The Dutch Reveille

or, The Huson Camps & The 2^nd Dubble Drag

The next two tunes in Buttrey are “The Huson Camps – A Dubble Drag” and “The Second Dubble Drag”. My research suggests that these two tunes demonstrate an origin for the Dutch Reveille. For this reason, we’ll discuss them as a pair.

First, I would like to discuss “The Dutch” – a tune which doesn’t appear in Buttrey – in order to speculate on Buttrey’s use of these two tunes.

The Dutch

Both Ashworth and Rumrille include a beating called “The Dutch”. A 3/8, it has an unusually fast and closed roll structure, quite unlike the general feel of most American beatings. Upon examination, we find that this beating is nearly the same as the actual Dutch military’s reveille beating. This would explain the name adopted by the American or English armies.

More likely, the term “Dutch” referred to Low German countries, which could indicate the Swiss and the Netherlands.

In deed, further examination demonstrates that the Dutch beating originates from the Swiss Tagwacht, or Reveille. This origin makes sense, as the Dutch were originally trained by the Swiss and had a long history of hiring Swiss regiments to aid in their wars.

Comparison of Drum Music

Back in 1728, the Swiss reveille consisted of 3 beatings. The first halves of Tagwacht No. 1 and No. 2 are structurally identical to The Dutch military’s reveille (Rauscher, 1819) as well as the Prussian military’s reveille (Kastner; Krüger). The version of The Dutch Reveille as played in the American sequence (Ashworth; Rumrille) shows a clear origin in these German systems.

Do you have any drum manuals for the Dutch reveille or Prussian reveille pre-1800? If so, please contact me.

All of these beatings follow the same structure: 1) a longer roll (7, 9, 11, or 13?); 2) a shorter roll filling the rest of the measure; 3) a drag or accented stroke commencing the second measure. Additionally, they all follow the phrasing AAB, with B an extension of phrase A. For the Dutch, German, and Americans, the main line is simply repeated. For the Swiss, the rhythm switches to Double Drags, though the basic structure remains the same.

Specifically, the Dutch military’s reveille appears to come from the first half of the Swiss No. 1. The Prussian reveille appears to come from the first half of the Swiss No. 2 or a simplification of No. 1.

The American version of the Dutch could have evolved from a few avenues. Both the 10-stroke roll version in Ashworth and the later variant in Nevins have similar structures as the second half of the Swiss No. 1. More likely, one interpretation of the Swiss No. 2 has the triplet-5 coming off the first roll, which mirrors the rhythm in Ashworth and Rumrille. The movement right from the longer roll into the tight 5 is very similar to the movement right into a tight 10, only with the American variant being more difficult. [See below.]

Origin of Double Drags in The Reveille

If we acknowledge that the American “The Dutch” actually comes from the Swiss Tagswacht, then we can see why both “The Dutch” and a “Double Drag” are important elements of the Reveille sequence.

For the 3-part Swiss Reveille, their drummers perform a “The Dutch”-style 3/8 and double drag beatings. The second halves of Tagwacht No. 1 and No. 2, as well as Tagwacht No. 3, are double drag beatings. Overtime, the Swiss Tagwacht simplifies into a basic double drag beating. By the 1840s, the Swiss reveille is nearly identical to the 6/8 double drag beating adopted by the French in 1831.

Upon examination of the earlier Swiss reveilles, all of the major double drag movements found in English-style double drags appear within these beatings.

American-style double drags have a main phrase that typically opens Line A and a main phrase that typically opens Line B; these phrases appear as the opening phrases in the Swiss No. 3 and the first opens the second part of Swiss No. 2.

There is another typical phrase that sometimes opens, but is usually in the middle of American beatings; this phrase is found in the Swiss No. 3. Potter’s British manual has a 4-bar double drag beating, that also fills in as the opening to his Roast Beef, that is seen almost identically in the second half of Swiss No. 3.

The Americans typically end double drags in one of 3 phrases, all of which are variations on each other using 1, 2, or 3 single ratamacues. Swiss Nos. 1, 2, and 3 all end in a manner similar to the American ending with 2 single ratamacues.

Additionally, if we look at the underlying structure of the beginning of Swiss No. 2, we see that one possible interpretation shows that the 5-stroke roll + drag create the same rhythm as a Single Ratamacue.

In this music comparison, the American / English phrases have their own color; where those phrases appear in the Swiss music, it is highlighted in the same color.

Want some practice guides that will help you learn and develop Double Drags? Check out: Double Drag Practice Guide.

Relationship between The Dutch and Double Drags

When it comes to the American sequence, typically we see The Dutch and A Double Drag beating. Since the Swiss typically played a “Dutch” style reveille followed by a Double Drag styled reveille, the incorporation of “The Dutch” and a Double Drag may have originated from this adopted practice from the Swiss.

This relationship between the Dutch beating and Double Drags does appear in Keach’s manual, where he notes that the Kinloch (alternate tune for the Dutch) should be played first slow (with the Dutch beating) and then fast (with double drags).

If we consider the British allies during the War of Spanish Succession, we can assume that the Dutch and Swiss troops brought this tradition of “The Dutch” style beating. Additionally, the Swiss likely brought a tradition of also performing a Double Drag.

The Spanish, as well, play a simple Double Drag beating, identical to the French “La Diane” adopted in 1831 and to the Double Drag eventually adopted by the Swiss (Toques de Guerra, 1769). We unfortunately don’t have any surviving period Portuguese manuals, but their proximity to Spain suggests they may have shared many beatings.

Comparison of Fife Music

While this examination of the American drum beatings provides some clues how the British allies in the War of Spanish Succession contributed to the American sequence, there is far more confusion when it comes to the fife melody for The Dutch and Double Drag.

Firstly, there is an early American fife part for “The Dutch” that pairs with the Dutch-style drum beating. This tune appears in every American reveille sequence (with the exception of Robinson and Hart). Later, manuals refer to this tune as “The Quick Dutch” or “Old Queen Dutch”.

While this tune continues to be part of the American reveille, the original “Dutch” beating is replace with a troop-style beating. We see this in Howe (1862); Keach, Burrditt, & Cassidy (1861); and Bruce & Emmet (1862).

While we know the drum beating for the Dutch stems from the Swiss, Dutch, and Prussians, it’s unclear where the “Quick Dutch” tune originates. Unfortunately, despite the reasonable consistency of the “quick” Dutch within the American sequence, it does not overlap with any of the three foreign tunes.

Do you have any fife music for the Swiss reveille, Dutch reveille, or Prussian reveille pre-1800? If so, please contact me.

Unfortunately, none of these tunes come from sources old enough to necessarily represent a common origin or ancestor. The earliest Swiss fife music comes from 1809, at which point they performed only two tunes for the reveille. Similarly, the earliest version of the Dutch military fife reveille comes from Rauscher (1819). The earliest American version comes from Woburn and Hulbert (c. 1807). The Prussian source comes via a French music history (1848). Should we be able to find older sources, we may find a more convincing overlap to explain the origin of the Dutch fife tune.

Husion Camps + Second Dubble Drag

This finally brings us to Buttrey’s “Husion Camps” and “Second Dubble Drag”. It would be convenient if Buttrey’s tune matched the “Quick” Dutch of the American Reveille. Unfortunately, it does not.

The first tune, “The Huson Camps”, appears to be a popular dance tune. It appears as “Hessian Dance” in Twenty Four Country Dances (London: Peter Thompson, [1758]), page 2, and again in Thompson’s 200 Country Dances, volume II (1765). This same tune is found in American sources with titles such as: “Hessian dance,” “Hessian camp,” “Asian camp,” “Ty Tol or the country dance,” and “Old Roger.”

The first three lines in “Huson Camps” in Buttrey matches the “Hessian Dance” found in the dance tutors, but the fourth and fifth lines appear to be unique – neither part of the country dance nor variations on earlier lines – and will be discussed later.

The second tune, “The 2^nd Dubble Drag”, is Lord Loudon’s Singlings of the Troop, which can be found in most of the 18^th century fife tutors. Based on the name of the tune, it should be used for The Troop, during the mounting of the guard, or possibly as a Short Troop while marching the guards to or from post.

Both of these tunes – The Huson Camps and Lord Loudon’s – have the character of typical double drag beatings and both match the tendency of American sequences to include a Double Drag of the Drum Major’s choosing.

Huson Camps & The Dutch

What is of particular interest from Buttrey is Line 4 and Line 5 of “Huson Camps”. These two lines do not appear in other versions of this country dance and shouldn’t therefore be considered part of the original tune. They also do not seem to represent simply a variation on the earlier lines (a typical 18^th century habit).

Instead, these lines share some curious overlap with a French duty call L’Appel. Buttrey’s Line 4 is almost identical to Line A of L’Appel, while Line 5 is a variation of Line 4.

This is curious, but only becomes useful when we notice that The Quick Dutch is also a variation of L’Appel. Line A of The Dutch matches Line A of L’Appel if some of the measure is transposed from G to D, and beats 2 & 3 and beats 6 & 7 are inverted. Line B of The Dutch is very similar to L’Appel Line B if some beats are transposed from G to D; beats 5 & 6 match the same position of Line A of L’Appel.

The only part of The Quick Dutch that doesn’t match L’Appel (Line B, beats 2 & 4) actually match Buttrey in the same position.

Even more interestingly, if we look at the Swiss Reveille (1816), similar transposition as applied to The Quick Dutch shows the Swiss Reveille also shares significant overlap with L’Appel.

Can you comment further on the overlap between the end of Buttrey’s “Husion Camps”, the Quick Dutch, and L’Appel? Contact me or comment below.

The Reveille Sequence: A British Origin

While Buttrey’s “Husion Camps” and “Second Double Drag” are less clearly related to the American Reveille, we do see overlap.

Part of Buttrey’s “Husion Camps” appears to originate from the Swiss Reveille, somehow connected to the French L’Appel. This Swiss Reveille became the American “The Dutch”.

The beginning of “Husion Camps” and the other double drag show how closely related the Dutch beating and Double Drag beatings are in the Reveille sequence, stemming from their close relationship in the Swiss tradition.

If we look back to the War of Spanish Succession, the British fought alongside the Swiss, where much of this tradition may stem from. It may also have been heavily influenced by the Dutch, who used the Dutch-style drum beating, and the Spanish, who used a basic Double Drag beating.

More research is certainly needed to uncover an older fife variations, preferably an earlier Swiss fife tune. It would also be valuable to discover how the French duty call L’Appel relates to the Swiss Reveille and Quick Dutch.

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Next, learn about ‘The Prickley March – or, The French Reveille / The Hessian’.

Or, jump to the end of the discussion to see my conclusions about ‘The Origin of the English / American Reveille Sequence’.