Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-10
WHEN BANDSMEN WERE HEROES
On Raging Sea and Battlefield the Musician
Has Splendid Record.


Great and powerful is the infiu
ence which the musician can wiel'
over a crowd in time Of emergency
The matchless manner in which tn
orchestra of the illfated Titanic In
spired the hundreds on the deck o.
the vessel to meet the end which wa
inevitable gave the average man al
idea of the high sense Of responsibibii'
ity to which a musician may attain
The heroism of Bandmaster Hartley
of Jack Hume, of Fred Clark and TN
other five men who went down WIFI
the ship has been the subject of eulo
gy wherever men came together ane
talked Of the catastrophe.
To many the bravery Of the banc
seemed unique, but in army and navy
circles and among musicians them
selves the affair resulted in the re-
calling of other instances of heroism
which make it clear that 1t Is rather
the exception for trained artists c
fail 10 rise to an emergency that moi
to do full justice to their opportunity
''The idea that a band is purely
ornamental organization is surprising
ly prevalent" says Major +. II. +
Ebstein, a veteran with long years o.
service in the United States army be-
hind him, who is now collector o'
taxes for the city of New York. "Ye'
the records Of both branches OF the
service abound in instances in which
musicians have distinguished them
selves on the field Of battle. The
standard of valor among men in the
bands belonging to the United STATES
army and navy is fully as high as
that of the regular fighting men. In
fact. my observation has been that
the artistic temperament Of the train
ed musician, combined with the disci-
pline to which he must subject him.
self. combines to equip him to rise TO
an opportunity better than the aver
age regular"
Major Ebstein is in a better posi-
ton to speak on the subject than any
one else in the city. A veteran OF
many Indian conflicts and man who
rendered great service to his country
in the Spanish American war, he has
always been particularly interested in
the men in the bands Of the army
He has had opportunity to witness
their conduct in every kind Of emer-
gency, and the result Of his expert
ence among all classes Of players OF
the same spirit which animated the
heroic eight who went down in the
White Star vessel.
Far from desiring to escape In
time of danger, the army musician Is
apt to resort to extraordinary meas
ures to get on the field of battle" said
Major Ebstein. "One Of the most re-
markable instances of this occurred
i'm the Spanish-American war, when
the members of the Twenty-first in
fantry band begged in vain to be TAX
en- to the front of the fighting. and
when the chance was officially denied
them, resorted to strategy to get into
the fray"
Major Ebstein recounted a story of
the heroism of the 32 men who, al
the time Of the outbreak of hostii-
ties with Spain, constituted the most
famous band Of musicians in the
United States service. The Twenty
first infantry band was the favorite
musical organization Of President NC
Kinley. He conceived the idea OF
having a collection Of army musicians
who should be famous throughout the
country, and gathering the best men
in the service together, he secured T.
C. Clarke, a man noted as a player
and leader, to leave famous private
organization to enter the United
States army Clarke took hold OF the
musicians and raised their technique
to the very highest standard.
In consequence of the partially
which was shown them, the regular
soldiers in the Twenty-first crew rath-
er jealous of their band, and even be-
fore war was declared against Spain
sthey were called coffee coolers" ar
army term signifying something worse
than tin soldiers. When the inter
vention in Cuba was finally announced
a loud laugh went up from the infan-
trymen, who assumed that the musi.
clans would be put in their places
and that fighting men would at las
come into their own. The band was
ordered to accompany the regiment tc
10, hnHy
there they were forced to put up witt
the good -natured gibes of the rest o.
the regiment.
We'll" said a sergeant to E. G
Clarke, well soon be leaving you be-
hind. There'll be bullets whistline
around to make music for us and we
won't need any tin horns or bas:
drums
In this they reckoned without the
spirit of Mr.. Clarke. In lengthy eX
perience as a musician he had always
proven capable of rising to an emer
gency, and. calling his men together
he said:
Boys, the crowd thinks that We
aren't going to get a smell OF rea
powder smoke. They count on leav'
ing US in the rear when the frs
scrimmage opens. I want to ask yol
If you would be satisfied with any sucf
state of affairs"
Not on your life" came the unan
imous vote.
II have some slight influence will
the war department" said Mr.. Clarke
IF l sent a telegram to a certain
party in Washington tonight ] would
not be surprised If 1 could get batcf
of rifes-one for every man of us
If they come down here will you b'
willing to put in some hours of quie
drill in order to learn how to us'
them"
There was a general shout of as
sent. and that night Mr.. Clarke sen
his telegram and on the next train 3:
bright and efficient looking Krags ar
rived. They were carefully unwrap