Historic Germantown's Fife & Drum Collection

Source: https://freedomsbackyard.wordpress.com/2013/07/10/hgs-fife-drum-collection/

Ed. Note: We found this article and wanted to bring it to the attention of our readers.  Note the clearly Wm. S. Tompkins drum (C) below.

A Partnership of 15 extraordinary Philadelphia houses, destinations and museums, Historic Germantown tells the stories of American Liberty and the everyday people who fought for it, reflecting a neighborhood of independence-seekers, community-builders, and American Dreamers.

Historic Germantown, located just minutes from Center City, is where Philadelphia’s only Revolutionary War Battle was fought; where the first-ever American protest against slavery was written; and where one of the few remaining houses on the Underground Railroad still stands.  United by a common mission to celebrate the community’s fascinating cultural heritage, Historic Germantown provides knowledge and resources to preserve Germantown’s historic sites, interpret them to visitors and incorporate them into the life of the local community.

Historic Germantown's Fife & Drum Collection

[Originally published July 10, 2013 at https://freedomsbackyard.wordpress.com/2013/07/10/hgs-fife-drum-collection/]

In honor of the Plymouth Fife & Drum Corps from Plymouth, MI coming to Historic RittenhouseTown on Wednesday, July 17th [2013] for a special performance, we headed to the basement of the Germantown Historical Society to find our own Fife & Drum collection. Check it out!

(A) Small, dark brown leather drum with wooden interior support. Donated by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hughes Jr, 1949.

The small, dark brown drum (A) was used by Christopher Ludwig, who was appointed Baker-General of the Continental Army by the Continental Congress in 1777. Ludwig was an early supporter of the Revolution, was involved in the 1777 Battle of Germantown, and often dined at George Washington’s dinner parties.

(B) Drum with eagle on it made by Major Endt in 1844. Donated by Aaron Jones Wister Sr, 1917.

The ‘eagle’ drum (B) belonged to the Germantown Blues aka the Germantown Band, an early 19th century organization led by Jacob Howe.

(C) Drum with red, gold, and black bands at top and bottom strung together by cotton rope along with one of its drumsticks. Donated by Rachael A. Watson, 1948.

The last drum (C) was used at the Battle of Gettysburg and Battle of Antietam as well as in G.A.R. (a Union army veterans organization) parades in Germantown. Bought from Mr. George Wolf, a drummer in Pennsylvania’s Bucktail Regiment of Ellis Post No. 6 during the Civil War, by Mr. Thomas F. Watson Sr.

Of the fifes pictured, the slightly longer fife (top) was used in the Civil War and belonged to Philip M. Hammer, grandfather of the donor.

Dark brown/black wood fifes with brass rings. Donated by Mrs. Holman White, 1946.