Fife and Drum Corps
The Fort Howard Guard Fife and Drum Corps is open to those ages 10-22. Members will play fifes, and drums as a part of our Fort Howard Living History Program. Musical experience or knowledge is not a requirement.
Enrollment for the 2025 season, coming soon!
Classes take place September – May, with performances and interpretation from May-October.
Please reach out to us at info@heritagehillgb.org.
Fifes & Drums
Fifes and drums were an indispensable part of the daily military experience during most of the 19th century. Military field music served as a routine communication system that ordered the soldiers’ day and conveyed critical signals during the din of battle. A fife and drum could easily be heard from hundreds of yards away. Fifes and Drums also functioned as regimental bands and provided morale-boosting musical accompaniment while on the march. During the 1830s, each company had one fifer and one drummer. On average, drummers and fifers tended to be younger soldiers, but musicians of all ages were encountered
While in garrison and camp, fifes and drums provided the daily “duty calls” that regulated the soldiers’ routine. The day started with Reveille and a tune called “Three Camps” roused the troops out of their beds. Variously called “Roast Beef’ or “Peas on a Trencher” the signal for breakfast followed Reveille. In between breakfast and the noon meal, a number of drum signals served to direct the Officers and men. “Tattoo” signaled the end of the day.
During battle, or while drilling, the fifes and drums played a critical role in conveying everything from the rate of speed for marching to the firing of muskets. The shrill sound of the fifes combined with the resonant beat of the rope-tension drums filled the sounds of Fort Howard on a daily basis.
Reviving a Tradition
In 2023, the Heritage Hill State Historical Park resurrected the sounds of the fifes and drums at old Fort Howard with the establishment of a fife and drum corps. The fife and drum corps provides seasonal interpretation at Heritage Hill. Uniforms and equipment, as well as the repertoire and practice methods painstakingly conform to period-correct standards.
The Music
The music repertoire consists of tunes that were commonly played during the 1830s, as well as the duty signals as outlined in the 1835 edition of The School of the Soldier. These are from primary sources and commonly available secondary sources such as the Company of Fifers and Drummers publications.