TIMOTHY McCALL
BY TIMOTHY McCALL
This Fife and Drum duo signaled the 150th Memorial Day observance at Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery May 28, 2018 at Lake and Cedar Avs. Fifes, an ancient instrument have been in use by armies (in its modern form) since the 16th century. Fifes originally accompanied companies of men providing music on the march, usually songs from home. Drums have always had a military role going far back into history when drummers and fifers to signaled preparatory alerts and execution signals as well as times of days for the troops; when to rise in the morning and retire at night, when to eat, when to assemble, and to sound an alarm. It became customary for each company of 100 or so men to be assigned 2 fifers and 2 drummers to sound signals, hours and alarms, as well as play popular music on the march. This pattern was also practiced in the U.S. services from the Revolutionary War up until the late 19th Century. The fife and drum here were part of two dozen Union Army 1st Regiment Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Re-Enactors on Monday May 28. In historic appropriateness they were joined by the Seward Community Band to set the cadence and mood of the event”'s speeches and patriotic traditions in remembrance of military personnel who “gave their last full measure of devotion” for their country.
TIMOTHY McCALL
