The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1911-12-30
The Marine BAND
History Of Uncle Sans Famous
Musical Organization.
STARTED BY A KIDNAPPING.


Was Spirited Away From Sunny
Sicily by Captain Mcneil Of the
American Frieate Boston.
One Of the best known and most
popular musical organizations in this
country is the United States Marine
band. 1t is always selected TO furnish
the music at important government
functions, such as inaugural balls and
receptions at the White House, and is
always assigned the post OF honor In
notable parades. Indeed, 1t Is the
ablest and most famous military band
In the country.
There il an interesting tradition that
the original Marine band was kidnap-
ed from the sunny slopes of Sicily.
The story goes that one Captain Nc
Neil of the American frigate Boston |
was cruising In the Mediterranean,
when his soul yearned for the sound |
| of real music, an art that had been
| little developed in this young republic
When ashore he heard q regimentai
| band play so tunefully that the bluff
old seadog became inspired The in
spiration was promptly put into execu
| ton. In his suavest manner he III
yited the Siciians aboard his ship to
play for "a ball" The invitation was
accepted with alacrity. induced no
doubt by the prospect of American
gold,
A few nights afterward the entire
organization was on board the frigate
with its instruments when the captain
suddenly found it expedient to return
TO the United States. So it was up
anchor and away before the aston
lshed sicilians could protest. There Is
no authentic record of what became
If this band Of italian musicians. as
many Of the marine corps archives
we're destroyed In 1914.
! The official records do show. how
aver, that shortly after the marine
corps was organized, probably In 1901,
Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Hender-
son brought from Naples group OF
; thirteen Italian musicians, which was
the inception Of the organization as
i an instrumental band
|
! was approved by President John
4 Adams on July IL, 1798. This law
provided for a drum and fife corps
# consisting of sixteen drum1ners and
sixteen ffers, one Of whom should act
as ffe major. This constituted the
!. Marine band until the arrival of the
Neapolitans, about three years later
!. For several years the band had no
special leader. First one member and
g then another acted as hfe major. This
practice continued until Aug. IA, 1875,
aa,ss'-yyva lss,eAs-ls ~
y som. al untfl 1924 He was sucYe $50,
30 ,c,,+ina Friquet, who serV1u ~.
~ ~ % 1880, when Franz sont 90
h. yas appointed, serving ed bv Frarcj,
,sAs schenig was TYfil 1s4s and aeair
De scala, who serveN. Is, 1871.
ay from 1854 untSscaIa's leadership that
1t was UNI became famous He in.
-. saa bandfhe open air concerts at the
set auguEdouse and the capitol grounds.
(which congress allowed extra com
he Snsation in 1856. These concerts
.{grew In such favor that steps were
undertaken TO improve the organiza-
ton. which was still officially known
S as fife and drum corps. Legislation
was obtained to reorganize 1t as n
band, with a principal musician and
: thirty members. On July %. 1861,
President Lincoln affixed his signature
} to law that recognized the first band
as part of the military service Of the
United States.
, Scala retired in 1871 after having
served in the band nearly thirty years,
twenty-five of which he was It's leader.
He was succeeded by Henry Fries,
who served until Aug %, 1873 Louis
Schneider was appointed Sept. 2, 1879,
serving until Oct. 90, 1880 On Oct.
80, 1880, John Philip Sousa was chosen
leader. Sousa had formerly been
member of the band, as had his father
The elder Sousa enlisted in 1861 under
the name of Suacca. but upon re-en
dstment he gave the name of Sousa.
which he continued to use thereafter
Sousa left the service July so. 1852
to organize band Of his own, and
| N'NAN~HSO 1nCillI WAS tV,}tlUltu.
He served until Oct. 8. 1897. When
his term expired he was not reappoint.
ed, and the band was without leader
dntil the following March, when vii
| liam "a Santelmann was appointed.
In 1898 the band was again reorgan-
lied In order to bring II up to the
standing TO which it was entitled as
the leading military baud of this coun-
try q law was passed, which President
Mckinley signed March 3, 1898. in.
creaslng the band to seventy-three
members. consisting OF leader with
the pay and allowance OF 6lst lieu
tenant Of the marine corps, n second
leader at $40 month and allowances.
! thirty frat class musicians at $50.
thsrty Second class musicians at $50,
/ ten prirates and drum major The
members are enlisted for four years.
John B Coz In Washington Star.
Eo- &no nyLa.t,