Military Executions

[BettyO]

A while back we discussed the fact that drummers played at the hanging. I've found some other information regarding the playing of "The Rogue's March" - which was played when men were drummed out of camp as well as being played at military executions.

Since it was stated that drummers played what has simply been called "a cadence" - no explanation of what the cadence was during the march to the gallows, one wonders if this was the Rogue's March. It is a simple drum cadence which is supposedly "easy" for students and young drummers to play. The Rogue's March is an old one, dating from before the American Revolution.

I also found that Robert Cobb Kennedy, hanged for burning Barnum's Museum as well as instigated in the NY hotel burning plot, had the Episcopal "Sermon for the Condemned" read to him on the gallows. More or less, one wonders if both Herold and Powell had this read to them in the death cell. Herold was Episcopal and Powell had affiliations with Reverend Stryker, an Episcopal minister. Just my thoughts. I'm continuing to search for a good drums only cadence of The Rogue's March - and will post here.