General Calls on the Bugle

To be even more authentic as a reenactor than you currently are, consider the sounds of Civil War campsites, marches, and battles.
And your personal ability to identify, act, and react to these period sounds as if you were actually part of the historical experience. One area that I see as being a weakness of ACW reenacting is the less than authentic levels of bugle calls heard throughout a reenacting day. And the corresponding lack of call recognition, employing the calls as a camp clock, or passing orders to units through the use of a bugle as opposed to shouting.

Some of this is due to the lack of qualified ACW buglers and instruments, much of this has to do with the 'weekend warrior' and part time nature of the hobby, and some of this less than authentic impression is just plain aversion to things musical/require change/something new to learn. Let's face it, there are only so many hours you can spend with your hobbies and honey-do's.

All of the drill manuals used during the Civil War REQUIRE Officers and NCO's to be able to recognize and SOUND all of the bugle calls…Whether or not the regiment your unit is portraying acted upon drum beats, voice, or bugle. Many people in the know feel that 'sound' meant to actually be able to play the calls…..I'll interpret this to mean sing or whistle the calls in such a way that others can recognize what call you are 'sounding'. The bottom line: to be a progressive authentic you MUST know the calls.

Since September 1, 1997 a group of some 60 buglers has been e-mailing, mailing, attending Schools of the Bugler, talking up bugling within their units, acquiring to-the-period correct instruments and mouthpieces, memorizing the calls and how they should be employed.

Call Tapes are being recorded, ditties (words to the calls made up by soldiers to aid in memorization) posted/printed, call/camp/event schedules being passed out, and the buglers are starting to play the calls with unprompted vigor when THEY would have played the calls.

Bugle Calls to improve your Impression

Now it's your turn to become progressively more authentic. I'm asking everyone, from "sneakers/cooler/beer can farb" up to "dirt eating/stitch counting/hard core" to memorize the BASIC calls, and be able to sing the ditties NOW. Sing 'em in the shower or in your car, listen to the tapes, or have a bugler run a call recognition class. But learn the calls, elevate the hobby, respect Them for what they did and are. That's the challenge: to bring the use and recognition of bugle calls up to authentic levels… easy to do, safe, environmentally sound, doesn't cost an arm and a leg, and….it sounds great for us and the spectators alike!

And here's a total unit strategy…..have groups of one officer, one NCO, and two enlisted men memorize 5-10 additional, different calls….chances are, one of those four people will be at the next reenactment with your unit and can interpret what they're hearing on the battlefield. That way you can recognize all 50 calls!

Here, IMHO are the minimum essential calls necessary to portray an American Civil War veteran soldier.

If your units needs help, a bugler, instruments, music, tapes , schedules ask for it. As always, feedback and constructive criticism/suggestions are always appreciated.

RJ Samp
2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Co. K

ACW Infantry Bugle Calls in MP3 format.	MP3 1	MP3 2
Bugle Calls	Assembly
MUST KNOW" Bugle Calls	Union Camp
Taps Attention	Link to ACW Buglers home page below: and Midi files General Calls on the Bugle
John Cook Medal of Honor Winner

Wave files Below:
Forward	Commence Fire
Assembly	Cease Fire