Use of whistles in American Civil War

[Ginny]

Hello,

Am new here and have a big question...so am hoping someone can help.

Were whistles, particularly wooden whistles, used during the American Civil War...especially by the Confederates...for purposes of communication regarding sending out warnings of approaching enemy, or used to simply communicate certain information??

Would greatly appreciate any replies and thanks again for this interesting website.

Ginny

[lixnaw]

i only know they had lead inside them, so they where quiet heavy and intoxicating.

[Walden]

Hello,

Am new here and have a big question...so am hoping someone can help.

Were whistles, particularly wooden whistles, used during the American Civil War...especially by the Confederates...for purposes of communication regarding sending out warnings of approaching enemy, or used to simply communicate certain information??

Would greatly appreciate any replies and thanks again for this interesting website.

Ginny

This subject has been discussed in the Forum, some time back. I know of no concrete evidence of whistles being used in this way. It is stated in this article [ http://members.iinet.net.au/~nickl/torture2.html ] that rec***ers were used during the War of Secession. Having not examined the primary source, or even the work cited in this article, I can say nothing more than that. It is possible that these were actually pennywhistles, as rec***ers were archaic instruments at the time.

Someone linked a museum photo to this Board, of fifes used in the War, that appeared to show pennywhistles, but the picture left room for doubt.

[Chuck_Clark]

Ginny

First, welcome!

Despite several years of chasing this topic, I've found no evidence in either picture or narrative form, of pennywhistles being used by either side in the ACW. The fife, of course, was common and in the same key of D, so the fife music from that period is playable on whistle. The earliest whistles that seem to turn up in the US don't seem to be any earlier than the early Twentieth Century, though of course they were known in Ireland and England so it's entirely possible there were a few around.

I actually play a lot of stuff from that period, and not only fife pieces. A lot of the popular music of the period, especially that of Stephen Foster, is highly suitable for the whistle.

Might I ask the reason for the question? If it's for reenactment purposes, I really doubt if their use in a campsite setting would be challenged, if for no other reason than the authenticity Nazis being no more able to prove they weren't used than you being able to prove they were. You could probably even get away with them on the march subbing for a fife unless you ran into a real stickler for authenticity. One hint, though. If you are going to use it in such a way, a wood-plugged conical whistle like a Cooperman or unpainted Clarke Original would be the best bet . They're also cheap, so you won't be broken-hearted if they get damaged.

As for their use in battle, it's a pretty good bet that they wouldn't have been used due to lower volume. Signals in battle were given by drums and bugles, not fifes or whistles.

[alex]

The earliest whistles that seem to turn up in the US don't seem to be any earlier than the early Twentieth Century, though of course they were known in Ireland and England so it's entirely possible there were a few around.

I'm going to have to beg to differ on that. They were available in the 1830's in the US, and earlier. I know quite a few historical interpretors at a living history museum (<A HREF="http://www.osv.org" target="_blank">Old Sturbridge Village</A>) who use them as part of their interpretation of 19th century music. They weren't manufactured here, but they were here. To quote my mom, the statement that they weren't here till the 20th century is "full of sh*t"... tho I think she was more annoyed that I'm delaying our running of errands to reply to something on one of my "tinwhistle boards"...

In fact, they were one of the more common simple instruments around. There were at least two books published in New York in the 1790's that were designed for it, or as it was called, "the German flute"; source: The Tinwhistle Tunebook published by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. So that leads us to the late 18th century for use of the tinwhistle in the US.

[Jerry Freeman]

As a matter of curiosity, of what were the earliest tinwhistles (late 18th century) made? If made from tin or tinplate, where did it come from? It's my understanding that the development of mass production methods of making tinplated steel sheets was what made mass production tinwhistles like the Clarke Original possible.

I'm not challenging the accuracy of your statement, just looking for further information.

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Walden]

In fact, they were one of the more common simple instruments around. There were at least two books published in New York in the 1790's that were designed for it, or as it was called, "the German flute"; source: The Tinwhistle Tunebook published by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. So that leads us to the late 18th century for use of the tinwhistle in the US.

The term German flute was used of transverse flutes. Have you any evidence beyond book titles? I doubt not that there were probably six-hole fipple flutes... it seems likely. But I'd like more to go on than modern publications of Colonial Williamsburg, or the insert of a Cooperman tinwhistle.

[alex]

Have you any evidence beyond book titles? I doubt not that there were probably six-hole fipple flutes... it seems likely. But I'd like more to go on than modern publications of Colonial Williamsburg, or the insert of a Cooperman tinwhistle.

I have the evidence of many talented historians and musicians who use the tinwhistle as an accurate representation of an instrument used by Americans in the 19th century. While I'm not immediately aware of their sources, I will ask.

A quick search of the net shows that according to <A HREF="http://www.thewhistleshop.com/beginners ... y.htm">The Whistle Shop</A>, Clarke first made his tinwhistles in 1843. Pulling out my Clarke tinwhistle book, they were in America and popular by at least 1868, when the book quotes a letter re: whistles.

As far as materials, I'd assume tinplate or tin, which was mined mostly in Cornwall. Tinsmithing was a well-known trade in 19th century America, and tinplate was mass-produced in Wales at the port city of Swansea by the 1740's. (<A HREF="http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/GLA/Sw ... l#tinplate" target="_blank">source</A>)

[Jerry Freeman]

Thanks for the excellent research, Alex. I'll go straightaway and correct some text to accomodate this information.

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Martin Milner]

I've found no evidence in either picture or narrative form, of pennywhistles being used by either side in the ACW.

I saw a pennywhistle being played in the film "Glory", and that was filmed during the American Civil War, so there.

[Jerry Freeman]

If you are going to use it in such a way, a wood-plugged conical whistle like a Cooperman or unpainted Clarke Original would be the best bet.

Shaws, I think, would also fit in well. They're similar in design, unfinished metal, wood fipple plug.

[Chuck_Clark]

I've found no evidence in either picture or narrative form, of pennywhistles being used by either side in the ACW.

I saw a pennywhistle being played in the film "Glory", and that was filmed during the American Civil War, so there.

Go back to sleep, Martin.

Alex

I don't doubt that there were a few about and I bellieve I even conceded as much in my original reply to Ginny. Given the intense immigration and commercial trade from the British Isles between 1820 and 1860, if they were being made in England it would be inconceivable that none were in the US. I stand, however, on my original statement that I have never found a single shred of documentation of their use by either side in the Civil War.

By the way, I've been to Old Sturbridge Village, some years ago. Very impressive place. I was there on a slow weekday and I found the interpreters to be extremely informative and hospitable.

[rebl_rn]

When I re-enacted (as a confederate of course) the whistle was accepted in camp, but I doubt that it would've been used on the battlefield or marching (or sending signals) because, as others have said, of the volume problem. It may not make it past the hard-core guys, but it's not too farby either. Of course, if you're playing tunes on them, and you're trying hard for authenticity, make sure the tunes were around back then - most IrTrad were, of course, but you'll always be hearing musicians playing Ashokan Farewell or other more modern tunes in camp because they were in a movie or something.

[madfifer9]

The fife, of course, was common and in the same key of D, so the fife music from that period is playable on whistle.

The bell note of most fifes is Bb. When you play a written D on the fife, fingered like a D on the whistle, you actually hear a Bb. The music for the fife is written mostly in the key of D. Fifes of the period were six holed, and the fingerings are the same as whistles in the lower two octaves. The third octave, however, has different fingerings. We do sometimes signal the troops with reveille, tattoo, breakfast and dinner call, fatigue call, surgeon's call, etc, but on the battlefield, the bugles do the signalling of the battle commands.

I play my unpainted Clarke at reenactments when I'm not fifing. I like it because it has "1843" stamped prominently on it. Oh, and it sounds good, too. Nice with the mandolin.

Linda S.
madfifer9

[alex]

I saw a pennywhistle being played in the film "Glory", and that was filmed during the American Civil War, so there.

Go back to sleep, Martin.

LOL Time travel filmmaking.

Alex
I don't doubt that there were a few about and I bellieve I even conceded as much in my original reply to Ginny. Given the intense immigration and commercial trade from the British Isles between 1820 and 1860, if they were being made in England it would be inconceivable that none were in the US. I stand, however, on my original statement that I have never found a single shred of documentation of their use by either side in the Civil War.

By the way, I've been to Old Sturbridge Village, some years ago. Very impressive place. I was there on a slow weekday and I found the interpreters to be extremely informative and hospitable.

Use by either side? Now do you mean... were soldiers playing them when not getting killed, or using them as ummm... I dunno... things to hit the enemy with when they ran out of musketballs? LOL Cuz I can certainly agree that they would be useless as signalling instruments. But stuffing one up the nose of the enemy would certainly work on the battlefield. I totally doubt as well its use as a signalling instrument, but I have little doubt they were there being used as entertainment in camp. A small, portably, easy to play instrument, c'mon, perfect for wartime, especially when the alternative is carting a piano around!

OSV is the best. My mom's been there about ten years now, and it seems most every holiday has a wayward interpretor or two at our dinnertable.

As far as good period pieces for the Civil War era, I'd suggest a reprint of The Drummers' and Fifer's Guide by George B. Bruce and Dan D. Emmett, printed in 1861 - completely period tunes in the correct key for fife. Lots of marches, obviously, but also other fun stuff. Unfortunately out of print but still findable with enough luck. I got a reprint edition maybe five/six years ago at OSV. <A HREF="http://www.civilwarmusic.net/resources.php">link for civil war music</A> <A HREF="http://www.osv.org/Gifts/cgi-bin/ShowIt ... 6675">link for tin whistle tune book</A>