Table Of ContentMusic of the Civil War Era
Recent Titles in
American History through Music
David J. Brinkman, Series Editor
Music of the Counterculture Era
James E. Perone
Music of the Civil War Era
Steven H. Cornelius
American History through Music
David J. Brinkman, Series Editor
GREENWOOD PRESS
Westport, Connecticut • London
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cornelius, Steven, 1952-
Music of the Civil War era / Steven H. Cornelius.
p. cm.—(American history through music)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-313-32081-0 (alk. paper)
1. United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Music and the war. 2. Music—
United States—19th century—Social aspects. I. Title. II. Series.
ML3551.4.C67 2004
7801.973*09034—dc22 2004042531
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available.
Copyright © 2004 by Steven H. Cornelius
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be
reproduced, by any process or technique, without the
express written consent of the publisher.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2004042531
ISBN: 0-313-32081-0
First published in 2004
Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
www.greenwood.com
Printed in the United States of America
®
The paper used in this book complies with the
Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National
Information Standards Organization (Z39.48-1984).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 21
For my great-great-great-uncle Casper A. Kessenich,
my grandfather Harry E. Kessenich, and my father Rupert G. Cornelius.
BEAT! BEAT! DRUMS!
Beat! beat! drums!—Blow! bugles! blow!
Through the windows—through doors—burst like a force of ruthless
men,
Into the solemn church, and scatter the congregation;
Into the school where the scholar is studying:
Leave not the bridegroom quiet—no happiness must he have now with
his bride;
Nor the peaceful farmer any peace, plowing his field or gathering his
grain;
So fierce you whirr and pound, you drums—so shrill you bugles blow.
Beat! beat! drums!—Blow! bugles! blow!
Over the traffic of cities—over the rumble of wheels in the streets:
Are beds prepared for sleepers at night in the houses? No sleepers
must sleep in those beds;
No bargainers' bargains by day—no brokers or speculators—Would
they continue?
Would the talkers be talking? would the singer attempt to sing?
Would the lawyer rise in the court to state his case before the judge?
Then rattle quicker, heavier drums—you bugles wilder blow.
Beat! beat! drums!—Blow! bugles! blow!
Make no parley—stop for no expostulation;
Mind not the timid—mind not the weeper or prayer;
Mind not the old man beseeching the young man;
Let not the child's voice be heard, nor the mother's entreaties;
Make even the trestles to shake the dead, where they lie awaiting the
hearses,
So strong you thump, O terrible drums—so loud you bugles blow.
—Walt Whitman, Drum-Taps
Contents
Series Foreword ix
Preface xi
1. Antebellum America l
2. Music in Everyday Life 25
3. African Americans in Civil War Music 117
4. Urban and Concert Music 157
5. The War's End, and Forward 215
6. Musicians of the Civil War Era 231
7. Dictionary of Civil War-Era Music 243
Notes 251
Bibliography 269
Song Index 281
Subject Index 287
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Series Foreword
The elements of music are well known. They include melody, rhythm, har
mony, form, and texture. Music, though, has infinite variety. Exploring this
variety in the music of specific time periods, such as the Colonial and Rev
olutionary Period, the Roaring Twenties, and the Counterculture Era, is the
purpose of the "American History through Music" series. The authors of
each volume describe the music in terms of its basic elements, but more
importantly, focus on how the social, economic, political, technological, and
religious influences shaped the music of that particular time. Each volume
in the series not only describes the music of a particular era but the ways
in which the music reflected societal concerns. For these purposes, music
is defined inclusively; this series considers such diverse musical genres as
classical, folk, jazz, rock, religious, and theater music, as each of these genres
serve as both reflections of society and as illustrations of how music influ
ences society.
Perhaps the most important conclusion that readers will draw from this
series is that music does not exist independently of society. Listeners have
enjoyed music throughout time for its aesthetic qualities, but music has also
been used to convey emotions and ideas. It has been used to enhance pa
triotic rituals, and to maintain order in social and religious ceremonies. The
"American History through Music" series attempts to put these and other
uses of music in an historical context. For instance, how did music serve as
