Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1919-06-09
FOURTH INFANTRY
BAND IS HONORED
OVER ALL Of A.E.F.
Selected Out Of 4S in Army Of Oc.
cupaticn to March in London
on Empire Day.
|PREWI1T STILL LEADER

A41A A4A4A - Ia y
On Empire Day, May gath, picked regi-
ment from the Army Of Occupation in Ger
many paraded in London, representing the
United States ip that magnificent celebra-
ltion Of victory, as told in press dispatches
Ito The Herald at the time. What the press
| dispatches did not tell was that the band
that played that regiment through the his
toric streets and squares Of the capital Of
the British Empire was the Fourth Iafantry
band, stationed in Brownsville for nearly
two years before the war
The Fourth Infantry band was picked
from among as bands. in the Army Of Oc-
|cupation by competition This viii not sur
prise Brownsville residents who remember
Ithe playing Of the band here 1t il con-
Iceded to have been one Of the best that ever
occupied the bandstand ut Fort Brown. The
personnel Of the band has changed almost
Ientirely several times since II left here in
May, 1917 but the director is the same !:
James b. Prewitt, who was an enlisted
band leader here and Is now q second lieu
tenant F
Mr.. Prewitt made and remade the Fourth
Infantry hand several times while it was
stationed here, and has had to do it several
times since the regiment went abroad. His
skill and executive ability are such that he
has been able % recreate d splendid band
every time his best men were taken away
from hiu-for promotion or transfer to
newly forming or weaker organizations
Lieutenant Prewitt is well remembered
by Brownsville music lovers, but outside the
musical profession it il not known that he
was an honor graduates of the Institute Of
Musical Art in New York City, with an
average for the course of $50 per cent and
was the winner of one OF five scholarships
loffered there.
In letter to friend In Brownsville.
Miss Penepole Peterson, instructor in music
and dramatic art, dated May is, 1919, and
just received, Lieutenant Prewitt says:
II will be In London in few days. The
Fourth Infantry band has been selected to
accompany n picked regiment to that city
70 rthe Empire Day parade, to represent
the United States.
This picked regiment was made up of
men selected from the 1st, End, 3rd, 4th
and 9th regular divisions of the Army
Of Occupation, and it il one fine regiment
known as the Third Army Composite Regi-
ment
THE selection of band was made by
Icompetition. Each division was ordered to
send band to Coblenz for the competi-
tion
"Our division, the 3rd, selected the
Fourth Infantry band to represent the di-
vision-they thought it the best band.
presume. Having been selected was en-
owered to draw men from the other bands
in the division to complete the instrumen-
tation of As men for the contest. There
are eight bands in division. I had one
day i'm which to do this after we had been
chosen.
1--WE went to Coblenz and in the usual
Fourth infantry manner won the competi-
ton and viii accompany the crack regi-
ment to England. Brownsville people might
be interested to know that the Fourth IN
lfantry band is still going concern.
| "Also, incidentally, l have lost my high
and exalted rank as band leader and am
now only common second lieutenant, of
course still directing the band passed
the examining board at Paris last August
and went to Chaumont last month and was
commissioned on April 10. (Note: AT Chau-
mont was the training school for band lead
ers Of the A.E-F., where those who sue
cessfully passed professional and personal
examinations were commissioned
II am not certain of returning to Ger
many after the London trip. We may be
sent home soon rs there are rumors that
all Of the army of occupation will be with
drawn next month.
when get back to the United States
/ will endeavor to make a trip down
4 Brownsville way and see all my friends.
"Our home station is to be Camp Lee,
! Richmond, Va. When we get home will
have job reorganizing the band again as
most of the men l now have will be dis
charged ! believe that the Fourth Infant
Try bands London trip as well as their war
record will make this easier. However,
am now an expert at reorganizing, as that
Is practically all have done since have
had bandr'
1 Lieutenant Prewitt's address when he
wrote the letter was Army Postoffice TAO,
A.E.F.