The New York herald., 1862-01-11
Brass sa nds for the Army.

Brass Bands for the Army.
The statement that music hath charms to
soothe and 30 forth is true; but that music
hath charms to excite and stimulate is true also.
From the creation of the world, when the
morning stars sang together, down to the pre-
sent period, when operatc stars are in the
ascendency, no great undertaking was ever
complete without music by the band. Horns
and toots are terms symbolical of revelries and
designations. Psalms and hymns are indispen-
sable to religion. Even in Elysium the spirits
of just men made perfect are said to play on
a harp of thousand strings. We cannot live,
love, dance or be pious, and especially we
cannot fight without music.
All history proves that music is as indispen-
sable to warfare as money; and money has
been called the sinews of war. Music is the
soul of Mars. In old times Joshua sent Jeri-
cho on a bust with his horns The Greeks and
Romans invented brass bands by clashing their
shields together as they went into battle. The
old English ye0men were equally skj!ssl Yia
the bugle and the bow, and hence a "blower"
and zone who draws the long bow" have be-
come synonymous terms. The Crusaders had
their troubadours. The cavaliers and round
heads fought out the respective merits Of
monarchy, democracy and short and long
metres. The "Marseillaise" is the big colum-
biad of France. Tom Dibdin is the fighting ad-
miral of the English navy. yankee Doodle
Dandy" has put many feather into our
national cap. With hosts of such facts
before them, we wonder how our "Onward to
Richmond" contemporaries can object to and
propose to disband the brass bands of our
army.
Good martial, national music is one of the
great advantages we have over the rebels.
They have only bands Of guerrillas and bridge
burners, and are as destitute of musical notes
as they are rich in shinplasters. They have not
even one good national tune, if we except the
Rogues March," for "Dixie" belongs ex-
clusively to our Dan Bryant. "Hail Colum-
bia," yankee Doodle" the "Star Spangled
Banner" and airs of that sort, they left behind
them with the other good things of the Union;
and, in spite of every effort, England cannot be
persuaded to lend them little Rule Britain
MA" Having thus no music in their souls.
they are, as Shakspere says only fit for treason,
rebellion, stratagems, masked batteries, spoils
and knaveries. Now, are we going to relin-
quish our musical advantage, and lower our
selves to the key of the rebels? Is the Harp of
Erin to be hung upon the willows? Is the
Teutonic element to indulge only in swei
lager and give up its cornets-a-piston
Far from it. We might better give up
Washington. { The idea of so unpatriotic
a measure could only have originated with
those fanatics who have never been able to
keep step to the music of the Union, and who
prefer contrabands to any true constitutional
melodists. They would like to have our army
singing about Old John Brown, his body, bones,
grave, knapsack and soul, but cannot endure
our brass bands. Such men ought to be sub
jected to the blowing up of a nightly serenade
from the combined bands Of our entire army.
But, say they brass bands are expensive, and
you are in favor Of q wise econ omy. Very
true; but so are cannon, powder and such things
expensive. If, however, we can be shown any
scheme to supply the army with music more
cheaply, we shall advocate it as willingly as we
oppose Fremonts musket ira nsactions or Cum.
mings' dealings in army ale. Suppose our
soldiers were to take lessons from the abolition
editors. and each learn to blow his own trum-
pet. That plan has its advantages for our mu-
sic would then become an offensive weapon, and
doubtless the enemy would ignominiously re-
treat at the first blast No true Union soldier
would object to taking horn and delivering a
blow for his country; but then we dread the
effect upon them of such concordance and har-
mony with abolition practices. Suppose them
that we purchase steam Instruments nam
moth calliope-and do the music for the army
by machinery and Wholesale? Or If it be OBJ
jected that it would be difficult to average the
melody SO that each regiment in line should
share IL equally, suppose we have a large
donkey organ, of the kind used by vagrant
circuses, attached to each division? These wind
instruments might perform during parades
when political colonels and brigaders make
buncombe orations; and, for hand to hand
fights, skirmishes and scrimmages, hand or
double barrelled organs might be useful. We
should favor this idea IL all abolition organs,
wind or hand, were carefully prohibited.
Still, until some less expensive and as good
music can be supplied, we insist upon our bras
bands Read how the returned prisoners from
Richmond danced and wept for ioy whom then