The SAR MAGAZINE is the official quarterly publication of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution published quarterly.
Issue link: http://sar.epubxp.com/i/258013
24 SAR MAGAZINE Honoring Our Colonial Ancestors If you are an American and a direct male descendant of someone who rendered civil or military service in one of the 13 American colonies be- fore July 4, 1776, consider joining the NATIONAL SOCIETY SONS OF THE AMERICAN COLONISTS. For information on its activities and eligibility requirements, contact: Registrar General R.D. Pollock 3504 Wilson Street Fairfax, VA 22030-2936 www.americancolonists.org COMPATRIOTS! YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR MEMBERSHIP IN A VERY SELECT ORDER Numerous SARs are already affiliated COMPATRIOTS! Eligibility Founding Ancestor prior to 1657 and a Revolutionary War Patriot in the same male line. Male line may be from: (1) Father's Father; (2) Mother's Father; (3) Father's Maternal Grandfather; (4) Maternal Grandfather of Mother's Father; (5)Maternal Grandfather of Father's Father. For information, contact W. Charles Hampton, 2024 Abercrombie Rd, Culloden, GA 31016-5720. or www.founderspatriots.org in this regard. In the movie, Amazing Grace, 8 the melody is played toward the end of the film after Newton's death and following William Wilberforce's battle to eliminate the slave trade in England. Wilberforce died in 1833, two years before his efforts were realized. There is another example that should be a little better known to us. Fifes and drums never would have played "The Star Spangled Banner" during the Revolutionary War. As school children are still taught, "The Star Spangled Banner" was written during the War of 1812. However, it was made the official national anthem of United States by an act of Congress in 1931. "Hail Columbia" was used as an unofficial national anthem from the Revolutionary War through the War of 1812 and the Civil War, and even into the first World War. Finding music to accompany an SAR color guard is not difficult with the resources available. The Company of Fifers and Drummers has numerous books available for fife and drum music, including the American Rudimental Method for Field Drumming and The Muffled Drum, a book with fife and drum music for funerals. 9,10 The Colonial Music Institute has several books available, including George Washington: Music for the First President, Fife Tunes from the American Revolution (from Giles Gibbs Jr.'s manuscript music book) and Benjamin Clark's Drum Book, 1797, compiled and edited by Susan Cifaldi. 11,12,13 Both Clark and Gibbs were participants in the Revolutionary War. The Brigade of the American Revolution has just completed a revised version of its music book, Military Music of the American Revolution. 14 All of the signals and calls of the Continental Army are notated, as well as nearly 90 fife and drum tunes. The Brigade of the American Revolution has produced two CDs of this music. All the books mentioned above have historically accurate music appropriate for most occasions. As an experienced drummer and sometime fifer, I am offering my services for any SAR color guard for information, instruction and as a drummer for their events. Color guard commanders and chapter presidents may contact me for information on the resources I have mentioned. I am happy to make available an audio presentation on CD that reinforces the information in this article. My email address is romine1t@aol.com and my phone number is (740) 541-3861. References 1 National Society of the Sons of American Revolution, Louisville, Ky. "How to Create and Train Your Color Guard Unit Drum and Fifes – Sounds of Victory." 2 Email from Susan Cifaldi to the author. 3 Camus, Raoul F., Military Music of the American Revolution; 2nd edition Westerville, Ohio: Integrity Press, 1993). 4 Keller, Kate Van Winkle, Dance and Its Music in America, 1528-1789. 5 Email from Ms. Keller to the author. 6 Email from Compatriot Hall to the author. 7 Newton, John and William Cowper, Olney Hymns, 1779. 8 Amazing Grace, Newton, John; Traditional American melody from Carrell and Clayton's Virginia Hymnal, 1831. 9 Classey, Edward C. Sr., American Rudimental Method for Field Drumming, Ivoryton, Conn. 10 The Muffled Drum, The Company of Fifers and Drummers, Ivoryton, Conn. 11 Keller, Kate Van Winkle, George Washington: Music for the First President, The Hendrickson Group, Sandy Hook, Conn. 12 Keller, Kate Van Winkle, Fife Tunes from the American Revolution, The Hendrickson Group, Sandy Hook, Conn. 13 Castillo, Bob and Susan Cifaldi, Benjamin Clark's Drum Book, 1797; The Colonial Music Institute, Annapolis, Md. 14 Military Music of the American Revolution, Brigade of the American Revolution, 2007. About the author Thomas Romine is a member of the Ewings Chapter, SAR and a plural member of the Marietta and Hocking Valley chapters, SAR. He has played drums for more than 55 years. He served in the U.S. Army Bands at Ft. Meade, Md., Vietnam, and Salt Lake City, Utah. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in music from the University of Utah and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Ohio State University. He is a life member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Company of Fifers and Drummers. Tom has performed as a Revolutionary War drummer in parades with color guards from veterans organizations and with Sons of the American Revolution color guards and at The Brigade of the American Revolution events. WINTER_14_sar18-25.indd 24 2/4/14 11:07 AM