This is a listing of the daily calls sounded by musicians in camp.

Click on the linked title of a call to download it, then open it in RealPlayer.

  Standard Camp Duty

5:45am - Drummer's Call ~~ Also known as First Call, this is beaten by the lead drummer 15 minutes prior to duty. It assembles the other musicians and warns the troops to get ready. All of the drummers then beat the second call for formation.

6:00am - Reveille ~~ Probably one of the the most despised calls of all, this is used to waken the troops. It is a series of several tunes which creates basically an alarm clock than rings for five minutes straight.

7:00am - Breakfast Call: "Peas upon a Trencher" ~~ This is the signal for breakfast, allowing the men to eat their morning meal.

8:00am - Surgeon's Call ~~ Also known as Sick Call, it summons the sick to the designated noncommissioned officer who then leads them to the hospital.

8:30am - Drill Call ~~ As its name suggests, this is to call the men to drill.

9:30am - Drummer's Call

9:45am - Assembly of the Guard, Adjutant's Call, 3 Cheers - a few tunes - 3 Cheers ~~ Assembly of the Guard forms the troops by company, Adjutant's Call brings the companies to line, and then a small dress parade is performed with the tunes. The guard is then taken to its post.

11:45am - Drummer's Call

12:00pm - Dinner Call: "Roast Beef" ~~ This is the signal for dinner, allowing the men to eat their midday meal.

1:00pm - Pioneer's Call (or Fatigue) ~~ Here, fatigue parties come out to police the quarters and parade grounds. It is also played to drum disorderly women out of camp.

1:45pm - Drummer's Call

2:00pm - Drill Call, To the Color ~~ Notifies the troops of drill and to form by battalion.

5:45pm - Drummer's Call

6:00pm - Assembly, Adjutant's Call, 3 Cheers - a few tunes - 3 Cheers ~~ Assembly forms the troops by company, Adjutant's Call brings the companies to line, and then dress parade is performed with the tunes.

6:45pm - Drummer's Call

7:00pm - Supper Call: "Peas upon a Trencher" ~~ This is the signal for supper, allowing the men to eat their evening meal.

8:00pm - Assembly ~~ Forms the men by company, and in this instance the First Sergeant takes roll call.

9:30pm - Tattoo ~~ A series of 6-8 tunes, the choice of the tunes chosen by the lead musician. It is to signal the time when no soldier is to be out of his quarters.

10:30pm - Taps to Extinguish Lights ~~ This is three distinct taps on the drum as a signal to put out all the lights.

 

 

Irregular Calls

Sundays at 1:45pm - Church Call: The Parley ~~ Used to summon the men for religious services.

Signal Truce with Enemy - The Parley ~~ Played when a conference with the enemy is desired.

Assemble Troops Hastily for Battle - The Long Roll ~~ All of the drummers beat a continuous roll, signaling the troops to prepare as quickly as possible for some type of action.

Drumming Someone Out Of Camp - "The Rogue's March" ~~ A tune played when a defiant soldier is kicked out of the army. He is stripped of all the markings of a soldier and lead out of camp.

Funeral - In this event, the field musicians were to play one of several funeral marches.

Break Camp - The General ~~ On a day when the men will be leaving their camp, this tune was played in place of Reveille. On the last note, the tent poles are pulled and the camp collapses.

Marching Away From Camp - "The Girl I Left Behind Me" ~~ Traditionally played when departing a city or camp.

 

 

Some Other Calls Commence Firing Cease Firing First Sergeant's Call Sergeant's Call Corporal's Call

Drum Cadences* Quick Step #1 Biddy Oats (Army 2/4) The Corkonian (Army 6/8) Quick Step #8 *These cadences are to be played in an "A-A-B-B" fashion, however, in these samples they are played only as "A-B" to save file size.

Notes
"Roast Beef" and "Peas upon a Trencher" are taken from The Camp Chase Fifes and Drums, Vol. I.

Assembly, The General, Surgeon's Call, and Three Cheers are taken from The Camp Chase Fifes and Drums, Vol. II.

To the Color and "The Rogue's March" are taken from The Camp Chase Fifes and Drums, Vol. III.

**Music performed by The Camp Chase Fifes and Drums is used with permission.**

Drummer's Call, Taps to Extinguish Lights, The Long Roll, Commence Firing, Cease Firing, First Sergeant's Call, Sergeant's Call, Corporal's Call, Quick Step #1, Biddy Oats, The Corkonian, and Quick Step #8 are performed by the webmaster, Paul Boccadoro.

"The Girl I Left Behind Me" is performed by the National Regiment field music.