In most cases, a fife and drum corps is a musical military unit that includes a fife, a type of flute, and a snare drum. This unit is frequently used to signal battlefield formations, advances, and attacks, as well as to provide music for marching troops. For each company of at least 100 soldiers, it was common practice to have a unit consisting of two fifes and two drummers. They entertained the troops joining the ranks and leading the march while playing motivational music and local favorites to lift the spirits of the marching troops.
A fife is a woodwind instrument with six sound holes default, though some versions may have ten or eleven for added volume. It’s usually made of wood, but it can also be made of metal. A rope tension snare drum is the type of drum used in classical fife and drum corps. In modern units, a bass drum can be used to a limited extent; however, this drum is typically used only in shows where the drummers remain stationary. The group usually only performs music written specifically for this type of ensemble.
The Revolutionary War period of dress was the focus of early American fife and drum corps competitions and performances. The players wore tricorn hats, waist coats, and knickers, which were period-correct and modeled after the uniforms worn soldiers at the time. A trio of wounded men, one with a fife, one with a drum, and the other with a flag, marching as they played is one of America’s oldest symbols depicting fife and drum players. This same group has also been depicted in American Civil War uniforms.
In modern fife and drum competitions in the United States, both Revolutionary War and Civil War uniforms are commonly worn, with Civil War-style clothing being worn more frequently. Some Civil War re-enactment groups include the unit in the battle, giving the battle scenes a more realistic feel. According to legend, the original Battle of the Bands® was won the drum and fife players at the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee. The bands from the North and the South, who were camped on opposite sides of the river, played increasingly louder music the night before the battle in an attempt to motivate the troops.