Drummer Boy. A drummer was responsible for the army drums for use on the battlefield.
Drums were part of the field music for hundreds of years, being introduced by the Ottomans to Europe. Chinese armies however had used drums even before that.
With the professionalization of armies, military music was developed as well. Drums were not only used for the men to march in step, but were an important part of the battlefield communications system, with various drum rudiments used to signal different commands from officers to troops.
By the second half of the 18th century, most Western armies had a standardized set of marches and signals to be played, often accompanied by fifers.they could pass if others took flag. The romantic idea about drummers is that they were young boys.
The fact, though, is that drummers were more often adult men, recruited like the common soldiers. Fifers, on the other hand, being not an official part of the regiments early on, were usually recruited from young boys. During the second half of the 19th century, it was accepted in many western armies that under aged boys served as drummers. Although there were usually official age limits, these were often ignored; the youngest boys were sometimes treated as mascots by the adult soldiers. The life of a drummer boy appeared rather glamorous and as a result, boys would sometimes run away from home to enlist. Other boys may have
Drums were part of the field music for hundreds of years, being introduced by the Ottomans to Europe. Chinese armies however had used drums even before that.
With the professionalization of armies, military music was developed as well. Drums were not only used for the men to march in step, but were an important part of the battlefield communications system, with various drum rudiments used to signal different commands from officers to troops.
By the second half of the 18th century, most Western armies had a standardized set of marches and signals to be played, often accompanied by fifers.they could pass if others took flag. The romantic idea about drummers is that they were young boys.
The fact, though, is that drummers were more often adult men, recruited like the common soldiers. Fifers, on the other hand, being not an official part of the regiments early on, were usually recruited from young boys. During the second half of the 19th century, it was accepted in many western armies that under aged boys served as drummers. Although there were usually official age limits, these were often ignored; the youngest boys were sometimes treated as mascots by the adult soldiers. The life of a drummer boy appeared rather glamorous and as a result, boys would sometimes run away from home to enlist. Other boys may have
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