The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-12-24
BAND PLAYER SO YEARS
Long Career Of Harry Rowe Of Brat
tleboro In Peace and War

been those of Harry Rowe. probably
the oldest musician In Vermont and a
man who has seen active service In
different musical organizations in this
section of the country for AZ years.
Mr.. Rowe was born In Bethel in
1886, and the greater part of lis early
life was spent in that place, says the
Brattleboro Reformer He began to
learn his trade, that of a tinsmith and
/ plumber when a young man and pre-
yious to the Civil war was engaged in
the pursuit Of his trade in that place.
When the Bethel brass band was or
ganized in 1853 Mr. Rowe began to
take an interest in things musical and
in that year took his first lesson on a
trombone. Through careful study and
! long hours of practicing he was soon
able to play the instrument. Shortly
afterward he joined the band which
was then an infant organization. I'm
der the leadership of AlOnzo Bond Of
Boston, at that time one Of the best
| known musicians and band masters In
! this section of the country the Bethel
| band became one Of the best known
in this state. After Mr. Bond relin-
pushed his duties as leader his place
was taken by Solomon f. Merrill of
Bellows Falls who in turn was succeed
ed by Osceola Whittemore of Boston,
far famed as one Of the finest clarinet
players in New England
Mr. Rowe also played in the Ran
dolph and Woodstock bands the lat
ter under the leadership of Charles M.
| Cobb Previous to the outbreak of
| the War of the Rebellion Mr.. Rowe
played at oldtime political rallies and
was in attendance at state muster In
Montpelier in 1860. His reminiscent.
ces of the old time campaigns when
hot headed partisans OF both parties
would stop at nothing to achieve their
ends are amusing and instructive.
When the news of the firing on Sum
| ter came and the call to arms was Is
sued by President Lincoln, Mr.. Rowe
was member OF the Bethel band It's
former leader, Samuel f. Merrill, was
organizing a band for service at the
| front and knowing Mr.. Rowe's excel
| lence as a musician, he was one Of the
| first men to whom the organizer turn
ed for assistance. Through his efforts
in the town OF Bethel Mr. Rowe induc-
| ed three of his musical associates TO
enlist in the l4th Vermont Regiment
| band. They were among the first
| troops modified at Washington under
| General Mcclellan and the first
months was of the poorest quality i'm
! aginable, but that on the whole the
rest of the work was neither tedious
nor hard. On March 10. 1862 the reg
| iment took its first march. Starting
out after a review by the commander
| and STAFF officers II made its way for
! FIVE miles down Pennsylvania avenue
] 10 Georgetown and all along the route
the band played necessarily This
was By order of the colonel who de-
manded that the boys be given mu-
! sic TO start them cheerfully on their
way.
once Georgetown was reached the
players were allowed a rest and here
their first camp was established When
/ the band cook taken ont from Washing
ton desired to leave, Mr. Rowe took his
place and acted in the capacity for
some time The only campaign in
which he served was that on the PEN
nsua. Here he advanced with the
troops until within four miles OF the
1 city Of Richmond. and he states that
I the bells Of the city could be plainly
heard bv the Union soldiers in camp
but a short distance away from the
Confederate capital AZ the battle Of
Lees Mills Mr.. Rowe and the rest Of
the band members wer called into
service for the first time and acting
In conjunction with the hospital corps
assisted in removing wounded soldiers
from the battlefield 10 the hospitals In
the rear When the retreat was or
dered after the failure Of Mcclellan TO
take Richmond the 4th regiment OF
Vermont was a part OF the rear guard
of the Army OF the Potomac. The
broad front and rear presented by the
Union army was harassed at every
step by the sharpshooters OF the Con-
federate army and many were the
stragglers who were picked of by the
long range riaemen hidden in the
thick foliage
When passing through White Oak
swamp we'll on the way towards Har'
rison landing the Union army walked
into a trap which had been set by the
Confederates. Here they had planted
a masked battery and as the Union col
umn swept into the open area the
rebs opened fire, killing many men and
wounding others
The four batteries with the brigade
with which Mr.. Rowe was stationed
were wheeled into position and a hot
fire was opened on the Confederates
finally silencing their batteries. In
this engagement at the first fire Mt
Rowe was marching In his place In
the bandsmen's ranks when solid
shot struck his trombone and tore 10
out % his hands Another member
was sitting on a cracker box when q
shell passed beneath taking the box
from under him and leaving the aston
ished musician seated on the ground
The men sought shelter In strip OF
woodland. but Mr.. Rowe never recov
cred the trombone
At Lees Mills while taking care OF
the wounded soldiers he and n com
panion were knocked down by the con
cussion of a rebel she'll which burst
few feet In front of them. but they
were uninmred. Mr. Rowe took care
OF Colonel plngree OF the 3rd Vermont
afterwards governor OF Vermont whCr
the latter was wounded. When the
regiment reached Harrison's Laniinf
after the memorable retreat from Ricl
mond the bands were mustered ont m
ter one and n half wears OF service. the