Music of The American Civil War - On The Battlefield

On The Battlefield

Whole songs were sometimes played during battles. The survivors of the disastrous Pickett's Charge returned under the tune Nearer My God to Thee. At the Battle of Five Forks, Union musicians under orders from Sheridan played Nelly Bly while being shot at on the front lines. Samuel P. Heintzelman, the commander of the III Corps, saw many of his musicians standing at the back lines at the Battle of Williamsburg, and ordered them to play anything. Their music rallied the Union forces, forcing the Confederate to withdraw. It was said that music was the equivalent of "a thousand men" on one's side. Robert E. Lee himself said, "I don't think we could have an army without music."

Sometimes, musicians were ordered to leave the battlefront and assist the surgeons. One notable time was the 20th Maine's musicians at Little Round Top. As the rest of the regiment were driving back wave after wave of Confederates, the musicians of the regiment were not just performing amputations, but doing it in a very quick manner.