In Civil War movies they always show people beating drums before and/or during an attack. What was the original purpose of these ‘war drums’?
To provide a method of communication that could be heard, even over the din of battle. The most common devices or instruments were drums and horns. Loud, fairly simple to learn. For large formations, the beat of the drums can be used to help synchronize the actual pace of the maneuver that is being ordered–faster for quick-step or double-time marching, slower for standard paces. In addition, drums can be played constantly while horns are subject to the trumpeter or buglist getting winded. (Note that the drummers are frequently adolescent (or younger) boys.)
[slight hijack]I’ve read that General Sherman called for “the long roll” when his camp(s) at Shiloh were attacked. I believe that the long roll meant “assembly” or “fall in”, but does any one know if the long roll was a continuous roll or was it of some set length that would be repeated? Oh and is it the same as “beat to quarters”? [/end hijack]