Col. Seth Warner's
Extra-Continental Regiment

Battlefield Signals

     Returns and muster rolls clearly indicate that Warner's Regiment had musicians during the entirety of their service.  General John Stark mentions in his memoirs "Colonel Warner's drums at the same time gave notice of his approach" at the engagement at Bennington which we are taking as evidence the Regiment has used drums on the battlefield. 
     Simes² and later, von Steuben³ have listed specific drum signals for maneuvering on the field.  However, there is great debate of how musical signals were actually used in the field. A number of signals which while useful for training or on parade, they certainly would be less than practical for combat situations.  Anyone with military experience will attest what is written in the manuals does not always translate effectively to the battlefield.  Regardless, Samuel Dewees⁴ notes in his journal:

In going into battle it was customary for the Drum and Fife Majors to send a Field Drummer and Field Fifer along and among their duties this one, the beating a signal tune for an "advance," another as a "retreat" and a third as a "parley," etc.

    A careful reading of von Steuben and Dewees seems to indicate there was no standardized tune for the Advance and Withdraw signals.  Tunes appear to be chosen on a Regiment by Regiment basis so signals could be used for Regiment sized elements on the battlefield. 
     Based the available information, Warner's Regiment (re-created) has decided to utilize minimal drum and fife signals for simple Company and Battalion level maneuvers, particularly when deploying in linear formations.  Clicking on the call will play the beat or tune associated with the duty call.

Beat or Call	Meaning & Action
Preparative5 Double Preparative	Fire by platoons Fire by Company or Battalion (depending on the size of the unit)
The Harriot6	To advance the Battalion (or Company)
The Gobby-O7	To withdraw the Battalion (or Company)
The General8	To Cease Fire, Prime & Load,  and Shoulder Firelocks
The Parley9	To halt the engagement for negotiation.  Officers frequently use a cocked hat placed on a sword as a visual signal of Parley.

 

¹ Memoir and Official Correspondence of Gen. John Stark, With Notices of Several Other Officers of the Revolution, by Caleb Stark.  Published by G. Parker Lyon, Concord, MA.  1860.

² Military Guide for Young Officers, by Thomas Simes.  Published by J. Humphries, R. Bell, & R. Aitken, Philadelphia.  1776

³ Regulations for the order and discipline of the troops of the United States, by Baron de Steuben.  Boston, 1794.  Reprinted by Dover Publications, New York, 1985

⁴ History of the Life and Services of Captain Samuel Dewees.  By John Smith Hanna.  Published by Robert Neilson, Baltimore.  1844

⁵  A collection of standardized fife tunes and drum accompaniment from the period 1775-1783 as used by the Brigade of the American Revolution, edited by Ray Hauley, William C. Bub, and W.H. Frueh.  Brigade of the American Revolution, 1988.  p. C-7

⁶ A collection of standardized fife tunes and drum accompaniment from the period 1775-1783 as used by the Brigade of the American Revolution, edited by Ray Hauley, William C. Bub, and W.H. Frueh.  Brigade of the American Revolution, 1988.  p. M-4

⁷  This tune was alternately known as Wilkes & Liberty in Great Britain, and Jefferson & Liberty after the War for American Independence.

⁸ A collection of standardized fife tunes and drum accompaniment from the period 1775-1783 as used by the Brigade of the American Revolution, edited by Ray Hauley, William C. Bub, and W.H. Frueh.  Brigade of the American Revolution, 1988.  p. C-7

⁹ A collection of standardized fife tunes and drum accompaniment from the period 1775-1783 as used by the Brigade of the American Revolution, edited by Ray Hauley, William C. Bub, and W.H. Frueh.  Brigade of the American Revolution, 1988.  p. C-8