The morning news., 1897-07-18
PASSING OF THE DRUM.
IT Will Soon Disappear in COnnec.
ton With Army Life.
From st. Nicholas.

From st. Nicholas.
Lieut.. Con Marrast Perkins, of the
United States Marine Corps, writes in ST.
Nicholas:
1 think few know that of all the time
honored equipments Of war which these
days of military progress have left US,
the drum is the oldest; but. like the sword
and the bayonet the drum is fast disap-
pearing. Its companion, the fife, hallow-
ed by traditions of valor even in our own
history, from Lexington to Gettysburg
is already gone, and another decade will
still forever the inspiriting martial music
of the drum.
What boy has not felt his pulse thrill
and his heart swell with patriotic pride
and martial ardor while gazing upon the
well known picture of the revolution, the
Minute Men of 10" forsaking the
ploughshare and flying to take down the
old tintlock at the tocsin of war-the
throbbing of the drum and the shrin
screaming of the fife, sounded by two
Scared veterans, bare-headed, white
haired and in their shirt sleeves, march
ing through fields and along the roads,
calling the patriots to arms?
Every New England schoolboy has read
the story of Abigail and Elizabeth, the
sisters of Newburyport, who during the
revolution repealed alone an attack of the
British by beating furiously an old drum
and blowing a fife. The British troops,
who were about to land, hurried back to
their ships, thinking a whole army lay
in ambush to repulse them!
Thus did fife and drum drive off the
enemy and save town from piliage and
ruin.
The military drum is supposed to have
been introduced in Europe by the Moors
and Saracens during the middle ages. and
was quickly adopted by armies. The drum
Of to-day differs little, and in appearance
only, from the earliest form. 1t consists,
as every boy knows, of two pieces of parch-
ment, or batter-heads. stretched over the
ends of a hollow cylinder, and struck with
sticks. For ages this instrument has been
known among savage tribes and barbaric
nations, who use its weird music to accom-
pany their religious rites, as we'll as for
war purposes.
good example of a primitive drum.
In civilized warfare the drum has ever
been connected with deeds of martial val
or, and its voice is dear to the heart of the
soldier who has followed its pulsing into
the deadly fire of battle, or even in reviews
and military parades, when rank upon
rank sweep up a street, keeping perfect
alignment and step to the drums inspir-
ing beat.
1t has found place in history through
the daring bravery Of more than one beard
less boy who has sounded at the critical
moment the pas de charge, or rally" lust
In time to turn the tide of battle
Johnny Glenn, the drummer boy of Shi-
oh," who beat the rally without orders
when his regiment had broken, panic.
stricken, and thus helped to save the day
was made an officer for his herolsm. and
Is now a major In the United States army
In fable, song and story the drum has
ever kept pace with the most valiant
deeds OF men. Rudyard Kipling's pathet-
ic little story of The Drums OF the Fore
and Aft" two courageous drummer-boys
who. at the cost of their own lives, led
the charge and saved the honor of their
regiment when routed by the
Afghans. tells of decd
such as Is 60 be found in history
as well as in fiction. More than once has
the drum claimed a place in the front
rank of storming battalions, or led des-
perate charges IN the van of a victorious
army.
What wonder then. that we look sor.
rowtully into the future, when battling
viii no longer be inspired by the war
drums throb.' for we know that the adj
vance OF military science, with an its
death-dealing machine guns, magazine
rines, and its smokeless powder. will sure
ly sound the knell OF the drum