one at hand or in his possession.There was a bucket of water and a chair, a hospital orderly, and the regimental surgeon stood close by to monitor the prisoners condition.When arrangements were complete, the adjutant reported to the colonel, who ordered:’proceed.’
The first cat was removed from its bag, and a farrier or drummer struck the prisoner with it, with the sergeant major calling out each stroke.The punishment went on, with the floggers being replaced as they grew tired, and the cats being exchanged for fresh ones as they became worn or clogged with blood and tissue.
Holmes Richard, ‘Redcoat, The British Soldier in the age of Horse and Musket’, HarperCollins Publishers London, 2001.(P322).
The 'Cat' was administered with scripted ceremony that was more elaborate even than that for the presentation of medals. Punishment parade was ordered for early morning and friends of the prisoner often tried to smuggle him liquor to dull the panic and the pain. On one occasion liquor was offered in the barrel of the guard's musket. The repulsive spectacle inspired fear and trembling in the onlookers, some of whom actually cried like babies at its sickening savagery. On more than one occasion the intended recipients chose death over degradation and the awful pain and committed suicide.
All ranks were assembled in a square facing inward toward the 'triangle,' which was constructed of three sergeants' halberds lashed together. The prisoner was marched into the square to the drummers' beat. The proceedings and the sentence having been read out, the prisoner was striped to the waist and tied spread-eagled to the triangle. A red cloth cap was placed on his head and a buff coloured collar placed around his neck in order to protect these sensitive parts from the lacerating lash.
There was no regulation cat-o'-nine-tails, but most conformed to the dimensions of one belonging to the Coldstream Guards. Its complete weight was 1.5 kg; the length of the handle was 48 cm, attached to which were nine 61-cm lengths of tarred hemp whipcord. To ensure maximum laceration the end of each lash was either plaited or knotted so that in the latter case from 3 to 9 weights were propelled against the flesh. The more knots, the greater the injury. It was charged that some officers steeped the lash in brine before as well as during its application in order to increase the pain.
The lash was administered by the drummer. The adjutant commanded: "Drummer, do your duty." and the drum major counted to three between each stroke while the drummer stripped to the waist in order to be able to apply the whip "with force and vigour," inflicted 25 of his best, after which he was spelled by another drummer. "Failure to 'lay it on' resulted in the drum major applying his cane to the drummer's back."
It took between one-half to three quarters of an hour to inflict 175 lashes. They were given 25 at a time to the tap of a drum beaten in slow time. Blood ran freely after the first few strokes. Following 25 the back was reduced to jelly. Water was kept handy to revive the victim if perchance he should faint for every stroke had to be fully felt. The excruciating pain had to be endured in silence for the soldier's code demanded no outcry.
Sentences from one hundred to more than two thousand lashes were once common, in the latter instance the lashes were administered over several sessions. In this event the victim was hospitalized until his back healed and he was then returned to the triangle for the balance of his sentence. In 1712 a Guardsman was sentenced to 1700 lashes which were administered over seven sessions. His crime: slaughtering his Colonel's horse and selling its hide.
Extracts from the Regimental Defaulter Book of the 49th Regiment record the following crimes and punishments in 1811:
"A private deficient in part of uniform; sentenced to 100 lashes 'inflicted after the usual manner'"
"Attempt to deceive inspecting officer, sentenced to 200, 100 inflicted."
"In possession of peas which cannot be explained and improper use of equipment, sentenced 400, inflicted 250.
"Drunk before dinner although confined to barracks, sentenced 150 lashes but only 100 inflicted.
"Quitting barracks without leave after tattoo, sentenced 300, 295 inflicted."
Following punishment the prisoner was marched off to the hospital where his shredded back was dressed in a dilute solution of sugar of lead kept in place with a cloth called a wrestling jacket. The treatment, which lasted three weeks to a month, equalled the punishment in pain.
In 1807 George III was graciously pleased to restrict corporal punishment to 1000 lashes. His son, the Duke of York, Commander-in-chief of the army, advised commanding officers in a confidential circular in 1812 to limit lashes to 300.
http://www.uppercanadahistory.ca/military/military9.html

The ‘Cat ‘o’ Nine’ Tails.
There was no regulation cat-o'-nine-tails, but most conformed to the dimensions of one belonging to the Coldstream Guards. Its complete weight was 1.5 kg; the length of the handle was 48 cm, attached to which were nine 61-cm lengths of tarred hemp whipcord. To ensure maximum laceration the end of each lash was either plaited or knotted so that in the latter case from 3 to 9 weights were propelled against the flesh. The more knots, the greater the injury. It was charged that some officers steeped the lash in brine before as well as during its application in order to increase the pain.
A soldier who was to be flogged in barracks was marched onto the parade ground or inside a large building like a riding school, with the men of his regiment formed up, in full dress, in hollow square.
The adjutant read out the sentence and its confirmation, and turned to the prisoner, ordering ‘strip sir.’
The prisoner removed his shirt. He was tied up. An infantryman to a large iron triangle, derived from the traditional pyramid of sergeants’ halberds, and a cavalryman to a short ladder made fast to a wall or tree.
Short whips called cats o’ nine tails were already on hand in green Baize bags, in of the drum major (for infantry units) or the farrier major (for the cavalry),* I would surmise here that in the absence of a drum major or farrier major the senior unit drummer would also have one at hand or in his possession.
There was a bucket of water and a chair, a hospital orderly, and the regimental surgeon stood close by to monitor the prisoners condition.
When arrangements were complete, the adjutant reported to the colonel, who ordered:’proceed.’
The first cat was removed from its bag, and a farrier or drummer struck the prisoner with it, with the sergeant major calling out each stroke.
The punishment went on, with the floggers being replaced as they grew tired, and the cats being exchanged for fresh ones as they became worn or clogged with blood and tissue.
Holmes Richard, ‘Redcoat, The British Soldier in the age of Horse and Musket’, HarperCollins Publishers London, 2001.(P322).

Recruiting Duty—
Drummers were also used extensively in the activity of recruiting, as the performance of military musicians could draw a crowd from considerable distances and entertain them while they collected, giving the recruiting sergeant an opportunity to work his wiles. In frontier areas military musicians represented musical variety, something that was scarce in small communities.

Marching—
When soldiers were on the move, drummers were used to keep the soldiers moving at a set tempo, and encouraged the troops by playing popular patriotic, dance and tavern songs to keep soldiers' minds occupied during the exceedingly monotonous activity of marching. If required, an officer could calculate the distance his soldiers could move in a day, if his soldiers stepped a consistent distance each pace and the drums maintained a specific speed. For logistical purposes, that kind of information could be very helpful. Thousands of tunes from that period exist in a wide variety of manuals and drummers must have known a substantial number of tunes. For morale and 'esprit de corps' nothing beats a lively and energetic tune.

Ceremony—
For ceremonies fifes and drums knew more formal tunes, and somber martial music could provide dignity to the pomp of any military celebration. Tunes like Handel's 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes', 'The Duke of York's March' or 'The Grenadiers March' added a level of formality to a parade and helped to focus a soldiers efforts. Military ceremonies were popular public events, with the music performed commonly noted in journals and newspapers.
http://royalyorkers.ca/drums.htm

Duty calls—Battlefield Signals

Gradually less and less reliance was placed on the Drums for signalling in the British Army.
In 1798 the secretary of state for war ordered an enquiry into the use of the Drum, Fife and bugle in an attempt to standardise procedures and signalling codes which could be understood by all Regiments.
To sort the matter out and advise them on how to go about it, they commissioned James Hyde who, besides being a Trumpet player in the orchestra of a Covent Garden Opera House, was Trumpeter major to the gentlemen who had volunteered for the Westminster Dragoons, one of London’s many yeomanry regiments.
Hyde made a collection of every drum, trumpet and Bugle Call in use and put them on a proper basis.
Bugles took over from the drums for Camp and Field Calls as the means of broad-casting time checks and commands largely because they could be heard more easily and could sound more than one note.
The rifle regiments already had a long tradition of marching to unaccompanied bugles.
The bugles and the Band played together, and many marches were written for such a combination….
In more and more regiments of the line signalling was undertaken by bugle calls.
So that regiments fighting alongside one another could tell which bugled order was intended for them and not their comrades on the right, the calls came to be identified by being preceded by a Regimental Bugle Call.
….by the time British regiments were being sent to fight in the Crimea in 1854 most military Drummers were also buglers…’the Drums remained the section of the Regiment, quite separate from the band, which consisted of Drum beaters, Fifers and Bugler/Trumpeters. And Drums and fifes retained their indispensable role on the march….
Bagpipes were not played with the Drums till later – probably the 1860’s. due to the Duke of Gordons wife who raised the Gordon Highlanders? William Boag considerers it may have been the Govan Police band who first had the two playing together, and the Army copied them. Or was it the other way around? However that may be, when the Pipes started being played with the drums for parades and in marching by Scottish Regiments, an entirely new style of Drumming developed, which was never adopted south of the border.
Barty-King Hugh, THE DRUM, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London, 1988 (P 92)

• Due to the lack of historical record, a lot of practices, calls and beatings for the drum have been conjectural, there is a great deal of information Re the American war of independence etc, but little for the Peninsular and Napoleonic wars periods, This being the case this document shows and recommends the use of Potters works as shown below as they are the closest documented source for this period. Also there are instances whereby individual regiments did have there own specific calls or tunes for themselves to use while in barracks etc, but generally the major calls and field signals must have been universal for surely only pandemonium would have ensued on the field if not.
• For a complete and historically referenced Calls and Signals please refer to the document Napoleonic Drum calls, produced by the Author – (Author)
On the battlefield, drummers played a more critical role, that of relaying the commands of their officers. Once the troops were deployed vocal communication became very difficult so simple concepts could be expressed by specific tunes like the: 'advance', 'retreat', 'commence firing', 'cease firing' and 'point of war'. Undoubtedly some regiments had more complex systems of orders that could be relayed by their signalers, but on a grander scale (when regiments combined) signals would (of necessity) be simple. In addition to the role of signaler, drummers on the field of battle were expected to be stretcher-bearers and assistants to the regimental surgeon, drawing injured bodies out of the line to be cared for and to help keep the continuity of the line for tactical purposes. Patriotic and inspirational traditional tunes like 'Rule Britannia', 'Lilies of France (Hot Stuff)', 'The World turned Upside Down (The King Enjoys His Own Again)', or even the 'British Grenadiers' inspired soldiers to face the toughest of situations and encouraged them to perform the most heroic deeds.
The manuals stated that the "Troop for the Colors", was "Beat When Hoisting the Colours in the Morning" ("Drummer's Instructor" Rumrille & Holton, 1817) and "...played at eight or nine o'clock in the morning at hoisting the Colors" ("System of Drum Beating" Ashworth, 1812). The procedure for actually getting the colours from the commander's tent/quarters and returning them were a little involved, and I pretty well summed it up here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bugle/message/2872.

In 1768 Thomas Simes summarized the Public Beatings of the drum in garrison in his Military Course for the Government and Conduct of a battalion as;
To be at the General is an order for the whole to make ready to march.
The Assemblee to repair to their colours.
And the March commands them to move;
The Reveille at daybreak warns the soldiers to rise and the centries[sic] to cease challenging.
The Troop assembles them together to call over the roll and inspect the men for duty.
The Retreat is beat at sunset for calling over the roll again to warn men for duty and read the orders of the day.
The Taptoo beats at ten o’clock every night in summer and nine in winter, (the soldiers must then repair to their quarters or
Barracks when the non-commissioned officers of each squad call over their rolls and everyman must remain there till reveille next
Morning.
Twenty years later Francis Grose listed 15 different Beats of the drum for the infantry in his Military
Antiquities in great detail.
The General was beaten instead of Reveille only when the whole camp was to march.
He made a clear difference between Retreat and the Taptoo.
Retreat was beaten at sunset in garrison and at gun-firing in camp when pickets were formed— ‘in fortified places it is a signal
for the inhabitants to come in before the gates are shut’.
Taptoo was the signal for the soldiers to retire to their quarters or barracks and ‘to the sutlers to draw no more liquor from
whence it derives its name; the ‘Taptoo is seldom beat in camp.’
To Arms was a signal to summon soldiers to to their alarm posts on some sudden occasion.
The Church Call was for an obvious purpose, though less obvious is why it was also known as Beating the Bank.
The Pioneers call ‘known by the appellation of Round heads and cuckolds’. Was for pioneers to come and dig.
The Serjeants Call got serjeants running to the orderly room.

The Drummers Call summoned drummers to the head of the colours or to the place where it was being beaten.
Field Calls still included;
The Preparative ‘a signal to make ready for firing’.
The Chammade ‘a signal to desire a parley with the enemy’.
There were also several other beats in different corps for particular signals, he said, such as The Long Roll for turning out the
Regiment in camp; and doubling The Troop to break from grand to sub-divisions.
Barty-King Hugh, THE DRUM, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London, 1988 (P 46-47)

The following excerpt about the "soldier's day" discusses Ashworth and the camp duties that would have been used. It is from Jim Krause's FIFER'S WEB PAGE:
http://www.oldsodshanty.com/fifer.html Gary Vorwald
• Sunrise Reveille consisted of six to ten separate musical numbers chosen by the drum major. The length and number of tunes played depended upon the weather. It was almost a small concert by itself. A typical sampling which C. S. Ashworth published in his A New, Useful, and Complete System of Drum Beating... published in 1812 went like this:
1. Three Cheers
2. The Three Camps
3. The Scotch
4. The Austrian
5. The Dutch
6. The Hessian
7. The Scotch Repeat
8. The first part of The Three Camps once through, and then finish off with
9. Three Cheers
• 7:00 A.M. Sick Call Surgeon's Call
• 7:30 A.M. Breakfast Call Peas Upon a Trencher
• 8:00 A.M, The Troop from the 20th of March to the 20th of September. The rest of the year The Troop sounded at 9:00 AM. Roll call and inspection of the men for duty. This turned into a rather elaborate ceremony involving morning parade, and the raising of the colors. Charles S. Ashworth says
The Troop begins with Three Rolls by Drums and Fifes. The Rising of the Troop is then Beat by the Leading Drum without the Fifes: the whole of the Drums and Fifes then strike in and go through with the Singlings twice, or more times, when the Signal (a poing stroke) is given from the right to commence The Doublings, which are repeated once or twice through the tune when a similar Signal to the last is given to repeat the Singlings untill you Roll off.
Three Rolls and the first part of the Doublings Ends the Troop. The Troop is beat at eight or nine o'clock in the morning at hoisting the Colors.1
• 9:00, or 10:00 A.M., depending on the hour The Troop was beat: Work details or drill Pioneer's March
• 1:00 P.M. Dinner Call The Roast Beef Roll call, whiskey ration, dinner.
• 2:00 P.M. Return to duty Pioneer's March
• 6:00 P.M. Supper Call Peas Upon a Trencher

The following Calls and Signals are put together in a format that I hope gives the Drummer of the Napoleonic Wars period a set of standard Calls and Signals that will help facilitate ease of learning, allow a commonality of practice, and a working document that I am sure will develop as time goes by.

I have set the format firstly with the Name and explanation of the Call or Signal, and referenced when possible, followed by an image of the score (taken and translated from the original document)

The Calls & Signals –

Point of war
“There are Six several Beats generally used that are Points of War. 1. A Call, 2. A Troop, 3. A March, 4. A Preparative, 5. A Battail, 6. A Retreat.

The Point Of War is the first part of The Three Camps. This beat is traditional, and can be found in Longman & Broderip's "The Young Drummer's Assistant" (London, 1780s) as well as Charles Stewart Ashworth's "A New, Useful, and Complete System of Drum Beating." (Boston,1812) . A variation of the beating for the same piece is in
Potter's manual and forms part of the beating for Reveille.
If you play the first 16 bars of The Three Camps, you'll have played The Point of War.

Quoting from Ashworth:
"The Point of War, or first part of the Three Camps is a compliment which a guard pays a Governor of a State and to no other person. [It] is also beat when the Regiment's Colors are returned uncased to the Commandant's Quarters. If the Colors be cased, the Drum pays no compliment, also when Colors are received from the Commander's
Quarters. It is understood that the President of the U.S. is also entitled to the Compliment in any state." [p. 20]

The call –(1800+ = Assembly) is the order to prepare to hear present Proclamation, or Orders, to repair to your colours.

By a Troop – (1800+ =Assembly), you must diligently March as the Officers direct.

Be March Beaten, you are to take your open Order in Rank, to shoulder your Firelock. and to March either Quicker, or Slower, according to the Beat of the Drum.

By a Preparative, - (1800+ =Prime & Load) you are to Close to your due Distance, (for an engagement) both in Rank, and File, and to make Ready that you may execute upon the first Command.

By the Battail, or Charge, understand the Continuation, or pressing forward in Order of Battle; not lagging behind rather with the highest Pitch of Courage, stepping forward, into the Place of him that fall Dead, or Wounded : And let your Courage, and Prudence be so joyn’d, that you may perform, and attain things Noble and Great.

By a Retreat, observe an orderly Retiring, either for Relief, for advantage of Ground, or for some other Political End ; as to draw the Enemy into some Ambushcade, or otherwise to compleat your Commanders Intentions.”

"The Church Call ends with the first part of the three camps, or Point
of War." [p. 22]

(This is reflective of American practice about the time of the War of
1812. What British practice was during the last third of the 18th
century, I cannot say.)

Jim Krause
Fife Instructor, Music Director
Kaw Valley Fife & Drum Corps

Point of War would have also been beat when the order "Charge Bayonets" was given.
Andrew Ambrus

Samuel Potter, The Art of Beating the Drum
A Plan of Discipline for the use of the Norfolk Militia, Written by William Windham, 1759
Ashworth, Charles Stewart A New, Useful, and Complete System of Drum Beating...
G. Graupner, Boston 1812 p.6
Fort Osage Intellegencer, "Selected Topics: Daily Life, The Soldier's Day" 1994
Smyth, Col. Alexander Regulations for the United States' Infantry transcribed from an original copy by Earley G. Smith, Third Edition 2000 p. 175
The Military Medley by Thomas Simes 1768
Formations of the Music, Composed by Jedediah Dahl July 26, 2001

Windham
Simes
Houlding
Cavan
Simes
Cavan
Simes
Wolfe, General Wolfe’s instructions to young officers: also his orders for a battalion and an army.
Simes

Individual Regiments Prefix Beatings –

Historical Reference-
('These three-pace rolls are all that remains of the ;English Cadence, one of the recognition signals by which troops made their identity known in earlier times. They were not regulation, and each regiment could have its own system, the drummers of the foot guards beating a five-pace roll. The old Queens Royal Regiment, the 2nd of foot, took pride in turning out twelve side drummers with their corps of drums, which was always outstanding in smartness and musical skill. The cry was; Here come the Queens; a seven-pace roll and a cloud of white blanco! )
Murray David, MUSIC OF THE SCOTTISH REGIMENTS, The Pentland Press, Bishop Auckland Durham 1994.(P14,260)

Accepting and taking on the above information and applying it as a standard operating procedure within our
re-enactment/hobbies activities would mean that each Regiment would create or adopt there own prefix, by all regiments doing this it would create a simple system whereby each regiment can be called by their drummer without the beats being wrongly interpreted by other regiments.

To facilitate ease of recognition for the men, and to avert confusion each regiment will adopt a
‘two bar drum beat prefix’, this is used prior to all other calls and beatings.

For Example if this is 2nd foots prefix –

And if we put it in context with another call or order, the prefix is played prior to all calls thus we play the prefix-

On the sounding of this beat all of the 2nd foot hearing it are aware a beat or order for them is coming and then the command beat or call is played, in this case ‘To Assemble the men for inspection’

What this does is to effectively tell only the 2nd foot to assemble.
The prefix itself effectively separates all the beats and calls so they are relevant only to individual Regiments.

If there is no prefix of course it means that all units and men within hearing must obey the beat/order as it is beaten by the Duty drummer on command of the overall commander.

Effectively, so long as each Regiment and its men know its own prefix there is no confusion.

‘Crying Down The Credits’ & ‘All Debts Paid’
Drumming around the market cross might tell the towns people that the army was requiring their attention, not to help them to find recruits but to remind them of the average soldier’s impecuniosities.

Aware of a soldiers low pay, the Army saw to it that when a regiment arrived in a new town, the shop keepers and tradesmen were warned about giving credit – or too much credit – to mostly illiterate Other ranks, here to-day and gone tomorrow, and allowing them to run up debts they had not the slightest chance or intention of repaying.

These were the days before soldiers were housed in barracks and were left to their own devices in the taverns and private houses in which they were billeted. That first day the Provost Sergeant would march to the market cross accompanied by drummers and fifers who then started ‘beating’ to attract attention.
To the crowd who assembled the Provost Sergeant announced that anyone giving credit to members of the regiment which had arrived did so at their own risk. This was known as ‘Crying Down The Credits’.

Before the regiment was about to leave the Provost Sergeant and the drummers would return to the centre of the town to tell shopkeepers that they were about to move and that it would be in their own interests to stop giving further credit immediately.
The likelihood of a hard-up, poorly paid soldier who had left the town for good ever returning to pay his debts were negligible. This ceremony was known as ‘All Debts Paid’.
Barty-King Hugh, THE DRUM, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London, 1988 (P 61)

Instruments & Gear –
The Drum –
The drums bore the royal monogram, the precedence number of the regiment to which the battalion belonged, and perhaps some device awarded to the regiment as a mark of special distinction, such as the dragon of the 3rd foot and the antelope of the 6th, both regents raised in 1572 for the service in Holland, but taken on to the English establishment in 1665 and 1685 respectively.
Badges and devices were also awarded for distinguished service in the field, the sphinx for Egypt, the dragon for China, and the tiger or elephant for India.
Murray David, MUSIC OF THE SCOTTISH REGIMENTS, The Pentland Press, Bishop Auckland Durham 1994.(P21)
The British Army issued 16" x 153/4" wooden drums for it's drummers from the 1700's to the 1830's
The Americans followed suit
The French issued 15"x11" brass drums during the Napoleonic era
Hope this helps, Yrs.,L2
Original drums measured at Smithsonian, West Point and Fort Malden
‘in the last quarter of the eighteenth century the overall size of the side-drum was reduced to a standard 18 inches by 18 inches, and the height if the hoop (lip around the head) to two inches‘.
At the time of Waterloo the size of the size was reduced again to 16 inches by 16 inches, although those carried by the guards and some other regiments at the battle were of the old size.
A regulation made in the reign of George II stipulated that the side-drum beaten by British Regimental Drummers Should remain of wood, generally of Ash. The overlapping ends of the shell were secured by nails or tacks –the nail board — arranged in elaborate patterns to hide the fact that there was a join.
The side-drum of the British Army did not change to metal until the beginning of the nineteenth century. They had had snares — a series of fine cords — across the bottom head for a long time, probably since the seventeenth century, and now made of fine gut.
Barty-King Hugh, THE DRUM, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London, 1988 (P 89)

The Drum Cover
Provided from Ordinance – at that time the source of all good things authorised by the government – were ten side drums, ten flutes, and ten bugles.
The drums came complete with ticken covers (A strong, closely woven linen or cotton fabric, of which ticks for beds are made.
It is usually twilled, and woven in stripes of different colors, as white and blue; -- called also ticken.),
http://dict.die.net/ticken/
Ticken is a twill weave linen tending to be finer than Russia drill. Ticken was usually striped but was white as well. Used for the same purposes as Russia drill but there are more references for ticken in England. Ticken was commonly used to make breeches, waistcoats, pillows, and bed ticks. Less commonly ticken was used to make trousers, jackets, coats, and women's pockets. The sailor's contract of 1706 called for ticken waistcoats and breeches. Hand sewing this project would work well using 35/2 white or off white linen thread. In The Virginia Gazette of 1737, "ran away from the Subscriber, Two Convict Servant Men. One is an Irish Man . . . professes himself a Gardener by Trade; and took with him . . . one pair of Ticken Breeches".
http://www.wmboothdraper.com/Hemps/hemps_index.htm
Washington's Tent Cover c 1776 - The tent cover at one time held the Revolutionary War marquees used by George Washington. The original order was delivered to Plunkeet Fleeson on May 18, 1776 and called for “making a large Dining Marquee with Double Front,” and for “making another large Marquee with a Cham = (sic) out of ticken, Arch'd”.
http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/exhibits/arho/exb/Military/ARHO1980_Washington's-Tent-.html
The flutes with cases, and the bugles with strings, or cords, so that they could be slung over the shoulder. The strings for royal regiments were interwoven red, yellow, and blue.
And for all others green, hence ‘Cords, Royal’, and ‘Cords, grassy green’.
Ten leg aprons were issued to protect the drummers trousers from undue friction while playing.
Murray David, MUSIC OF THE SCOTTISH REGIMENTS, The Pentland Press, Bishop Auckland Durham 1994.(P1320)
‘...and the Ticken Bag fastened to the drums side.’
Barty-King, THE DRUM, Horse Guards, Whitehall London, 1988. (P 95)
The trial costing of a drummers uniform made in 1764 by Andrew Regnier & son, regimental tailors,…..the trial costing was not accepted and broken down costing given by Thomas Simes in The Military Medley of 1768 shows they got the price down to under £4. *the list includes Drum and Case—£1 6s 6d.
Barty-King, THE DRUM, Horse Guards, Whitehall London, 1988. (P 56)

The Drum Carriage
* The author draws no conclusion here but simply states that there does not seem to be specific reasoning for the wearing of the
carriage in any way apart from perhaps personal choice, as it has been read that it is easier to carry and play the drum in this way. - (Author)
‘We are accustomed to see the side drum carried hooked to a belt, the drum carriage, slung over the drummers right shoulder. This method of carrying the drum was only arrived at after decades of argument.
For centuries, it had been the practice for the drum carriage to be slung around the neck, like a necklace, making in the opinion of many, the drum easier to play. With the drum carriage in that position, it was possible for the shoulder belt supporting the broadsword (Highland regiments had broadswords) to be worn over the right shoulder, with the hilt pushed well to the rear, so that the broadsword lay across the drummers back, where it did not interfere with the free movement of his arms as he played.’
Murray David, MUSIC OF THE SCOTTISH REGIMENTS, The Pentland Press, Bishop Auckland Durham 1994.(P135)
*Its interesting that when the author researched the use of the carriage as in the neck lace style he found that a great many
regiments did so, in fact there are both unquestionable referenced images as well as not so creditable images but none the less
showing the carriage worn in this way.
When looking at just one publication — Barty-King Hugh, THE DRUM, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London, 1988,
We see on pages 48 shows the 46th regiment in 1837, a drummer of the guards in 1780 on page 52, the
first foot, 57th foot, and the 4th foot on Page 70, also the author has images showing the, 2nd, 5th, 9th, 17th, 19th, 23rd, 28th,
29th, 35th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd, 51st, 66th, 71st, 87th, 92nd, 104th, the Royal Artificers-1800, The Royal Fuzileers-1790-1830, 1st,
2nd, and 3rd foot guards.

The Sword
''While the Sergeant's sword was a mark of rank, the Drummer's sword was his only defence. Since many of the Drummers and Fifers were younger and smaller in stature, it was necessary for the blades of these swords either be short or curved like light cavalry sabres so they did not drag on the ground.
Pictorial evidence from the late 18th century shows a variety of regimental patterns being used. In 1796 a standard pattern was selected for the Army's Drummers that had a 24 inch straight blade. Aside from the shorter blade it was identical to the Sergeant's pattern. Again it is likely this sword was carried by "the Drums" of some regiments prior to this date.''
For their personel protection in battle, the drummers of the four senior Scottish regiments, dressed as infantry of the line, were issued with the standard drummers pattern sword, which, in the years between 1815 and 1857 was largely an ornamental weapon.’
‘Drummers of highland regiments were provided with what was officially called a claymore, but which was a highland broadsword with its basket hilt, giving complete protection to the hand, but making it difficult to use the broadsword as other than a cutting weapon. Highland bandsmen got the broadsword, as did the pipers.
All carried it in a shoulder belt, black for pipers and white for everybody else.
As a weapon, it was far in advance of the infantry drummers sword, but in the years after the Crimean war this excellent weapon was to disappear.’
Murray David, MUSIC OF THE SCOTTISH REGIMENTS, The Pentland Press, Bishop Auckland Durham 1994.(P135)
*there has also been seen by the Author a reference to a drummers sword being broken at the tip to signify that he was a non combatant.

The Cap, Hat.
*There is a fair amount of pictorial references for the wearing of the bearskin on the field of battle, having said this again there is very little actual proof this was so. Common practice is for drummers to adopt the Shako for the field and the Bearskin for parade.
*It must also be remembered that nearly all regimental drummers of the line had, were issued and wore the Bearskin.-(Author)
The Mitre cap of the early and mid-eighteenth century was replaced in 1768 by one of black fur – white in the case of some drummers – with a brass frontlet.
In 1800, the shako was introduced, ousting the traditional hats of the centre companies and the light leather helmet of the light, the company that stood on the left of the line on parade and acted as the battalions skirmishers, the grenadier companies wore their fur caps on great occasions, but the shako on service in the field. It could be that the drummers gave up their bearskin caps in the years after waterloo, although there are prints showing drummers wearing both.
Murray David, MUSIC OF THE SCOTTISH REGIMENTS, The Pentland Press, Bishop Auckland Durham 1994.(P135)
References for Infantry Drummers Headwear.
Bearskins worn during the Peninsular and Napoleonic wars.
The Royal Clothing Warrant, 1768
‘’Drummers' and Fifers' Caps.
The drummers and fifers to have black bear-skin caps. On the front, the King's crest, of silver plated metal, on a black ground, with trophies of colours and drums. The number of the regiment on the back part; as also the badge, if entitled to any, as ordered for the grenadiers.
Grenadiers' Caps.
The caps of the grenadiers to be of black bear-skin. On the front, the King's crest, of silver plated metal, on a black ground, with the motto, "Nec aspera terrent." A grenade
on the back part, with the number of the regiment,on it.’’
The following is an article from the Journal for the Society of Army Historical Research outlining the changes in the 1802 Clothing Regulations. It was contributed by W.Y Carman.
(D.—[“No alteration,” C.] The Caps of the Grenadiers to be of Black Bear Skin.
On the Front, the King’s Crest67 in brass on a Black Ground with the Motto “Nec aspera
terrent.” A Grenade on the Back part, with the number of the Regiment on it. The Royal Regiments and the six old Corps are to have the Crest and Grenade, and also the other particulars specified hereafter. The Badges of the Regts. are to be White and set near the Top of the Back part of the Cap. The Height of the Cap (without the Bear Skin which reaches beyond the Top) to be Twelve Inches.) Z.
Para 58.) A. Drummers and Fifers Caps. Z. B. [Same as D before alteration.] (D.—[“No alteration,” C.] The Drummers and Fifers to have Black Bear Skin Caps, on the Front the King’s Crest of68 brass on a Black Ground, with Trophies of
Colours and Drums. The number of the Regiment on the back part as also the Badge if entitled to any as ordered for the Grenadiers.)69 British Infantry Uniforms since 1660
Barthorp Michael, Blandford press, Dorset England, 1982.(p60 Ref plate 12, Battalion Drummer, 66th (Berkshire) Regiment, 1811). ‘’Drummers still wore reversed coats and Bearskin caps, similar to grenadiers caps, though, on service, shakos with the universal cap plate were more usual.’’ ‘’Bandsmen wore coats of facing colour… until1812, but the lacing had been standardized and more nearly resembled that on a privates coat, the numerous chevrons on the sleeves being worn or not, as the commanding officer decided. They wore wing epaulettes, and their full dress head gear was the grenadier cap.
A short sword, with a blade about 24 inches long,was their special weapon. The fife case was carried on the right hip, attached to the cross belt.’’ Major Barnes , R.M. A History of the Regiments & Uniforms of the British Army (p 122) Seeley Service & Co Limited, London 1957.
Simkin’s Richard, Uniforms of the British Army, The Infantry Regiments. W.Y.Carman, Webb and Bower Limited, Devon England, 1985. (p 184)
‘’A new cap or the shako was now being worn and in 1802 the clothing regulations from 1768 onwards
were revised and brought up to date.’’ – ‘’For full dress the caps of drummers and fifers were black bearskin
with a black front plate bearing the king’s crest and trophies of colours and drums, plus the number of the regiment and any badge, if so entitled, on the back.’’
Bartorp Michael, British Infantry Uniforms Since 1660, (p 52) Blandford Press Dorset. 1982.
Newspaper reports
THE CONNAUGHT JOURNAL, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1840
The cumbersome bear-skin cap, ordered by George the Fourth, for the use of the Fusiller and Grenadier companies of the line is, we understand, to be discontinued, and replaced by a smart chaco, not only in consideration of the extreme high price and scarcity of bear skins, from their having been as generally used by the French and English armies of late, but the comfort and great convenience which will be found in a regiment not being encumbered with them on foreign service, which would be the case, the cap being intended to last six years, and the regiments, by the new arrangements, change their station every three.
http://www.irelandoldnews.com/Galway/1840/SEP.html

BALLINA CHRONICLE, Wednesday, April 3, 1850
Lord Gough offers to hear the extra expense of continuing the bearskin cap to his gallant regiment the 67th.
http://www.irelandoldnews.com/Mayo/1850/APR.html

Thank you for your e-mail which I read when I returned to the office.

The bearskins used by Guards Regiments in the British Army are from the American black bears (Ursus americanus). They are from Canada where black bear is abundant. Canada effectively manages black bears under the sustainable resource management approach advocated by all international conservation agencies and conventions, including the IUCN (World Conservation Union). Canada fully supports conservation controls on international trade, such as those required under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
It is legal to import and use bearskins from the American black bear.
In general terms fur can be freely imported and used in the UK, unless it is from an endangered species. As I have shown above, the American black bear is not an endangered species.
If you need any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards Robert Morgan
British Fur Trade Association
Brookstone House
6 Elthorne Road
London N19 4AG

Drum Care
Certainly, excluding people and cannon, the most valuable pieces of a fife & drum corps are its collection of drums. Many corps' collections are years in building and include excellent examples of rare drums that are irreplaceable. Some corps feature truly ancient instruments, hundreds of years old, made to exacting standards by master craftsmen. If your collection of instruments is as varied and interesting as ours, you'll treat each drum as a treasure to be played often and with respect. Our most intensive efforts should be spent ensuring the safety and well-being of these works of art.

Heads
The first item on drum maintenance is usually the most visible. From the drummer's perspective, drum heads represent the most viewed part of the drum, and they, by default, are maintained most frequently. When you damage a drum head either by misuse or structural defect resulting in the failure of the surface, its replacement is critical in the performance of the drum (no-duh, Ken). Choosing when and with what to replace a head can be an emotional debate. Natural or Not. Each material has its advantages and disadvantages. In addition, each manufacturer has a wide selection of items from which to choose replacements. In general, buy natural and tuck them yourselves or get them pre-formed, but if you are pressed for time and money, feel free to use any head that fits!
Naturl heads have one distinct advantage, they're natural ;-). This results in a richness of sound and authentic look that accents the performance of the drum. Maintenance on natural heads is no more than occasional inspection and care during use to avoid soaking in wet weather. Of course, we all get wet once in a while. Another drawback to natural heads is the price. Checkout some online drum sellers prices, for example: Heritage Drum Co offers skin heads for over a hundred dollars on a new drum. These are for first class heads, professionally tucked by an expert. At $50 each, caution must be used when marching with these heads. Of course, if you are careful, they will last for years.
If your natural head gets soaked, the best course of action is to loosen the ears of the drum and place the drum in a dry and well ventilated area for gradual drying, of course you can not play the drum while it's wet as soaked skin tears like paper. Dry too fast, you may tear the skin by flaking it, dry too slow and mold and mildew take hold and weaken the skin. Too fast is usually a matter of minutes, and too slow is several days. Any length of time from a few hours to a day is usually safe. Occasional inspection of natural heads is required to verify that no hairs or rips threaten to cause fractures. As a natural head reaches the end of its functional life, you should prepare a replacement by either tucking a new one in a new flesh hoop or purchasing a new one pre- manufactured. Be sure to examine the old flesh hoop and determine if the hoop is sufficiently straight for possible recycling.
Plastic heads have the distinct advantage of being water proof. The texture and tone of your drum doesn't change in a thunderstorm. Plastic heads are almost always less expensive than leather, and are more readily obtained as well. I can acquire several types of plastic heads from any local music store in price ranges from $5 to $25 based on size and model. Fiberskin and Legacy heads look and sound great, but are difficult to find. Any Remo batter head should work just fine. The largest problem with plastic heads is the sound. I have a hard time tuning the ring out of a plastic head, but you may know someone that doesn't have this problem, and considers plastic heads as good as natural. The key here is requirement to play in the rain.
Snare side heads have the luxury of being out of the public eye, and often you'll see a substandard head on the bottom of an otherwise perfect drum. Unless you set your drum on a fire hydrant, the bottom head is almost always installed and forgotten about. You can mix and match heads top and bottom, leather and plastic but be prepared for unbalanced stretching and frequent fine tuning as one head stretches and the other doesn't. Generally, the bottom head is a thin clear plastic head or as fine a leather head as you can find.

Ropes
In the pictures above, you'll notice that one picture features a pig tail knot with nice bright white rope, and the other an ear threaded through with a yucky yellow rope which looks almost finished. Believe it or not, those are pictures of the same drum, in different lighting, and the drum on the left has the same clean rope as the one on the right. In the event that your once bright rope has dulled and otherwise changed color, you should realize that the rope has also weakened, and should be replaced. Of course, if your rope started out a natural hemp color, closer inspection will be required to determine it's strength.
When purchasing new rope, you can buy pre-tied lengths which feature a loop at one end an a functional tape wrap at the other, purchase a whole spool of rope from Florance-Drums, Cooperman or Old Glory, or you can head down to your local hardware store and purchase lengths of cotton rope (which will stretch for the next ten years, so avoid this practice). If you buy spooled rope, you'll need to figure out a method of anchoring one end to the other when the lacing is completed. A simple and effective method of creating a loop is to unwrap the last inch of rope, and then braid it back into the rope two inches from the end. Some sort of binding agent (i.e. super glue) should be used to ensure a tight bind with the newly formed loop.
If you are replacing your rope, the easiest way to remove the old rope is to use a pair of scissors (carefully, now) and just cut it off. Of course, this leaves several dozen three foot lengths of rope to dispose of... If you take the time to unwrap the drum you'll save the rope from further damage and possibly allow the recycling of the rope on a different drum or a clothes line.

Ears
Ears are a conspicuous addition to your drum. You use them every time you use your drum (hopefully) and their care is almost as important as any other component. Ears generally consist of a piece of folded leather pierced with two holes and laced with leather strapping. The leather strap is tied under the ear and effectively holds the shape of the ear. Our ears are almost all rectangular leather about 1/4 thick cut so the ends are rounded over. The holes are punched using either a drill and 1/8 bit or a leather punch. The leather strapping is just leather shoe lace purchased at the local grocery store. If you find an ear needing new

leather (as the ears themselves are almost indestructible) simply turn the ear so it stands perpendicular to the barrel and cut the old
leather free. Take the new strap and feed both ends at the same time through the ear from the face to the back. The face is the half of the strap that faces the world and the back faces the barrel. Take the length of strap and pull it tight, taking each end and wrapping them around the outside and feeding them back through the original two holes. Simply tie together the two resulting ends and cut to length.
Our ears feature a decorative star pattern punched in the face. This is amazingly easy to accomplish. Purchase a star leather tool at your favorite leather supply company and simply hammer the shape into the leather with a single good whack.

Counter Hoops
An often overlooked problem with snare and bass drums is the hoops. These pieces of wood are the focus of the stress applied by the ropes, and are the instrument by which that stress is passed onto the drum heads. Hoops often fail, but are seldom replaced. That means there are a large number of improperly functioning hoops on the streets. One thing a hoop is _not_ supposed to do is touch the snares on the bottom head of a snare drum. If the snare channel is cut too shallow, and the bottom head is stretched too much, your bottom hoop will choke off your snares and make tuning your drum impossible. In the below picture, you’ll see a very clear gap where the snare tensioned meets the bottom hoop (by the cat's head). This gap should appear on the snare anchor side of the drum as well.
Another thing a hoop is not supposed to do is break moments before a parade, or worse, in the middle of one! Close inspection of the hoops will probably reveal fractures around any stress points like the rope holes or snare channels. In the above picture, you can clearly see that the snare channel is also the joint for the hoop, a double possibility for a point of failure. One more problem is a poorly aligned hoop or one that is warped beyond function. If your hoop fails, the pressure it is supposed to absorb and spread is transferred directly to your heads in small areas, resulting in increased head problems, like splits along the circumpherence. Fortunately counter hoops are inexpensive and readily replaced.
Ken at kenb@fifedrum.org

Description of how to change a drum head on a rope tension drum:
(Unknown contributor)

This process is quite intuitive and obvious but there are a few bits of information that the drum-tensioning-newbie might find useful.
Make note of the relationship between the vent hole or other land mark on the shell and the sling attachment or other land mark on the counter hoops so that when you put the drum back together, it is properly aligned.
Untie the drag rope and then loosen the knot that secures the rope (unwrap the pig-tail or just unhitch whatever is there)
Pull through several feet of rope onto the first loop between the counter hoops
Pull those several feel through to the next series of loops gradually reducing the length of your pull until you have pulled the initial several feet spread out through the entire drum circumference
Back at the end of the rope, continue pulling through more and more until the top counter hoop is loose enough to completely pick up off the drum

Make a decision, do you pull the entire drum apart and clean it, preparing the bearing edge for a new head with wax (if you use it) or do you simply replace the head and tighten the drum?

If you choose to clean the drum, pull the rope through enough that the barrel can fit through a gap in the ropes, i.e. the batter side counter hoop or snare side counter hoop can slid off the drum
Slide the hoops off and pull the barrel out. Inspect. Use a damp cloth or sparingly use some light wood cleaner to wipe down the bearing edge and shell, maybe use a vacuum cleaner to suck out any bugs or bits of junk in your shell.
Let the shell dry if any moisture was used to clean it.
If you have wax handy, apply a thin coating to the bearing edge (again, only if you desire it, many don't use wax at all) by running the wax repeatedly over the bearing edge. Why wax? It closes pores, smoothes the burred edge and provides some water proofing where there is normally no finish.
Put the new head(s) on the drum, aligning as you wish, the only gotcha in alignment might be if the snare flesh hoop has a place for the snares, and if there's a logo on the drum head (email for information on how to remove logos from commercial drum heads!).
Fit the counter hoops back on the drum after their inspection and cleaning (drying), aligning to the place you made note of at the start of the process.
Start adding tension to the ropes from the far end (nearest the anchor) to the loose end, take your time pulling just a few inches of slack out of each run of rope around the drum. If you pull all the slack out, and the counter hoop falls of the drum on one side, it will take much longer to realign and remount the counter hoop than if you just left some slack in the lines until the last run around.
Keep pulling slack out in ever increasing pressures, evenly applied around the drum.
On the last few runs you can pull quite a bit (or use a press, if you have one and don't fear the crushing forces applied to your favorite instrument), and move the drum around so as to get the best angle for pulling excess rope. As you near the end, make one last run around cranking the last bits of rope through the hoops ending with a strangle hold on the loose end where it passes through the anchor. Apply the pigtail knot and retie the drag rope.