Figure 1.--This wonderful image entitled 'The Musician' was painted by modern artist Dale Gallon who working at Gettsburg has created an impressive body of Civil War images. The famed Irish Brigade (notice harp emblem) was composed of the 63rd, 69th, and 88th New York regiments. Click on the image to learn more about the artist and his work.

Musicians with Civil War military units played several different instruments. They were principally the drum, fife, and buggle. The instruments of course were not principally for entertainment, but had important practical military value in the years before modern military communication. The drums were also useful for cadence when marching. Many of the younger boys served as drummers and fifers as the drums were the easiest instrument to learn. Many of the drummers when a little older became bugglers. The buggle was used as a form of military communication in the days before radio and other modern battlefield communication. The drum was used by the infantry and the buggle by the calvalry.

Drummers

Bugglers

There were also many bugglers, although not as many as drummers. Even more than the drummers, the bugglers were important in communicating orders in the heat of battle in the years before modern communication. The buggle like the drum could often be heard when voice commands were impossible. With the buggle, lung power was essential, making it suitable for somewhaty older boys or youths. Even a vety young or slightly built drummer could make a lot of noise. For the buggle you needed ling power which demanded a phyically lager youth to be an effective buggler. The buggle was also more difficult to learn. Some younger boys, however, also served as bugglers. One source writes, "There are numerous tales of buglers too small to climb into saddles unaided, who rode into pistol-and-saber battles with their regiments." The buggle was used by the calvalry. Drums were obviously impractical for the calvalry. The buggle, a small portable intrument that could be played with one hand, was ideal for the calvalry. And unlike the drummers, the bugglers were not sent to the rear during actions, but were at the officers side in the heat of bsttle.