My First Year Playing the Fife, 2004

I was looking through some old pictures and thought that I would post some pictures of the first year that I played Fife. Enjoy! 

Fort de Chartres

Fort Atkinson

Fort Massac

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!

The Drumme in the 30 Years War

Here are some quotes from the book "Monro, His Expedition with the Worthy Scots Regiment Called Mac-Keys", written in 1637 as part history of the Regiment in the 30 Years War, part instruction for "all worthie Cavaliers favouring the laudable profession of Armes."

Part of "our Fight at Leipsigh"

"... but the smoake being great, the dust being raised, we were as in a darke cloude, not seeing the halfe of our actions, much less discerning, either the way of our enemies, or yet the rest of our Briggads: whereupon, having a drummer by me, I caused him beate the Scots March, till it cleered up, which recollected our friends unto us, and dispersed our enemies being overcome; so that the Briggad coming together, such as were alive missed their dead and hurt Camerades."

"the exercising of the Squadron of Pikes"

"Your Squadron of Pikes as they ought to march with the Drumme; so they ought to obey the Drumme beating a Troope, a Charge, a Call, a Retreate. As also to traile their Pikes, to make reverence with the Pike being shouldred: and your Squadron of Pikes being but six deepe in Rancke, your Files may be so many, as can well heare your voyce in Command, providing there be no odd File; and thus well orderd at their open order of six foote distance, command to mount their Pikes, then calling for a Drumme beside you, let him beate a march, then they are to shoulder their Pikes, flat or slaunt carried, and then to marcha little, let your Drumme againe beate a Troope, then they mount their Pikes and troope away fast or slow, as your passe leades them stopping, or advancing as you doe, then let your Drumme beate a Charge, then they charge their Pikes and advance fast or slow, as you lead them, and retire also backwards, their Pikes charged as you will have them, then troope againe, and they mount their Pikes, march and shoulder; and halting, let the Drumme beate againe, and they order their Pikes on the ground as first, being at their distance, and trooping againe they mount their Pikes, so that you can command them to Battell order or closse order, for Wheeling or Counter-marching at your owne pleasure."

"The forty-two Observation; being the last."

"To conclude then this Observation; since God hath made me poore by the want of my Friends, I finde no other remedie, but to inrich my selfe in being content with his will; being perswaded, as they have gone the way before me, I must needs follow, and then others by my example must learne to be contented to want me: And though I leave them poore, they can be rich in God being content; For, we are neither rich nor poore by what we possesse, but by what we desire."

-Peter Bringe

 Memor!

Some Quotes on the Importance of History

"Those who are in rebellion against memory are the ones who wish to live without knowledge." -Richard Weaver

"Just as a loss of memory in an individual is a psychiatric defect calling for medical treatment, so too any community which has no social memory is suffering from an illness." -John H. Y. Briggs

"A contempt of the monuments and the wisdom of the past, may be justly reckoned one of the reigning follies of these days, to which pride and idleness have equally contributed" -Samuel Johnson

"Those who have no concern for their ancestors will, by simple application of the same rule, have none for their descendants" -Richard Weaver

“The march of Providence is so slow and our desires so impatient; the work of progress so immense and our means of aiding it so feeble; the life of humanity is so long, that of the individual so brief, that we often see only the ebb of the advancing wave and are thus discouraged. It is history that teaches us to hope.” -Robert E. Lee

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!

P.S. This month is the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the War Between the States. Especially this month it would be a good idea to remember that pivotal conflict of American history and the courage and devotion of the men that fought.

The Fife and Drum and... Cowboys?

Here is an old Cowboy ballad that originates in a British folk song of the late 18th century called "The Unfortunate Rake". Because of its origins, it mixed fife and drum with cowboys. 

The Streets of Laredo

As I walked out in the streets of Laredo

As I walked out in Laredo one day,

I spied a young cowboy, all wrapped in white linen

Wrapped up in white linen and cold as the clay.

"I see by your outfit, that you are a cowboy."

These words he did say as I slowly walked by.

"Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story,

For I'm shot in the chest, and today I must die."

Chorus: "Oh, beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly,

And play the dead march as you carry me along;

Take me to the valley, and lay the sod o'er me,

For I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong."

"'Twas once in the saddle I used to go dashing,

'Twas once in the saddle I used to go gay.

First down to Rosie's, and then to the card-house,

Got shot in the breast, and I'm dying today."

 Chorus

"Go bring me a cup, a cup of cold water.

To cool my parched lips", the cowboy then said.

Before I returned, his soul had departed,

And gone to the round up - the cowboy was dead.

 Chorus

-Peter Bringe

 Memor!