The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-11

sic they pray, the uniforms they wear,
and the instruments they use all be-
long to period older than that to
which their age entities them. AS its
name suggests, the company Is a re-
production of fife and drum corps of
the revolutionary army, and in every
way the likeness is made as strong as
possible. To see these gray-haired men,
with their three-cornered hats and
odd, old-fashioned instruments, march
ing down the street, one might imagine
that company of the famous minute
men had come to life agin, and that
Gen. Washington at the head of his
valiant little army would come sweep
ing along behind them. 1t looks exact
" as though these brave old ffers and
drummers made familiar in the picture
of the musicians of Bunker Hill had
stepped from their frame for brief
outing and revival of good old Yam
kee Doodle.
When the Continental drum corps
was formed it was decided to make it
as much like company of the real con-
uniforms were made in Philadelphia
from pictures and descriptions of revo-
lutionary soldiers. The only difference
in the uniforms is that these modern
continentals do not wear knee breaches
as the originals did, but even this differ
ence does not appear when they are in
uniform, as the lower part of their legs
is covered by leggings like those worn
120 years ago.
The coats are of blue with brass but
tons and yellow facings. They have
long tails cut away in the style of the
revolutionary period, and seem to be
halfway between the frock and dress
coats of the present time. The trousers
are blue, and the leggings, which come
up to the knees, are yellow. The hats
ore of soft black felt, turned up on
three sides, and with white plumes I'D
them.
The instruments that these musicians
use are as old-fashioned as their uni.
forms, and some of them are quite as
old as the men who play them. They
are the "long" flies and barrel" drums
struments used by the company date
back to the revolutionary war-such
relics are too precious to be subjected
to injury by use-but some of them
have interesting histories. These mod
ern continentals.ar not talkative men,
but a remark about their instruments
will sometimes bring out story con-
nected with them.
Tell We when this old fife spoke
loudest," says Nathan Humphrey, the
crack ffer of the company, when the
tone or polish of his beloved instru-
ment is praised. Nathan is a lad of
sC-odd years, and as he played his fife
years before, he has a large fund of
interesting stories. "Yes, sir, the
time this old teller played without my
help, almost, was at Lees surrender.
The war had been dragging on and on.
and though we knew that the end would
come soon il had got TO be mighty tire
some work after four years. We had
been all through the wilderness with
Grant, and anybody who has been
through it knows that that was the
hardest campaign of the whole war
The enemy were fighting in the last
ditch. and it seemed as though they'd
never give up. So you can imagine
how we felt when the white flag went
LAP on the pole at AppomaUtox. Well,
SIR, every musician along the line
seemed to think at once OF Yankee
Doodle, and in every corps the fifers
end drumrners struck up the tune. i
tell you it sounded fine as il came rat
Ting along the line-a good deal sweet
e. than it ever did before or since,
guess Well. sir. the notes seemed 20
Just roll out from nv old fife without
any effort at all from me. and I'm not
certain now which was playing. o. the
ife-'
According 10 Edwin Rice. who was
one of the founders OF the organization.
the company is a survival OF the days
when general trainings" were held in
New York. Under the law of the state
as it stood before the civil war every
citizen OF voting age was required 10
turn out certain number of times each
year 20 practice military exercises IN
der the direction OF local militio Off
GERS. After the war the law was
changed, but for some years the mu-
sicians who had served at these reviews
were in the habit OF meeting TO renew
old acquaintance and 10 have general /
good time II was al one OF these gath
erings that the idea OF the Continental
drum corps was started The company
has been in existence for many years
now. and although death has several
times invaded IT'S ranks. is sill IN ex-
oellent condition. One who had not
seen them would scarcely believe it
possible TO briQg tcgetheE.so many