The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1900-03-01

Saved the Day when Defeat Seemed
Near-NapoIeOn q Believer n Music
In Battle. C
By many whom experience has rem
dered competent to Judge the military
band is regarded as the most moment
GUS adjunct of army and to the stir
ring notes of musical instruments
sounding cut when defeat seemed star
ing hard pressed body of soldiers in
the face have been attributed victories
without number The band first be-
came connected with the army for the
purpose of preventing the soldiers get
ting diSheartened because of the
groans and cries of their wounded com
rades, but latterly, national an
thems began to be written, not little
patriotic fervor was aroused by their
rendition at opportune moment and
more vim would be put into the fight
ing.
Napoleon was a great believer in the
inspiring effect of martial music in bat
tie, and SO, too, were the English, but
in a different way For some reason
(not easily exp1ainabIe, considering
that at the time of the NapoleOnic wars
most of the English regiments possess
ed bands, the expenses of which were
betrayed by the Off1cers) side drums
and flies were regarded as just the
stimulus Mr.. Atkins required to kind1e
his fighting instincts. The Scotch, as
now, had their bagpipes- Napoleon,
who was of the opinion that the In
dian tum-tums were superior to the
English flies and drums, provided his
armies with splendid bands, each 100
strong.
The esteem in which battlefield mu-
sic was held reached its zenith in the
Sch1eswig-Ho1stein war of 1864. The
storming of the Duppel redOubts was
such a hazardous enterprise that the
Prussian bands played the storming
oh he n IN the
inspiring strains of the PreusSen1ied
The bands played well, but victory
still hung in the balance the Red
Prince massed them In the broad
ditch of Fort 4 five bands collected
and, whilst the cannon roared and the
rifles cracked, the musicians played
chorale praying for the days sue
cess. The effect was. doubt, very
fine, but, as it was subsequently dis
covered that troops stationed out o.
earshot fought just well those
who were treated to the quickstep the
grants were reduced. When the band
masters, moreover, found that they
were expected to give hand with thu
ambulance they resigned, and thu
PrussianS had to fight without musi
in the Franco-German war of 1870
During the Russo-Turkish war o
1877, Skobeuen had hurled his infantr.
repeatedly against the Turks who wer
intrenched the slopes of Plevna
more discouraged They looked s
cowed when called to make tn
final effort that Skobe1eff determine
to retreat He was on the point of Civ
ing the order when his mind reverte
to the bands of the Imperial Guar
standing idly in the rear and they weI
at once sent for. They began to pla
the Russian national anthem and E
the strains hoated to the disheartene
soldiers in the field, the effect was e1e'
trical. The palIor faded from the
cheeks, a light stole into their eye
and, gripping their rifles, they agai
stormed the hill, reached the top, swel
like an avalanche into the intrencl
ments, and won the day. On anoth'
occasion the Russian troops bega
to waiver at a critical moment I'll
national anthem was being played b
disorder was imminent in the rank
when the bandmaster gave the sigma
and the hymn gave way to one
Strauss gayest waItzes. The soldie
laughed, pulled themselves togethe
and faced the Ieaden storm
The last time music was pressed in
the service of war was during the fer
struggle between Bulgaria and Serv
in 1885. This time it was utilized wi
such startling effect that battle mus
may be said to have expired in a bla
OF glory On the third day of the be
tie of Slivanica the Bulgarian gener
Bendereff found the Servians occup
ing such a strong position in the hi
of Dragoman that he gave orders tn
every battalion, instead of being fl
lowed as heretofore should march
the attack headed by its band playi
the Ojumi MARTHA, the national a
They did so and the Bulgarians we
able to rush the hill TO victory.
For the sick Room