Historical Documents

Drum and Fife Manuals

“The Grounds of Beating the Drum” found in Francis Douce’s manuscript, circa 1600-1650*

“Warlike Directions or the Sovldiers (Souldiers/Soldiers) Practice” by Thomas Fisher, 1643* (original publication 1642)

“Drum Beating” (manuscript) author unknown, from the Shaw Hellier Collection no. 287, circa 1770-1780*

“Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States” by Frederick William Baron von Steuben, 1779 (also 1794 edition and 1807 edition). This is also called the Revolutionary War Drill Manual. More information on the history and importance of this manual can be found here. Chapter 21 contains directions concerning drummers.

“The Young Drummers Assistant” by James Longman and Francis Broderip, 1780* – missing pages, fair quality

“The Young Drummers Assistant” by James Longman and Francis Broderip, 1780* – this version contains 4 additional pages and is better quality

“Benjamin Clark’s Drum Book” (manuscript) by Benjamin Clark, 1797 

“Isaac Day’s Drum Book” (manuscript) by Isaac Day, 1797 

“Drummers Book of Music” author is unconfirmed but believed to be either Levi Lovering or (less likely) Carl Gardner, circa possibly 1778, but most likely 1804 

“Instructor in Martial Music” by David Hazeltine, 1810 (Containing Rules and Directions for the Drum and Fife)

“A New, Useful and Complete System of Drum Beating” by Charles Ashworth, 1812 (missing pages 11 and 22) (PDF created from the images available at Fife & Drum Online)

“A New, Useful and Complete System of Drum Beating” by Charles Ashworth, 1812 – Higher quality version containing 4 missing pages (11, 22, 39, 40)

“The Drum and Fife Instructor” by Charles Robbins, 1812 

“The Art of Beating the Drum” by Samuel L. Potter, 1817*

“The Drummer’s Instructor, or Martial Musician” by J. L. Rumrille and H. Holton, 1817 

“The Drummers Assistant or the Art of Drumming Made Easy” by Levi Lovering, 1818 

“Massachusetts Collection of Martial Musick” by Alvan Robinson, 1820 (original publication 1818)

“A Concise System of Instructions and Regulations for the Militia and Volunteers of the United States” by Samuel Cooper with Alexander Macomb, 1836 New!

“The Drum-Major” by T. D. Tamplini, 1850*

“The Manual of Instruction for Drummers” by George D. Klinehanse, 1853

“Henke-Moore Manuscript” compiled by Sergeants Charles Henke and Michael Moore, 1856-1859 (PDF created from the images available at Fife & Drum Online)

“United States Regulation Drum and Fife Instructor” by Elias Howe, 1861

“The Army Drum and Fife Book” by Keach, Burditt and Cassidy, 1861

“Army Regulations for Drum, Fife and Bugle” by William Nevins, 1861 (51 pages, including the last 3 pages not part of the 1864 version) New!

“Col. H.C. Hart’s New and Improved Instructor for the Drum” by Col. H.C. Hart, 1862 (PDF created from the images available at Fife & Drum Online)

“The Drummer’s and Fifer’s Guide” by George Bruce and Dan Emmett, 1862 (PDF created from the images available at Fife & Drum Online)

“The Union Drum and Fife Book” by Henry Simpson and Ira Canterbury, 1862

“Infantry Tactics” by Silas Casey, 1863 New!

“Army Regulations for Drum, Fife and Bugle” by William Nevins, 1864 (48 pages, last 3 pages of the 1861 version were not included)

“Schott’s Handbook for Fife and Drum Bands” by Chas. Sheard and Co., 1865* (PDF created from the images available at Yorkshire Corps of Drums)

“Strube’s Drum and Fife Instructor” by Gardiner A. Strube, 1869

“Ryan’s True Drum Instructor” by Sydney Ryan, 1872 

“The Trumpet and Drum” by John Philip Sousa, 1886 

“The Sergeant-Drummers Manual; or Drum, Flute & Bugle Duty Tutor”, also called “Potter’s Drum, Flute & Bugle Duty Tutor” by Samuel L Potter, revised by J. J. Renwick, 1886* New!

“Trommel-Schule zum Selbstunterricht, Self-Instructor for the Drum” by Robert Kietzer, 1891 (Prussian)

“Instructions for the Trumpet and Drum” by F. H. Greissinger, edited by W. F. Smith, 1897

* indicates British manuals

Additional Resource Sites:

Historic Drumming – an impressive collection of drum and fife manuals from around the world

American and British Rudimental Drum Books – a chronological listing of drum manuals and books dating back to 1642

Drummer Boy Diaries and Recollections from the Civil War

Quite by chance I stumbled upon the published diary of a young Civil War drummer boy. Naturally, I was curious if other such accounts existed. I am happy to say that indeed other publications exist. Below you will find information about three such books. These books are in the public domain and I am making them available for download in PDF format. Links are also provided to the original online source where other formats are available.

• The Recollections of a Drummer-Boy by Harry M. Kieffer (1845-1930)
  • Originally published in 1881, this copy revised and published in 1911
  • Was in the 150th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers
  • Source: Internet Archive
• A Drummer-Boy’s Diary: Comprising Four Years of Service with the Second Regiment Minnesota Veteran Volunteers, 1861-1865 by William Bircher (1845-1917)
  • Published in 1889
  • Was in the 2nd Regiment Minnesota Veteran Volunteers
  • Source: Internet Archive
• Drum Taps in Dixie: Memories of a Drummer Boy, 1861-1865 by Delavan S. Miller (1849-1917)
  • Published in 1905
  • Was in the 2nd New York Heavy Artillery Regiment
  • Source: Internet Archive

Since these accounts refer to specific dates and locations during the Civil War, you may want to brush up on your Civil War history. Here are some links to get you started:

The Civil War

The Civil War (topical resources)

Civil War Timeline

Civil War Timeline