Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-23
PATRIOTIC MELODIES
HOW MANY PERSONS ARE FA-
MILIAR WITH WoRDse
Gen. Burt Tells How He Taught "Star
Spangled Banner" to Soldiers
Of His Garrison.

the daughters OF the American ReVOlutiOH
in Washington much discussion was In
dulged in regarding the apparent lack OF
patriotism on the part Of Americans, their
disregard Of this quality being most
affrontingly shown during the passing Of
| the flag Of the United States on the rendf-
tin of the national anthem, 1.-THE Star
Spangled Banner"
Some of the delegates went so far as to
declare that there was not a company Of
soldiers in the army of the United States
| who knew the national air, and this got
to the ears of that sturdy old warrior, Brig.
Gen. Andrew s. Burt, U. s. A., who since
his retirement a short time ago has made
his home at the capital. He stoutly de-
| MED the truth of this assertion, but at the
| same time bewailed the evident lack OF
enthusiasm Americans show for their nag
Or anthem.
Coincident with the discussion one of the
Daughters wrote to Gen. Charles King,
asking him If he could enlighten the body
as to the abiulity of the men Of the army
to sing the Star Spangled Banner Gen.
King. whose delightful romances OF army
frontier life are watchwords In all American
homes, CHANGED to know that Gen. Burt
could give him the information. he him
self having been out of active army life,
save for his Philippine service, for several
years.
Some interesting correspondence followed.
the result Of which was an interview by
the writer yesterday with Gen. Burt, IN
which he outlined the entire story OF just
national afr in the army. Gen. BURT is the
man who wrote May, Cody the first or
Buffalo Bills successful plays, and is really
the inspiration that has made William F.
Cody a millionaire by his interpreta-
ton of the old parts when he was
a government scout on the plains. Re-
garding the question asked by the Daugh-
tiers of the American Revolution, Gen. Burt
said:
Gen. Burt Talks.
General King asked me to recall for
him the incident that led to the singing
Of the Star Spangled Banner by a regular
command of the U. S. army, and 1 was
glad to confess to him that the inspiration
was due to Mrs. Burt. 1t happened In
this way. Some time during the winter
of 1895, while l was in command OF the
garrison at FIT. Missoula, Montana, the
complement of which was a battalion Of
the 25the U. S. Infantry, a colored regiment,
was sitting before hot fire with Mrs Burt
one evening wnen she read me an article
from a newspaper in which it was averred
that at trial few days before OF the
acoustic properties Of a new music hall
Lillian Russell had been asked to sing the
Star Spangled Banner and had to confess,
in much confusion, that she did not know
the words. So embarrassed was she that
she offered to wager basket OF cham
payne against ten cents that within twenty
-FOUR UOuIS sic Would We dOiC ~ Sai6 lAAS
entire anthem perfectly.
II was so interested in the Story that
l offered to donate sum or money TO my
wifes church If within month three hun
dred good Americans were not able to sing
in chorus their countrys anthem. My In
tense Americanism, which Is one Of my
religious tenets. had been reused to fight
ing pitch by the lack of patriotism shown
in the inability Of any crowd Of Americans
to sing the national hymn and 1made up
my mind then and there that the men Of
my command would learn 1t and sing 1t
or there would be trouble In the garrison
Part Of the Curriculum.
IT have frequently commented in terms
of much indignation that, while all other
nations sang their national airs perfectly,
yet the greatest of them all was so indif-
ferent that not one person in thousand
know the tune, much less the words l
directed the post adjutant to publish an
order instituting singing practice twice
week for each company OF the Fort mis-
soula garrison. 1 had the words of the
Star Spangled Banner printed, giving
each man a copy, and the companies assem-
bled in the chapel, where, under the direc-
ton Of the post chaplain, the Rev. Theophi-
lus Stewart, they learned the song as 1t was
never learned in the American army. I wac
so delighted with the result that made the
church donation anyhow. .--
''Since that time another regiment of col
ored men, the 10th United States Vclun-
teers has learned the song that ought to
awaken patriotism In the breast Of every
true American, and it is my hope that be-
fore they carry me to Arlington 1t will be a
familiar air to the entire army Of the
United States. General King is no less en-
thusiastic than myself in this respect, and
quite as incensed that fewer Americans pos
sess the love of country sufficiently devel-
oped to inspire them to learn the song that
should go hand in hand with the flag Of the
country" In his letter to General Burt,
from Milwaukee, General King says:
You and / have precisely the same feel
ing about our national air. saw in two
journeys abroad much of what you heard,
and I constantly see here in Milwaukee big
audiences sitting soIidly through the Star
Spangled Banner even when played stand
ing by Sousa or the Kilties yet rising en-
masse when the tune is played at which
Englshmen or Germans rise and uncover
the tune known to John Bull as God Save
He'll Dir in Siegerkranz,' and borrowed by
Brother Jonathan to be renamed America
l stand through the Star Spangled Ban
ner' and sit through the Others to the
end that the average Milwaukeean thinks
me crank"
80 you sse," General Burt concluded,
that there are some of the officers of the
United States army who want to do what
they can to inspire Americansm in Ameri-
cans and who are heartily in accord with
the work of the Sons and Daughters of the
American Revolution