The Bicentennial of the Battle of Mississinewa

We had a great time at Mississinewa! The fall colors were amazing (despite that you can't get a good view of that in the pictures). The weather was great, well...as long as you didn't have to take care of the wet canvas and if your vehicle didn't get stuck. It was great to be back in the atmosphere of the reenactment (campfire smoke and all) and see old friends of ours (some of which are literally old), as well as make new ones. We learned new songs and got to use our C fifes. John learned the battlefield commands and used them during the battles (twice a day). The officers were dignified, and the unit we attached ourself to, the Illinois Territorial Rangers, had a great showing. The dance in the evening was well attended and I got to dance each dance (instead of calling them like I usually do). We sang, we marched, we slept; we almost froze the first night. I wish we could do this more often. Below are some videos and pictures that our "corps mom" took during the event.

Summery of the Event

(With special focus on the military)

Duke of York's March (Short Troop)

Hail Columbia

-Peter B.

Memor!

Mississinewa: Aftermath

In all, even though the battle of Mississinewa itself was an American victory, the campaign as a whole basically failed. The hostile Indians did lose men and lost a few smaller villages, but the main town of Mississenaway had been defended successfully. The end result of the campaign was that the Americans had shown themselves active and saved themselves from a potential disaster, but the situation in the North-west was still to be determined. Gen. Harrison busied himself in making plans for the invasion of Canada, fixing his eyes on the rapids of the Maumee near Lake Erie, which would become Fort Meigs.

In January Gen. Winchester, who was still short of supplies, moved to the Maumee river, awaiting Gen. Harrison. But despite Harrison's orders to stay put, Gen. Winchester sent about 900 regulars and Kentucky militia to Frenchtown (now Monroe, MI), along the Raisin River, to capture supplies and protect friendly Indians in that area. But a larger force of Canadian militia and Indians were sent to attack them and Gen. Winchester was unprepared for their attack. The Americans were completely defeated, about one-third of them were killed. After the battle the British did not control the Indians, and the Indians massacred the many wounded Kentuckians. One report said, "The savages were suffered to commit every depredation upon our wounded. Many were tomahawked, and many were burned alive in the houses." Afterwards the battle cry of "Remember the Raisin!" rallied the troops of the West. It would not be until later in 1813 that the U.S. would be victorious in the Northwest at Fort Meigs, Fort Stephenson, Put-in-Bay (Lake Erie), and the Thames.

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!

Mississinewa: The Battle

Continuing from last post, the American forces were encamped in some of the out-lying Miami villages they had won the day before, near the junction of the Wabash and Mississinewa rivers. It was December and the men were getting frostbite. At 4:00am on December 18th reveille was played and the officers met to discuss their situation. During their meeting the Indians attacked. Private Nathaniel Vernon of the Pittsburgh Blues was on sentry duty when the attack began,

"It was near an hour to daybreak when Mr. I. Davis and myself, who were posted on the river before our quarters, were speaking of the possibility of an Indian attack, he was in a very ill humor, and remarked we have marched a hundred miles into the wilderness through snow and sleet, half leg deep in the bleak month of December, with nothing but what we have carried on our backs, and now, what is worse, we shall have to march back without any fight at all. Scarcely had he ended his remarks, when a ball whistled over our heads, and the next instant a yell prevaded the forest as if all the fiends of the lower regions had been loosed upon us. 'There they are now' was his exultant exclamation, and the next moment we were forming in line." 

The next couple hours were filled with fighting in the pre-dawn darkness, as the rifle, musket, and tomahawk were all used with lethal effect. Many screams and battle cries filled the air, and horse went wild as they found themselves tied in the middle of a battle. The commanding officers hurried to put the soldiers in the right positions as the Indians attacked different parts of the encampment. Finally, as dawn came the Americans gained accuracy and efficiency. Seeing that the Americans were gaining power, the Indians dispersed.

While the Indian numbers were hard to estimate, there had been approximately 300 warriors, and their casualties were an estimated 100 killed and wounded. The 600 American soldiers had lost 8 killed, 45 wounded, their main loss being the death of 109 horses, shot by the Indians either on purpose to hinder the Americans or because they were simply in the way of the fighting. While the Americans had successfully repelled the attack, they were hindered from continuing their campaign and left to a hard struggle back to Fort Greenville.

Not only did the U.S. forces have to march back in the freezing snow, with dwindling supplies (including ammunition), with less horses than they used to have, while taking care of their wounded, and being under orders to safely transport the women or children they had taken captive (thus taking up more valuable horses), but they were also in imminent danger of another, larger Indian attack. They did successfully make it back on December 24th, although 300 of the men were incapacitated for a while from frostbite. (The Indian captives were escorted to Indian settlements at Piqua.)

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!

From Tippacanoe to Mississinewa

From the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 to the battle of Mississinewa in 1812 many things had been happening. Tensions continued to rise between the United States and the United Kingdom. The British had generally been sympathetic/supportive to Tecumseh and the Indians tribes hostile to the Americans, hoping for an Indian buffer between Canada and the U.S. The British also continued to impress American sailors into their navy and otherwise tread on American sovereignty. Great Britain had been battling with France off and on for fifteen years or so, and the U.S. had tried to maintain neutrality and "isolationist" policies such as Washington had promoted. But the struggle to resist being pulled into the European conflict was difficult, as England and France both wanted the U.S. on their side. The U.S. had almost been brought to war with France, and from 1798-1800 a "quasi-war" had been maintained between France and the US. But by 1812 Great Britain had become the larger problem. (As a side note, America was not the only country to try to be neutral but end up fighting Britain because of Britain's bully-like method of treating neutral countries. Denmark-Norway is another example.)

Finally on June 18th, 1812 Congress officially declared "That war be and the same is hereby declared to exist between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the dependencies thereof, and the United States of America and their territories." Although Canada should have been fairly easily taken as the UK was currently busy fighting Napoleon, American troops failed in their attacks during this first year. American Fort Mackinac in northern Michigan was taken by the British. In August, Detroit, with 2,500 American troops, was surrendered to the British by a confused General William Hull to a British/Indian force about half his size. At the same time Fort Dearborn (modern-day Chicago) was abandoned by the US on the condition of safe conduct, but as the American soldiers, civilians, and Miami allies (about 125 total) were leaving the fort (with the fifes and drums playing a funeral march), five-hundred Potawatomi/Winnebago massacred most of them, and took others to torture to death (commanding officer Captain Heald was shot through the hips and Mrs. Heald was shot several times and possibly scalped, but they survived and escaped in a canoe and later settled in St. Charles County, MO).

On October 13th, on the Canadian side of the Niagara River, the battle of Queenston Heights took place. The 1,200 American regulars and militia at first were successful in driving back the Canadians from the heights, especially due to Captain John E. Wool's leadership in taking his men up a narrow path that the British had though unusable. The Canadian hero General Isaac Brock (who had taken Detroit) valiantly led his men to retake the heights, but was killed. Eventually, though, the British and some Mohawks were able to trap the American soldiers, and the American soldiers on the other side of the river did not reenforce them. Thus, this almost-victory turned into a defeat in which the Americans lost 120 dead, 120 wounded, and the rest captured. The British and Mohawks lost about 25 dead, and 85 wounded.

There were a few bright spots amid these disappointments. On the ocean, the USS Constitution, under command of William Hull's nephew, Isaac Hull, had defeated the British frigate HMS Guerriere. On the frontier a few small victories were won. Captain Zachary Taylor successfully defended Fort Harrison with 50 7th Infantry regulars against a much larger Indian force. Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Regiment also successfully defended Fort Madison (Missouri Territory, now Iowa) and Fort Wayne (Indiana Territory) from Indian attacks. In Illinois, Territorial Rangers and Militia defeated some hostile Kickapoos near modern day Peoria, IL.

General William Henry Harrison had successfully led the American army at the battle of Tippecanoe and would later go on to become President of the Unites States. At this point he had been promoted to Brigadier General in command of the U.S. Army of the Northwest (which was mostly in Ohio and Indiana at that time) and was given the task to stop the Indian raids, retake Detroit, and invade Canada. He had launched a three pronged attack in November to retake Detroit and take out a few Indian strongholds on the way. But one prong was ambushed by Shawnees near modern-day Lafayette, IN, another was pinned down at Fort Winchester (north-western Ohio) from lack of supplies because of Miami raids on supply lines, and the other turned back because of the lack of support from the other two. General Harrison realized that to advance on Detroit he would have to do something about the hostile Indian tribes that would cut off his supply line if he moved north.

Thus he sent out Lt. Colonel J.B. Campbell with 600 dragoons and mounted infantry, regulars and volunteers, to take out the hostile Miami villages located near the junction of the Mississenawa and Wabash rivers and destroy some of their food supplies. They left Fort Greenville (north of Dayton, OH) on December 14th and reached some of the villages by the morning of December 17th (near modern-day Marion, IN). Regrettably they had been discovered, and after a brief skirmish they gained possession of a few villages with some women, children, and old men. They destroyed the villages and and set up an encampment. There they spent the night with sentries posted wondering what the morning light would bring. The weather was very cold and some of the men were getting frostbite. At 4:00am in the morning darkness Lt. Col. Campbell, fearing attack, had revile played and had the officers meet to discuss what they would do next.

To be continued...

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!

P.S. In case you are confused, the actual battle of Mississinewa happened in December, the reenactment happens October 12-14.

Mississinewa: The Event

Soon I hope to post some history of the the War of 1812 leading up to the battle of Mississinewa, and of the history of the battle itself. The Mississinewa reenactment, while it does commemorate the battle, also gives a glimpse of life during that time beyond the battle. While the historic battle was not especially important in the grand scheme of the things, the reenactment does a great job of portraying the War of 1812 in general. It is the largest War of 1812 living history event in the United States (or at least its website claims). It not only has battles (two a day), but also military encampments, civilian "Rivertown," an Indian village, and more. (See their website for more information and more pictures.)

In 2008 when we went last.

The American Forces

-Peter B.
 Memor!

War of 1812 Radio Show

Here is a good interview concerning the War of 1812 on Generations Radio (which, incidentally, I work for as Program Director):

The War of 1812: Commemorating 200 Years
"History may not be a big deal to some, but our nation and culture are made by events like the War of 1812. This year marks the 200th year anniversary of the war. It was the last time a foreign nation invaded our shores. Historian Bill Potter explains the complexities, aggressors, stimulants to war, battles fought, and effects of this memorable war in America’s history."

-Peter B.

 Memor!

Our War of 1812 Bicentennial Event of the Year

We are now brushing up on our 1812 music in preparation for our big War of 1812 bicentennial event of the year. Mississinewa! I hope to post more about this upcoming battle as we get closer. Below you can watch the trailer for the event (it was made for the 2011 event, this year's dates are October 12-14):

-Peter B.

 Memor!

Fifes in the Key of C

Yesterday, for my birthday present we got three fifes in the key of C, not to replace our B-flat fifes, but mainly for the more historically accurate events. In the early days of American fifing there wasn't a set pitch that fifes were tuned to (no 440 tuning), so they varied quite a bit. I have heard that in Washington's army the fifers, with mostly homemade fifes, were grouped together in regiments with fifers in the same general pitch, although without standardized tuning it still would have been difficult. It got better as time went along, even in the War for Independence. In the War of 1812 the army-issued fifes were of a standardized key, the key of C (although even in the War of 1812 you still had many local made fifes, especially among the militia). I have heard that (at least some of) the fife cases that we still have from that time period are to short for B-flat fifes. I have also heard that the French often used D fifes. (I say "I have heard" not because I doubt it, I heard it from reliable sources, but I don't have a primary source.) I have also read that the fifers in the British army in the 1800s used both B-flat and C fifes. B-flat fifes are certainly the most common fifes in American today. (B-flat meaning when you play a D on the fife it plays a B-flat.)

Another thing different with these fifes is that they have straight bores instead of the conical bores of our other fifes, and the finger holes are all the same size. This is also more historically accurate, although it makes the notes a little more out of tune with each other. You can hear that in the video below where I play Tecumseh on the C fife. The fifers of 1812, who would have played like this the whole time of playing fife, would have learned to instinctually adjust to the notes, and would have probably sounded a little nicer (and hopefully so will I with some practice). 

We got them from: http://www.peelerfifes.com/fifes/

-Peter Bringe

 Memor!

Fife and Drum Played by...Indians?

And you thought you had heard everything. I came across this reference while reading the book, My Father, Daniel Boone: The Draper Interviews with Nathan Boone. As the title says, it is a series of interviews with the son of Daniel Boone, Nathan Boone, and in the section on the War of 1812, Nathan (who was an officer of the Missouri Rangers during the war) makes an interesting comment during his description of the Battle of the Sinkhole (1815, Fort Howard, near present day Old Monroe, MO) which says that the Indians played fife and drum!

"Soon after [Captain] Musick's arrival, the Indians broke up. One half of them retreated, while the other half took a post in a large sinkhole about fifty or sixty feet in diameter and some ten or twelve feet deep. Where a lower strata of rocks appeared, there was a cave....Captain Musick ordered his men to surround the sinkhole; however, to his surprise, he discovered the Indians were quite secure there and could fire on him with little or no exposure. He tried cannon fire but with no effect. Then a moving battery was prepared, placed on the foreweels of a wagon, and pushed up to fire through portholes in the battery. When the Indians fired at the portholes, Lieutenant Spears and one or two others were killed and some wounded. Some were shot in the legs, which were exposed by the opening beneath the battery. The Indians took refuge in the cave where they had a drum and fife. They kept playing and shooting. This continued till dusk...all the Indians departed. About seven or eight Indians were found dead on the battle ground and in the sinkhole, but about twelve white soldiers were killed or wounded. This was called the Battle of the Sinkhole." (emphasis added)

It was found out later that this party of Indians was led by none other then Black Hawk (who played an important part in the later Blackhawk War). This was one of the last battles of the War of 1812.

I do not know how to explain how the Indians learned to play fife and drum. Perhaps they learned from the British/Canadians that they were supported by. Perhaps these were stolen fifes/drums from American soldiers. I wonder what music they played. Whatever the case, it is an intriguing incident, and shows something of the commonality of the fife and drum in those days.

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!

Bicentennial of the Battle of Tippecanoe, Part 2

For the event we went with the Illinois Territorial Rangers that we had reenacted with before. We left Hill's Fort (in Illinois) with them on Friday and arrived before sunset, and were able to get out camp set up. During the event we portrayed Bigger's Company of Indiana Militia (which would later become Indiana Rangers), and camped on the exact ground that they camped on. The whole army of reenactors camped in the same formation as the original army, on the same ground that they did. It looked just like the map that I posted two posts down. Due to the rules of the park and other circumstances we didn't actually have a battle, but it felt pretty realistic anyhow.

Each morning we, the consolidated field music, which included us three and five others, played reveille at 6:30 (in the dark). The first morning we marched a mile and a half to camp and played opening colors. Throughout the day we interacted with visitors, visited the rest of camp and the museum, and drilled. We then also played for closing colors both nights (the second night there was only one other musician left to play with us, but by then we had gotten the hang of things). We were treated to a wonderful meal Saturday night by the locals.

One thing that added to the realistic atmosphere of the encampment was the threat of an Indian attack. You see, some radical Indian groups and collage liberals from Lafayette had threatened to disrupt and cause damage to the reenactment because they deemed it too favorable to the Americans. Though nothing came of it, we did have to post guards all night to protect camp, with passwords and everything. I got the 4:20 to 6:30 shift (that way I was up for reveille already). It was especially and neat experience as the Indians had attack from about 4:20 to 6:30 and the first shots were fired in the area I patrolled.

So in summery, we got to use the duty music we had been learning, we got to experience the well done recreation and commemoration of the battle of Tippecanoe, we had a great Captain, Major, and Colonel, got to see many friends at the event (and on the way), got several books from the museum store, and learned to appreciate the men that went before us the formation of our country.

 Consolidated Fifes and Drums

After playing reveille, around the warm fire

(We have missed open outside fires, can't do many out in Colorado because of fire hazard)

The Illinois Territorial Rangers

The WPFDC (with our new hats)

In front of the monument

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!

Bicentennial of the Battle of Tippecanoe, Part 1

Here are some pictures and video that we took at the event to give you an idea of what we did. Hopefully I will have enough time to give a fuller update on the event, but for now enjoy the presentation.

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!

...I saw the Indians charging our lines...

Before sunrise (about 4 a.m.) on 7 November, 1811, Isaac Taylor, a volunteer militia rifleman, woke up in a drizzling rain to fight for his life. Today, so are we. Here is his account:

"In a few moments I heard the crack of rifle fire....I had just time to thing that some sentinel was alarmed and had fired his rifle without cause, when I heard the crack of another rifle, followed by an awful Indian yell all around the encampment. In less than a minute I saw the Indians charging our lines most furiously and shooting a great many rifle balls into our camp fires, throwing the live coals into the air three feet high. At this moment my friend Warnock was shot by a rifle ball through his body. He ran a few yards and fell dead on the ground. Our lines were broken and a few Indians were found on the inside of the encampment. In a few moments they were killed...

"The sentinels, closely pursued by the Indians, came to the lines of encampment in haste and confusion. Daniel Pettit was pursued so closely and furiously by an Indian...that to save his life he cocked his rifle as he ran and turning suddenly around, placed the muzzle of his gun against the body of the Indian and shot an ounce ball through him. The Indians made four or five most fierce charges on our lines, yelling and screaming as they advanced, shooting balls and arrows into our ranks. At each charge they were driven back in confusion, carrying off their dead and wounded as they retreated.

"Colonel Owen...one of General Harrison's volunteer aides, fell early in action by the side of the General....Colonel Davis was mortally wounded early in the battle, gallantly charging the Indians on foot with his sword and pistols....Just after daylight the Indians retreated across the prairie towards their town, carrying off the wounded....An almost deafening and universal shout was raised by our men. 'Huzza! Huzza! Huzza!'

"Our was a bloody victory, theirs was a bloody defeat."
(Quoted in U.S. Army, A Complete History by the Army Historical Foundation)

Plan of Tippecanoe Camp

(From The Life of General John Tipton by M. W. Pershing)

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!

The Patriotic Diggers

"The Patriotic Diggers" (1812) 

Words by Samuel Woodsworth, 1785-1842 

Melody from an Old Scotch-Irish Air, 1740 [Source: public domain] 

Enemies beware, keep a proper distance, 

Else we'll make you stare at our firm resistance; 

Let alone the lads who are freedom tasting, 

Don't forget our dads gave you once a basting. 

To protect our rights 'gainst your flint and triggers 

See on yonder heights our patriotic diggers. 

Men of ev'ry age, color, rank, profession, 

Ardently engaged, labor in succession. 

CHORUS 

 Pick-axe, shovel, spade, crow-bar, hoe and barrow 

Better not invade, Yankees have the marrow. 

Scholars leave their schools with patriotic teachers 

Farmers seize their tools, headed by their preachers, 

How they break the soil - brewers, butchers, bakers - 

Here the doctors toil, there the undertakers. 

Bright Apollo's sons leave their pipe and tabor, 

Mid the roar of guns join the martial labor, 

Round the embattled plain in sweet concord rally, 

And in freedom's strain sing the foes finale.

Tippecanoe, here we come!

-Peter Bringe

 Memor!

St. Clair's Defeat

As we are getting ready for the battle of Tippecanoe here is a song about an earlier battle in 1791 that would probably been familiar to the soldiers of Tippecanoe. In St. Clair's defeat (the title kinda gives away the ending) the American troops, under the command of Gen. Arthur St. Clair who numbered about 1400 men and 200 camp followers were caught off guard by an Shawnee and Miami attack in Ohio and lost about 900 men and nearly all of the camp followers. It was the worst major defeat sustained by the Americans by Indian tribes. It was this kind of thing that was probably in the minds of those that were at Tippecanoe where the combined Indian tribes also attack in the dark of the morning, but this time the American troops were victorious.

November the fourth in the year of ninety-one, 

we had a sore engagement near to Fort Jefferson; 

Sinclair was our commander, which may remembered be,

For there we left nine hundred men in the Indian Territory.

At Bunker's Hill and Quebec, where many a hero fell, 

Likewise at Long Island, 'tis I the truth can tell. 

But such a dreadful carnage, never did I see, 

As happened on the plains, near the River St. Marie. 

Our militia were attacked, just as the day did break, 

And soon were overpowered, and forced to retreat. 

They killed major Ouldham, Levin, and Briggs likewise, 

While horrid yells of savages, resounded thro' the skies.

We had not long been broke, when general Butler fell;

He cries, my boys, I'm wounded, pray take me off the field, 

My God, says he, what shall we do, we're wounded ev'ry man; 

Go, charge, you valiant heroes, and beat them if you can.

He leaned his back against a tree, and there resigned his breath, 

And like a valiant soldier, sunk in the arms of death; 

When blessed angels did await, his spirit to convey, 

And unto the celestial fields, he quickly bent his way.

We charged again, we took our ground, which did our hearts elate, 

There we did not tarry long, they soon made us retreat; 

They killed major Ferguson, which caused his men to cry; 

Stand to your guns, says valiant Ford, we'll fight until we die.

Our cannon balls exhausted, our artillery-men all slain, 

Our musketrymen and riflemen, their fire did sustain; 

Three hours more we fought like men, and they were forced to yield, 

While three hundred bloody soldiers lay stretched upon the field.

Says colonel Gibson to his men, my boys, be not dismayed, 

I'm sure that true Virginians were never yet afraid; 

Ten thousand deaths I'd rather die, than they should gain the field, 

With that he got a fatal shot, which caused him to yield.

Says major Clark, my heroes, I can no longer stand, 

We will strive to form in order, and retreat the best we can. 

The word retreat being passed all round, they raised a huing cry, 

And helter skelter through the woods, like lost sheep we did fly.

We left the wounded on the field, O heavens, what a shock! 

Some of their thighs were shattered, some of their limbs were broke; 

With scalping knives and tomahawks, soon eased them of their breath, 

While fiery flames of torment soon tortured them to death. [1]

-Peter Bringe

Memor!

Battle of Tippecanoe

This November 5-7, the Western Plains Fife and Drum Corps will be traveling to the Bicentennial Reenactment of the Battle of Tippecanoe near Laffeytte, IN. We will be portraying the field music of the Indiana Militia and/or Indiana Rangers in the army of William Henry Harrison. The Battle of Tippecanoe happened on November 7, 1811. Though it was not a very large battle compared to those in the next three years (Harrison only had 1,100 men), it played a very important part in the beginning of the War of 1812.

Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa, "the Prophet" had led a religious movement of unification among the Indian tribes to destroy and drive out the Americans from the land. After a bit of unsuccessful negotiation, in order to protect their families and farms, Gen. William Henry Harrison gathered an army of Indiana Militia and Rangers, Kentucky Volunteers, and a small band of U.S. Regulars to advance upon the encampment of Tecumseh's followers to more directly negotiate with the Prophet while Tecumseh was gone on a recruitment trip to the south. Very early in the dark, the morning of November 7, while the army camped near the Prophet's camp, the Indians made a surprise attack. The Prophet had told his men that they were invincible to bullets and so they attacked very fiercely. The battle went on desperately for two hours, but as it was getting light the Indians fell back defeated. They went on to strip the Prophet of his power and lost the optimism that they formally had.

As a consequence of the battle the Indian confederation broke apart, and the tribes had to take sides, either British or American (mostly British). This made the War of 1812 more inevitable. William Henry Harrison was made popular by this important victory which would later end up in his short Presidency.

Come and join us at the Bicentennial of this important event. Here is the website you can get more information from: http://www.tcha.mus.in.us/battlefield.htm.

-Peter B.
Memor!

The Mercer Blues

Here is an interesting description of a Pennsylvania militia company during the War of 1812. (Taken from the website of the First Regiment Volunteers.)

"The History of Mercer County" in reference to the "Mercer Blues" who served with Harrison in 1812 and 1813.

"This company was remarkable in many respects. With scarce an exception they were Presbyterians, and connected with some one or other of the organizations of that faith. In camp every tent, with the exception of two, in which the officers officiated occasionally, family worship was regularly kept up. They numbered eighty-four persons, wore their own uniforms, carried their own rifles, powder horns, shot pouches, tomahawks, knives, blankets, bibles and psalm books."

"So we buckled on our armour, which was composed of a Good Rifle gun, shot Pouch, powder horn, tomahawk, butcher knife, and our uniform at this time was yellow hunting shirts and leggings trimmed with fringe of the same which was made of good strong tow cloth dyed with hickory bark. The head dress was a black hat with a strip of bear skin - the width of the crown passed from the rim in front to the rim behind, with the longest deer's tail we could get, a stick stuck in it which was fastened to the right side of the hat, the but of which was covered with Cockade of blue and white ribbon, with an eagle in the center."
-Joseph Junkin, Mercer Blues

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!

The Louisiana Territorial Militia

The following information is the official record of the Militia of the Louisiana Territory from 1811 (which included all the Louisiana purchase except what is now Louisiana, which then was Orleans Territory). It is taken from the American state papers: Documents, legislative and executive of the Congress of the United States ..., Part 5, Volume 1 Take special note of the musicians mentioned (fifers and drummers for infantry, bugles for cavalry).

No. 103, 11^th Congress, 3^rd Session 

The Militia, Communicated to Congress, February 20, 1811.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

I lay before Congress a return of the Militia of the United States, as receives by the Department of War, from the several States and Territories.

-James Madison 

Louisiana Territorial Militia

General and Field Staff

Brigadier Generals: 1

Adjutant Generals: 1

Aide-de-Camps: 1

Brigade Majors & Inspectors: 1

Brigade Quartermasters: 1

Field Officers and Regimental Staff

Lieutenant Colonels Commandant: 4

Majors: 12

Adjutants: 5

Quartermasters: 2

Paymasters: 8

Surgeons: 1

Cavalry

Sergeants: 22

Musicians: 4

Dragoons: 225 

Infantry

Captains: 45

Lieutenants: 49

Ensigns: 44

Sergeants: 148

Musicians: 13

Rank and File: 1,948

Total number, including officers, non-commissioned officers, and rank and file: 2,540

The State with the most musicians in the infantry was New York with 2,911 (it had 76,195 rank and file). It was followed by Massachusetts with 1,858 (56,090 rank and file), Pennsylvania with 1,466 (80,211 rank and file), and North Carolina with 1,047 (40,595 rank and file).

While we don't have records for the Militia of the Missouri Territory (what the Louisiana Territory was renamed after Louisiana became a state) during the War of 1812, the records of the other states and territories show that the Militias grew during the war, including the fifers and drummers. There were 14,158 total musicians in the infantry in the state militias in 1813. That's not even including the regular army! That is a lot of fifers and drummers in a war that many people forget even happened.

-Peter Bringe

Memor!

War of 1812 in the Missouri Territory

As the Western Plains Fife and Drum Corps we try to portray the fifes and drums of the militia particularly of the Missouri Territorial Militia of the War of 1812. Here is a great website on the War of 1812 in the Missouri Territory that I have found helpful and easy to use: http://www.1812missouriterritory.com/  I especially like the part labeled the "St. Louis Theater of the War". This was as close as the fighting got to Colorado, and in fact much of Colorado was technicaly part of the Missouri Territory.

-Peter Bringe
 Memor!