The Tone of The War; Takes notes
"I don’t think we could have an army without music" -Robert E Lee
During the Civil War music played a paramount role in the preparation for a fight, the duration of battles, and the annunciations of victory and defeat. Additionally, music aided in boosting the morale of both soldiers and the common man as the war played out on the numerous battlefields of 19th century America. Also in this time period, different groups of people created new styles of music to express their emotional reactions to the war. Some of these types of music included minstrel and folk, fife and drum, battle hymns, and slave songs. Moreover, the importance of music during the war was so great that it would be heard for hundreds of years to come.
This is the sheet music cover for the song “God Save the South”, which was considered one of the unofficial national anthems of the Confederate South. Anthems like this emphasized nationalism, camaraderie, and loyalty towards their respective nation. Similarly, there were many other anthems, such as “Dixie” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic” that served similar purposes. Moreover, music sheet covers like this one help identify which songs were popular during the war period and the extent of the impact they had on the American population.
"Saving America's Civil War Battlefields." Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.
"Saving America's Civil War Battlefields." Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.
A unique slave culture had already emerged in America by the time of the Civil War Era, and slaves created their own forms of music that their expressed emotional discontent as well as provided simple entertainment to pass the time. Many of these songs grew in popularity as they spread, becoming a unifying force for the slaves in the South. This song in particular, “Oh Help the Contraband” was sung in reaction to the 1862 Act of Prohibiting the Return of Slaves. There are many other examples of anti-slavery music that prove the force of music and helped create a uniquely African American cultural symbol that has greatly influenced American music today.
"Digital Collections for the Classroom." Slavery, Civil War, and the "New Birth of Freedom":. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.
"Digital Collections for the Classroom." Slavery, Civil War, and the "New Birth of Freedom":. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.
Drums such as these were used in both the Union and Confederate bands on and off the battlefield very frequently. Their purposes included directing the soldiers into formations, creating music while the battle was occurring, announcing the victory of a battle, boosting morale and motivation among the regiment, and providing entertainment back at the camp. The drum was one of the most popular instruments of the time, and drummers in the army were highly revered and given special privileges.
Listen to the 10th Illin#1C39B5
"Historic Sauder Village." Historic Sauder Village. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.
Listen to the 10th Illin#1C39B5
"Historic Sauder Village." Historic Sauder Village. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.
Learn about different Civil War instruments
This is a picture of a twelve year-old drummer boy from Chickamauga named John Clem. He became a general in the United States Army, and after gaining a lot of fame on the battlefield, he became the youngest noncommissioned officer in army history. Underage musicians were often sought after so that the older men could be used as soldiers for battle. Additionally, there were many other underage musicians who helped represent the cumulative effort from people of all ages and how the creation of music established a sense of unity, as everyone could participate.
"Music of the American Civil War." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Nov. 2013. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.
"Music of the American Civil War." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Nov. 2013. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.
More Drummer Boys
This portrait of the Band of the 8th New York State militia represents how music brought people together to promote an optimistic and patriotic morale during periods of emotional and physical stress. In fact, in July of 1861, a Union regulation required every cavalry company to have at least two musicians, and 75% of regiments had a full band. Similarly, these bands that were located in both the Union and the Confederacy promoted patriotism, loyalty, and motivation as they played during marches and throughout battles.
"The Mississippi Valley Fife & Drum Corps1st Illinois Battalion Field Musicians." The Mississippi Valley Fife & Drum Corps1st Illinois Battalion Field Musicians. n.p., n.d. web. 05 dec. 2013.
"The Mississippi Valley Fife & Drum Corps1st Illinois Battalion Field Musicians." The Mississippi Valley Fife & Drum Corps1st Illinois Battalion Field Musicians. n.p., n.d. web. 05 dec. 2013.
For more images and videos about music from the Civil War, visit
http://www.civilwareramusic.com/Civil_War_Era_Music/Welcome.html http://www.smithsonianmag.com/video/Music-During-the-American-Civil-War.html
http://www.lib.niu.edu/1994/ihy940246.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwmhtml/cwmgallery01.html
http://www.civilwareramusic.com/Civil_War_Era_Music/Welcome.html http://www.smithsonianmag.com/video/Music-During-the-American-Civil-War.html
http://www.lib.niu.edu/1994/ihy940246.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwmhtml/cwmgallery01.html