Extending Endurance Through Music

Tom Elmore

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While thumbing through a magazine today, I saw the following quote from a sport psychologist and author named Costas I. Karageorghis: "Studies have shown that music can reduce how hard you feel you're working out by 10 percent and boost endurance by as much as 15 percent." That reminded me of something I recently read about an especially tiresome Civil War march that was expected to continue several miles. During a brief rest break, a commander worried that his men might not respond to the call when ordered back into line. Just then several regimental bands struck up lively tunes, and the men quickly got back on their feet and resumed their arduous trek with renewed enthusiasm.

Here are other relevant excerpts recorded by soldiers:

(newspaper article written by a member of Company G, 9th Georgia) - "To drive drowsiness and weariness away our splendid brass band sent forth the stirring strains of martial airs."

(C. D. Grace, Rodes’ Division, Confederate Veteran, vol. 5) - "Lee, through Col. Taylor of his staff, ordered the band of the Fourth Georgia Regiment to play for the men. The music had a most exhilarating effect, and off the men marched, inspired by the presence of the generals and the strains of 'Tom, March On' by the band. I never saw anything so magical in its effect."

(Voices from Company D, 5th Alabama) - "Brass band on side of road near here playing 'Dixie' and 'Maryland' as we passed, and it had the effect of enlivening and cheering us up very much."

(Letters of Robert McAllister, 11th New Jersey) - "At the end of a rest of 40 minutes ... all the bands struck up a lively tune. Our men sprang to their feet and on we went. It was wonderful, and the music accounted for it. It had the power to inspirit even those men who had endured a long, hard march under the burning sun, and to renew that spirit in the evening, perhaps even for a night march."

(Four Brothers in Blue, 22nd Massachusetts) - "During the weary march to Gettysburg, afar off on a parallel road was heard the sound of bugles, and then of the drum corps. It was caught up by our own drummers and then by the bands of the Division of Regulars. Every weary and footsore soldier gathered inspiration from the sound. Such was the power of music upon the drooping spirits. It was the order of Gen. Meade, the commanding general. We had never heard music before on the march, and but once before, at the battle of Chancellorsville."

(Letters from Battlefield, Company D, 118th Pennsylvania) - "Men exhausted in making a forced march ... The Colonel kept the drums and fifes beating and playing continually, which was the only thing that kept the men up. It is singular how inspiring music is to a used-up soldier."

(J. S. Anderson, 5th Wisconsin, March of Sixth Corps to Gettysburg) - "Occasionally while passing through a city the bands would play. Whoever was responsible for it, it was certainly a happy inspiration and helped the men wonderfully. We pushed on all night at a wonderful pace and recalled we rested but once or at most twice during the whole night."
 
In grad school, I was a research assistant for a study that explored psychological effects of music. I can't remember any of the results, for the life of me, but have read enough (and seen enough) to believe that it has tremendous positive impact. First off, music can improve a person's mood and desire to be active; sometimes this can even convince us we're ready for more exertion even if we thought we weren't just a few minutes before (power of positive thinking!). Second, brain mapping studies have explored how music can active specific neurotransmitters, and give an energy boost to the body. The soldiers said it more poetically, but music is what they always said about milk - it does a body good.

Here's something to read over about the topic: https://www.researchgate.net/profil...-Hormones-Cytokines-and-Peptides-A-Review.pdf

And one in non-researchspeak: https://www.fastcompany.com/1718831/listening-music-releases-same-brain-chemicals-food-drugs-sex

Enjoy!
 
In years of race management, I've noticed that people running with music become a little bit... well, stupid. They enter The Zone and fail to pay attention to very basic things. I think some of them would run straight into a wall set with deadly spikes if they had a good playlist on. I wonder if that is all due to the modern earbuds, or if music has a hypnotic quality even when it's live and outdoors, in which case perhaps men became more robotic... a handy quality on a very long march.
 
A tedious march unravels the troops. They begin thinking about their feet, the heat or the man in front of them getting out of step. Something as simple as counting cadence takes everyone's mind off their personal problems and pulls the unit back together, refreshing esprit de corps, specially after a bawdy limerick. It's not exactly music, but a chorus of 40 men sounding off as one can raise spirits and restore pep to the step, if only briefly.

But I could be wrong. I often am. It's just from personal experience.
 
Music has been used as a therapy for quite some time now. I don't know why it took so long to make the connection between music and the effects it can have on us...but it truly is remarkable! So glad you started this thread @Tom Elmore . I love music, often listen to it as I am writing - to help set a particular mood or feed into my creative energies - and just because I like a song sometimes! Don't ever put a 'repeat' option on one of my players or I'll drive everyone mad :wink: I can totally see the men being uplifted by the strains of martial airs, or other types of inspirational music. Their Commanders obviously understood this, too. 1+1 = 2, I guess :smile:
 
It adds so much to the experience when there is a band and/or a good fife and drum corp leading the troops at a reenactment. If for nothing else it sure makes the marching much more crisp and in step but for me personally it gets me pumped up and has a much different feel than without it. Puts me in the zone so to speak, what it's intended to do I guess.
 
I have a question for anyone here who plays a wind instrument:

It seems that marching on rough roads with a pack on your back would get you a little out of breath. Given that, how did those regimental bands manage to play their instruments while marching? I know that they did -- we have records of it, as shown above -- I just don't understand how they did it!
 
First off, music can improve a person's mood and desire to be active; sometimes this can even convince us we're ready for more exertion even if we thought we weren't just a few minutes before (power of positive thinking!). Second, brain mapping studies have explored how music can active specific neurotransmitters, and give an energy boost to the body.
All of which makes U.S. Grant more confounding (and admirable, in my book) than ever. His congenital amusia not only meant that his brain could not process music, but it positively grated on his nerves. And yet, he was famous for his endurance and energy.
 
All of which makes U.S. Grant more confounding (and admirable, in my book) than ever. His congenital amusia not only meant that his brain could not process music, but it positively grated on his nerves. And yet, he was famous for his endurance and energy.
Perhaps it drove him nuts! And all that anger and frustration from having to listen to it went back into the war effort :wink: It worked!
 
I have a question for anyone here who plays a wind instrument:

It seems that marching on rough roads with a pack on your back would get you a little out of breath. Given that, how did those regimental bands manage to play their instruments while marching? I know that they did -- we have records of it, as shown above -- I just don't understand how they did it!
Lots of practice and training. I was in the marching band all through my school years and it is for sure a workout. You are definitely worn out after a long parade. I couldn't imagine playing and marching 15-20 miles carrying a set of gear.
 
Did this thread on music played in camp not long ago: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/music-played-in-camp.133735/

Music was always enjoyed whenever it could be. Even when the brass bands weren't playing, as John D. Billings says in Hard Tack and Coffee, "There was probably not a regiment in the service that did not boast at least one violinist, one banjoist, and a bone player in its ranks--not to mention other instruments generally found associated with these--and one or all of them could be heard in operation, either inside or in a company street, most any pleasant evening."

As detailed in that thread, Jeb Stuart had a whole minstrel band he carried around with him centered around the banjo player Joel Sweeney. It was said that he often had them strike up a tune and dance right before a battle to get the mens' spirits up. Sweeney often played his banjo while on the march as well, "Sweeney and his banjo and his negro melodies were the favorites; and Sweeney always carried his instrument slung at his back on marches, and often in long night marches the life of the men was restored by its tinkle." (W. W. Blackford, War Years With Jeb Stuart).
 
I have a question for anyone here who plays a wind instrument:

It seems that marching on rough roads with a pack on your back would get you a little out of breath. Given that, how did those regimental bands manage to play their instruments while marching? I know that they did -- we have records of it, as shown above -- I just don't understand how they did it!

Band instruments would be carried in a wagon (attached to a brigade or regiment) when not in use during a march or battle, and I imagine when the musicians were actually playing those instruments, superfluous items they had been carrying (like a knapsack) were stored in the same wagon. However, musicians did not carry weapons or cartridge boxes. When a battle was being fought, they were typically attached to the medical department, either assisting the surgeons with the wounded (some were instructed in first-aid), or were assigned to the ambulance corps to load, transport and unload the wounded.

Early in the war bands were attached to individual regiments, but by 1863 many had been consolidated into brigade bands, especially in the Federal army.
 
Band instruments would be carried in a wagon (attached to a brigade or regiment) when not in use during a march or battle, and I imagine when the musicians were actually playing those instruments, superfluous items they had been carrying (like a knapsack) were stored in the same wagon. However, musicians did not carry weapons or cartridge boxes. When a battle was being fought, they were typically attached to the medical department, either assisting the surgeons with the wounded (some were instructed in first-aid), or were assigned to the ambulance corps to load, transport and unload the wounded.

Early in the war bands were attached to individual regiments, but by 1863 many had been consolidated into brigade bands, especially in the Federal army.
I've often wondered about some of the very young drummer boys that I've seen photos of who were attached to the armies. I wonder if any were killed during the conflict?
 
Band instruments would be carried in a wagon (attached to a brigade or regiment) when not in use during a march or battle, and I imagine when the musicians were actually playing those instruments, superfluous items they had been carrying (like a knapsack) were stored in the same wagon. However, musicians did not carry weapons or cartridge boxes. When a battle was being fought, they were typically attached to the medical department, either assisting the surgeons with the wounded (some were instructed in first-aid), or were assigned to the ambulance corps to load, transport and unload the wounded.

Early in the war bands were attached to individual regiments, but by 1863 many had been consolidated into brigade bands, especially in the Federal army.
Never knew all that! Thank you so much for the information!
 
I've often wondered about some of the very young drummer boys that I've seen photos of who were attached to the armies. I wonder if any were killed during the conflict?
That would be a interesting yet sad stat. It must have happened. They certainly were near the front at times and some must have been lost to disease and some captured.
 
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