Band at the execution

[NHjohn]

(06-25-2014 10:53 AM)L Verge Wrote:  I did correspond briefly with John Elliott on this matter the other day. John has probably done more in-depth research on everything that went on at the Arsenal and Penitentiary during this period. In fact, he has really looked for the tiny little, human interest tidbits that make life interesting. I have asked him to be prepared to do a talk at our 2016 Surratt conference on just such stuff. John has never run across any mention of a band, but we'll keep looking.

I also wonder if a drummer or band could have been sent over from the Marine Barracks, where the Marine Band was stationed.

BettyO found one of the 10 drummers said to be there, was from the 29th Maine Infantry according to a 1908 newspaper article. No mention in the regimental history by John Mead Gould, Adjutant, or "Gould's Journals" that I can find, but the 29th Maine had been in DC from May 23, the Grand Review, to around June 1st. A drummer or drummers could have been left behind on detached service. But, no offense to any drummers, drummers in the Civil War were all over the place, brass bandsmen, not so much. Why they would keep a drummer from the 29th Maine behind after the regiment was sent to North Carolina on reconstruction duties doesn't make much sense, but the soldier in the article claims he was, and lots of soldiers in the Civil War were put "detached duty." If in fact, a drummer from a volunteer regt was there, then that tells me likely the drummers were all from volunteer regiments, or all from the 29th Maine. In addition, I don;t see any drummers in the few photos of the execution, as I don't see a band, but it seems common knowledge drummers were present. I also found last night that after the explosion at the Arsenal in in July, 1864, the Band of Finley Hospital "appeared on the grounds," for the funeral procession on July 20th, to lead the parade. Finley hospital was on 4th Street, Kendall Green, north of the city. Bandsmen in "hospital bands," were Veteran Reserve Corp soldiers primarily, and VRC soldiers' guarded Federal installations and served in hospitals. So the Arsenal had a history of calling in Veteran Reserve Corps bands for ceremonies, which makes sense since the commandant was Lt. Col. Colby of the 19th Veteran Reserve Corps.