The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-01
THE Marine BAND
history of Uncle Sans Famous
Musical Organization.
STARTED BY A KIDNAPPING.

Tradition Says That the Original band
Was Spirited Away From Sunny
Sicily by Captain Mcneil of the
! American Frisste 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 tL White House. and is
always assigned the post of honor in
notable parades. Indeed, it is the
lsblest and most famous military band
IN the country.
There is an interesting tradition that
/ The original Marine band was kidnap-
ed from the sunny slopes Of Sicily.
The story goes that one Captain Me-
/ Nell of the American fsigate Boston
was cruising In the Mediterranean,
when his soul yearned for the sound
If real music, an art that had been
little developed in this young republic.
When ashore he heard a regimental
Iband play so tunefully that the hum
Did seadog became inspired. The In
spiration was promptly put into eXecu'
ton In his suavest manner he IN
rited the Siciians aboard his ship to
piay for "a ball" The invitation was
accepted with ulacrlty, 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 1t expedient to return
10 the United States so it was up
anchor and away before the aston
shed Sicilians could protest There Is
mo authentic record Of what became
IF this band of Italian musicians. as
many of the marine corps archives
were destroyed in 1914.
The official records do show, how
ever, that shortly after the marine
corps was organized, probably in 1901.
Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Hender-
son brought from Naples a group or
thirteen Italian musicians, which was
The inception of the organization as
an instrumental band.
An act to establish marine corps
vas approved by President John
Adams on July II. 179S. This law
provided for drum and fife corps
consisting of sixteen drummers and
sixteen flfers, one OF whom should act
as fife 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
then another acted as fife major. This
practice continued until Aug. Il. 1919,
when ]. L. Club, of the sloop Lexing-
ton. was regularly appointed and
served until 1924 He was succeeded
by Eutine Friquet, who served until
Oct. %, 1880. when Francis Schenlg
was appointed, serving until Sept y.
.s43. schenig was relieved by Francis
Scala, who served until 1S4S and again
rom 1854 until Dec. 13, 1871.
1t was under Scala's leadership that
the band first became famous. He In
nugurated the open air concerts at the
White House and the capitol grounds.
for which congress allowed extra com.
pensation in 1856. These concerts
grew In such favor that steps were
undertaken TO improve the organiza-
ton. which was still officially known
as a fife and drum corps Legislation
was obtained to reorganiZe 1t MS
band. with 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 its leader.
He was succeeded by Henry Fries,
who served until Aug %, 1878. Louis
Schneider was appointed Sept z 1875
serving until Oct %. 1880. On Oct.
30. 1880, John Philip Sousa was chosen
leader. Spusa 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'
listment he gave the name of Sousa,
which he continued to use thereafter,
Sousa left the service July 30, 1897,
to organize n band of his own. ana
Francesca Fanciulli was appointed.
He served until Oct. 3, 1897. When
his term expired he was not reappoint'
ed. and the band was without leader
until the following March, when VIII
liam II. Santelmann was appointed.
In 1898 the band was again reorgan-
lied. In order to bring it up to the
standing to which it was entitled an
the leading military band of this coun'
Try law was passed, which President
Mckinley signed March 3, 1898, in
creasing the band to seventy-three
members. consisting OF a leader with
the pay and allowance OF first lieu
tenant of the marine corps, a second
header at S75 n month and allowances,
thirty first class musicians at SEQ,
thirty second class musicians at $50.
ten privates and drum major. The
nembers are enlisted for four years.
John .. Cox in Washington Star.