Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-09
SMEDLEY SAYS THE INSPIRATION OF
MUSIC IS USED TO FULLEST EXTENT
IN TRAINING MEN FOR SOLDIER LIFE

buglers blow the mess call, and be-
fore dinner is over very frequently
the call for officers or some other
special call is heard a few times.
But at l O'Clock first call sounds
again, and then assembly. and ev-
eTybody turns out for the after
Moons work. The band comes over
to its place by our building and re-
peats the morning performance Of
accompanying the men unsteady
as they march out to drill. During
the afternoon the band practices
some more, SO as to keep in form.
Frequently they have special re-
hearsaIs of massed bands. when
eight or ten bands get together and
work under one leader. There is a
big divisional band being rehearsed
just now, which meets in our build
ing Tuesday and Thursday after
moons to practice. These men are
selected from all the bands, and as
they are the best of the musicians,
selected from several hundred
players, they make good music.
Not all the music Is ragtime or
marches, by any means. They work
at standard overtures and heavy
concert pieces, and get away with
them in good shape.
At 4:30 or 5 in the afternoon re-
call sounds again, and once more
the men are marched in by the
band.
Then comes guard mount, which
is really a miniature review, So far
as the ceremonial part of it goes.
The band marches itself out to the
center of the parade ground and
plays while the new guard. consist
ing of perhaps fifty or. sixty men,
marches on to the field. Then the
regular formal parade program is
followed out, the band marching in
review before the company, and
the company, after being inspected,
taking its turn at the reviewing.
Guard mount usually keeps the
band playing continuously for about
fifteen to twenty minutes.
AS soon as the guard is properly
mounted. the buglers sound for re-
treat. This is the time for the eY-
ening roll call and reading of or
AS soon as the roll call is complet-
ed the buglers break out in their
call ito the colors," one of the
finest bugle strains in the list. The
soldiers, stand at parade rest"
during the bugle call, and then the
band swings into THE Star Spang-
led Banner" while everyone stands
at salute, and as the hymn is play
ed, the regimental coIors are furled
for the night.
That may wind up the days work
for the band, or it may not. They
have frequent evening rehearsals,
and on several evenings a week
they give concerts, sometimes in
our buildings, sometimes outdoors,
and often downtown. But the
bugleTs are never through until
taps has blown. They have to stay
with the task, sounding for mess,
officers call, and other incidental
calls, until 8 o'clock, when tat
too" sounds. At 10 o'clock the
call to quarters" is blown, and at
1915 the plaintive strains Of taps"
sound out all over the camp, audi
Bile through the stiffness at great
distances, and after that the poor
bugler may go to sleep undisturbed,
unless fire or riot or some other
disturbance during the night should
give occasion for more music.
The music is a fine feature, and,
strange as it may seem, the men do
not seem to tire of II. We can al
ways get a crowd for a band con-
cert. And when a band is missing
for some reason or other, it certain
ly takes a lot of the enthusiasm
out of the work. For myself, ! get
rather "fed up" on it after a while.
Yesterday afternoon / was down in
Augusta, and some travelling min
strel show company was parading
with a band on the streets, and l
found that it didn't even attract me
to the extent of wondering what
tune they were playing.
My first morning in camp I dis
tinctly recall the pleasure I felt in
being awakened by the strains of
Onward, Christian Soldiers" play
ed by the band for morning music
For quite some time the pleasure
continued as / was aroused day by
day by the music of the band, now
in a martial air, again in a hymn,
and at other times in ragtime. But
Of late / have hardly known wheth-
er the band played or not. / can
sleep right through to the last
minute, even though the band
marches under my window with the
bass drum and the trombone doing
their worst But when the music
stops, ! know it is time to get up,
and | never miss the mess call.
We