Sound of Fife and Drums to Fill the Stepney Green

Written by Lee Hossler

The beat of drums and the whistle of fifes from the Connecticut Blues Fife and Drum Corps will be heard on the Stepney Green, intersection of Routes 25 and 59, as part of Monroe’s Civil War Commemoration, Saturday, September 14th beginning at 1:00pm. The Corps will perform a medley of Civil War songs and provide accompaniment for various readings and Monroe’s Civil War Veterans Roll Call.

The development of fifing and drumming is difficult to locate, however military fifes and drums in their most recognizable form first appeared in Switzerland in the early 1300s. According to Jim Pace and Brian Seibel of the Union Volunteers Fife and Drum Corp, Buffalo, NY, Fife and drum music came to America with the British army during colonial times. In European and American armies, the music was also used to entertain the troops as well as helping the men march in an organized fashion. It soon became an increasingly important part of everyday military protocol. The use of the fife and drum to communicate commands in the field as well as regulate the soldiers’ life in camp became its primary function throughout the time period of the Civil War.

Jim further explains, “the music of the fife and drum corps had three main roles: Tactical, including signals to march, halt, charge, retreat, march at double time, quick time, wheel and fire, etc. Camp Duty to regulate the camp routine from reveille and dinner to tattoo and lights out. And, for Ceremonial use for formal parades, entertainment of troops or dignitaries and funeral rites.”

American Civil War Union and Confederate companies (approximately 100 men) had two musicians: one drummer and one fifer. Fifers and drummers played only for their own companies when on detached duty or on a guard service. Regimental or battalion levels had a fife and drum corps consisting of 10 fifers and 10 drummers drawn from each company by the Drum Major. The Drum Major and Fife Major were noncommissioned officers who were responsible for selecting, training and organizing the corps. Field musicians were also used as stretcher bearers as well as aides to the medical staff.

Light artillery and cavalry primarily used buglers for the camp duties and tactical calls as performed by their counterparts in the infantry fife and drum corps. It is estimated that approximately 40,000 musicians served in the ranks of the two armies during the years of the American Civil War, sustaining their share of casualties. As the range and deadly effectiveness of the armaments improved and field communications modernized, the usefulness of traditional field music and musicians rapidly diminished.

As part of Monroe’s commemoration, the Connecticut Blues Fife and Drum Corp will bring to life civil war music of the Union and Confederate regiments on the Stepney Green in full uniform. The Corps was organized in 1975 in Middletown, Connecticut. Since that time, the Blues have developed into one of the finest marching musical units in New England. Playing music from the Revolutionary War up through the Civil War, the Blues' repertoire also includes Irish jigs and reels, sea chanteys and songs of the early West along with some classical selections performed by the fife section. The Fife and Drum Corps was founded by Jon Ressler and is under the direction of Terry Cecil. Fife Major is Sue Marvin Fournier with Cliff Barrows in charge of the drum line.


The Connecticut Blues' uniforms are exact replicas of those worn by the 1875 U.S. Army Infantry, and in 1980 the Blues received an award for Most Authentic Uniforms by the Company of Military Historians.

The corps has also been active on the competition circuit and was the 1997 Connecticut Senior Ancient Fife and Drum Champions. Also in 1997, members of the Connecticut Blues received awards for Senior Drum Quartet, Senior Snare Drum and Senior Bass Drum Championships. Many other members of the corps have earned these (and higher) honors in the past. The Connecticut Blues also hold the Northeastern States Drum Corps Association record of eight consecutive championships, from the period of 1980 through 1987.

The Save Our Stepney Task Force, with assistance from the Monroe Historical Society, is organizing the Civil War Commemoration. For more information about the Civil War Commemoration or to be part of the organizing committee please contact: Joel Leneker, at 203.268.0247. or visit us at https://www.facebook.com/SaveOurStepneyTaskForce.