The long tradition of the fife, drum and bugle as military signal instruments often overshadows its also long tradition as entertaining musical instruments. The Fife was particularly well-suited to jigs and reels so popular in early America. Fifes, drums and bugles were essential instruments to the military, being used not only to signal commands in battle but also to call out daily routines of camp life. The 10 fifes and 10 drummers of the regiment formed a corps that provided military music for reviews, parades and special ceremonies. The fife remained popular throughout the 18th century, into the early part of the 19th century. They played a reduced but still important role in the military actions of the American Civil War.
