Images(2)

Fife

Date1770 to 1830

MediumFruitwood with Brass ferrules

DimensionsOL:16 5/8"
Inside bore: right end 11.3 mm, left end 9.9 mm
Outside bore: right end 17.2 mm, left end 16.5 mm
Ferrell width: 27.7 mm
Finger whole width: 7.8 mm
Embouchure hole: left to right 9.7 mm, furthest to closest 9.7 mm

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1935-260

DescriptionA fife with two brass ferrules, possibly of fruitwood. The ferrules are decorated with two pairs of incised lines.Label TextMilitary fifers played a vital role in maintaining an organized army. They signaled the daily routines for soldiers in camp, while on the march, and at the height of battle. The "duties" or "calls" performed by the drummers and accompanied by fifers awoke soldiers in the morning with reveille, announced mealtime with The Roast Beast of Old England, and ended the soldier’s day with tattoo. In 1768, military theorist Bennett Cuthbertson recommended that boys under the age of 14 be utilized as field musicians. Many young boys, generally between 10 and 18, served in this capacity during the Revolutionary War.

Fifers worked in tandem with drummers to help relay orders on the battlefield and in camp, adding melodic support with short tunes. One fifer and one drummer typically were deployed with a company of 75 officers and men. The high pitch of a fife alongside a drum could be heard by soldiers up to a mile away. Fifers helped maintain and boost morale while in camp, at ceremonies, and especially during long marches. Many of the tunes played by fifers during the Revolution, such as Chester, On the Road to Boston, Yankee Doodle, are still well known today.
Inscription(s)noneMark(s)noneProvenancePurchased from Stephan Van Rensselaer, an antiques dealer in Williamsburg, VA