The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-12-18
TROMBONE PLAYER
NEARLY so YEARS
Long Career Of Harry Rowe in Diff
ferent Musical Experimentation
Was Knocked From His Hands
During Civil War.

Experiences which have rarely fallen "a
the lot of an ordinary man, either at
nome or on the battlefield, have been
those of Harry Rowe, probably the Oldest
musician in the state of Vermont, and
man who has seen active service in differ
ent musical organizations IN this section
of the country tor AZ years.
Mr.. Rowe was born in Bethel, w., IN
1886, and the greater part OF his early LIE
was spent in that place. he began to
learn his trade, that of tinsmith ana
Lumber, when a young man, and prev
ious to the Civil war was engaged IN the
pursuit of his trade in that place. When
Che Bethel brass band was organized IN
1853 Mr.. Rove began to take an interest
IN things musical, and in that year took
mis- first lesson on trombone. Through
careful study and long hours of practicing
ne was soon able to play the instrument.
shortly afterward he joined the band
which was then an infant organization
Under the leadership OF Alonzo Bond OF
Doston, at that time one OF the best
known musicians and band masters in
this section of the country, the Bethel
oand became one OF the best known IN
this state. After Mr.. Bond relinquisheo
his duties as leader his place was taken
py Solomon f. Merrill of Bellows Falls
who in turn was succeeded by. Osceola
Whittimore of Boston, far famed as one
OF the finest clarinet players in New Eng
land, at that time.
Mr.. Rowe also played in the Randolph
and Woodstock bands, the latter under
the leadership Of Charles M. Cobb. Prev
ious to the outbreak of the war of the le
pelion Mr.. Rowe played at old.time po!lt-
ical rallies and was in attendance at a
state muster in Montpelier in 1860. His
"reminiscences of the old time campaigns
when hot headed partisans of both par
ties would stop at nothing to achieve
their ends are amusing as well as in
str,ictive.
When the news of the firing on Sum.
ter came and the call to arms was issued
by President Lincoln, Mr.. Rowe was a
member of the Bethel band. Its former
leader, Solomon F. Merrill, was organic.
inc a band for service at the front, and |
knowing MIR. Rowe's excellence as a mu
sician, he was one of the first men to
whom the organizer turned for assistance.
Through his efforts in the town of Bethel
Mr.. Rowe induced three of his musical
associates to enlist in the 4th Vermont
,roops modified at Washington under
General Mcclellan, and the first months
# weary waiting at the capital were spent
n drilling.
Mr.. Rowe Gays that the food served to
hem in those first few months was OF the
poorest quality imaginable, but that on
he whole the rest of the work. was
leither tedious or hard. On March 10,
1852, the regiment took it's first march,
Starting out after a review by. the com
handler and staff officers it made its way
or five miles down Pennsylvania avenue
o Georgetown, and all along the route
he band played necessarily, never even
topping to change pieces, simply striking
rom one into another. This was by or
er of the colonel who demanded that
the boys" be given music to start them
on their way.
Once Georgetown was reached the play
rs were allowed rest, and here their
rst camp was established. When the
and cook taken out from Washington de-
red to leave, Mr.. Rowe took his place
nd acted in the capacity for some time;
he only campaign in which he served
as that on the peninsula, Here ne adj
anced with the troops until within four !
tiles of the city of Richmond, and he
ates that the bells of the city could be !
lainly heard by the Union soldiers in
,mp but a short distance away from the 9
onfederate capital. At the battle of !
ee's Mills, Mr.. Rowe and the rest of the .
md members were called into service for !
ne first time and acting in conjunction i
it'll the hospital corps assisted in remov.
% wounded soldiers from the battlefield
, the hospitals in, the rear. When the !;
treat was ordered after the failure OF
fcClellan to take Richmond, the 4th Yer '
ont was a part of the rear guard of the !
INV of the Potomac. The broad front \
ID rear presented by the Union army h
as harassed at every step by the sharp
ooters of the Confederate army, and
any were the stragglers who were picked Il
/ BY the long range rifemen hidden in Il
e thick foliage. e
When passing through White Oak g
amp well on the way towards Harrison tt
lnding, the Union army walked into a al