Performing the English March

We have a clear translation of the The English Foot March for both the fife and drum. But now we want to consider exactly how to perform the English March.

This includes understanding how the March was used as a duty call.

Signaling Forward March

First and foremost, the English March signaled the command to march.

Giving the Order to March

The first part of the beating is called “The Voluntary,” or the preparation. This division is always written separately from the main march.

Fisher tells us that the Voluntary acts as a signal to march, as if to replace the verbal command ‘Forward-MARCH.’ He says,

“[t]here is also a preparation to the March which is only to be beaten once, and no more, at the beginning of the march”.

Fisher (5)

As translated, the Voluntary is twelve beats long (the drum part twice over).

This would allow for enough time to bring the men to attention, indicate the direction of the march, and establish the pace.

The final poung also sets a clear indicator of when the rhythm has concluded. The reverberation of that poung stroke helps to fill the final beat to prevent anticipating the first step.

Signalling the Direction of the March

When the regiment assembled, typically it formed as a line two or three men deep.

When the regiment marched, however, it would do so as a column. This was probably most often done as a column of platoons (so roughly 12-20 men wide), with one platoon after another.

In order to do so, the first command was actually a “line into column” maneuver. Each platoon (or company or squad) wheels individually. Now there is a column of several platoons facing to the right or left.

Here’s an example of moving from a line (the bottom) into a column (the top). In this case, they moved as units of two companies. Note that the drummers are represented by circles and can be found on the right and left of the line. After wheeling into column, some are at the head of the column (behind the Grenadier company) and some are in the rear of the column.

Position of the Musicians

When in line formation, half the musicians posted on the right of the line and half on the left. Bland explains:

“At the Hour appointed for the Army to March, the Drummers are to Beat a March at the Head of the Line; and as soon as they cease Beating, the Squadrons and Battalions March out and Form at the Head of their Incampment, compleat their Files, and tell off the Battalions by Grand or Sub-Divisions, as it shall be ordered: And when the March is beat a second time on the Right or Left of the Line, all the Squadrons and Battalions are to Wheel towards the Flank, where the March was beat, and begin the March as soon as wheeled.”

Bland (249)

Firstly, Bland explains the March (either the Voluntary or the whole of the March) signals for the companies to march to the general parade in order to form the regiment. The musicians perform the March after beating the General and the Assembly.

Drill manuals up until the early-19th century indicate the half the fifers and drummers stood on the right of the line and half on the left of the line.

To signal for the soliders to wheel right into column, only the drummers on the right of the line beat the Voluntary.

To instead signal left into column, only the drummers on the left of the line beat the Voluntary.

Based on Fisher and the organization of the March, we should assume the Voluntary serves as this order.

Other Examples of this Model

The French have a similar method of commencing the march, by performing their march, Aux Champs, once through. Interestingly, Aux Champs is also twelve beats.

For the beating, see Instruction des Tambours; for information on how to commence the march, Ordonnance du Roy, sur l’Exercice de l’Infanterie (Strasbourg: l’Imprimerie Royale et Amand König, Libraire sous les Arcades, 1755).

Performing the March

The Voluntary, as Fisher suggests, should only be performed as the order to step off.

This leaves us with 7 Divisions composing the march itself. Both Fisher and the Warrant write “the Voluntary” before the first division and “The March” preceding the rest.

Unfortunately, no musical source still existing makes any note about how these divisions should be performed; therefore, we have some questions to answer:

1. which order to play the divisions
2. whether to repeat divisions
3. and for how long the march should be performed.

Perform Division 2-7 in order?

First, it seems appropriate to assume we should perform the divisions in the order numbered.

The second division establishes the basic rhythm. For that reason, we should assume the drummers beat this division first to establish the cadence.

If the Warrant were merely setting down approved variations, divisions six and division seven should be reversed. This is because 7 is the natural conclusion to the series of variations established in divisions 2-5.

Therefore, in this author’s opinion, the divisions should be performed in the order written. The fife melody also indicates a coherent movement forward from division 2-8. The fife division 2 also establishes a simple opening to the march.

As there are no repeat signs in any source, it’s impossible to say whether these divisions should be performed once over or with repeats. Based on the fife interpretation, we assume we should repeat each drum part to match the fife. But whether each fife division should be repeated is unknown.

Playing the piece straight through would seem to make the most sense. This would allow for gradual increase of difficulty for both drum and fife. 

Ending the March

In the Warrant version, Division 8 has a bar denoting the end of the division proper. Officially, thought, it ends with a rudiment it calls a “petang.”

Check out my discussion on the Rudiments of the English March to learn more about an interpretation of the petang.

It’s unclear exactly how this petang interacts with division 8 or what its function serves. Based on its location at the end of the march, we should probably assume that it, in some way, indicates the end of the march.

Petang Indicates the Halt

The Petang might indicate the Halt, so that all drummers cease playing simultaneously.

Windham’s military manual states that a Hard Flam signals “Halt.” This might imply that he drummers beat the flam at the end of the march (193).

However, an earlier military manual by Bland notes that when the Battalion is to halt, the drummers simply cease playing (77).

It’s possible that the Petang is a flam, or similar note, used less as a signal to the men to halt than as a signal to the drummers to cease drumming.

Potter (1817) notes that, when performing The Troop, the lead drummer plays the final note loudly as a signal to switch from the Singlings of the Troop to the Doublings of the Troop, or then back to the Singlings.

The Petang possibly acts in a similar capacity. This might be why later military manuals adopt the Flam as a signal to halt.

Petang Signals The March to End

A similar assumption would suggest the Petang indicates for the drummers to cease drumming, but not to cease marching.

We know that the army did not maintain a regulated step for the duration of a long march. In fact, we know that drummers slung their drums for the majority of the march.

Cuthbertson offers several pieces of advice on this matter. He notes that, “[p]ainted linen cases should be given with them [the drummers], to be worn constantly, when off duty, or on a march” (103). Additionally, that drumsticks should be secured on the sling “which will be found the safest method of carrying them, when not in use, and in particular on a March” (104).

He also states that “[i]nstead of the platted Cord, by which the Drummers usually sling the Drums upon a March, and thereby often gall the shoulders” they should be replaced with leather straps (104).

Marching at the Route Step

Additionally, some English, American, and French sources indicate that, upon approaching the entrance to camp or a town, the drummers strike up a march. Thus we know that they were not playing up until that point. According to von Steuben,

“The head of the column arriving at the entrance of the camp, the commanding officer of the first battalion will command Carry – Arms! On which the men carry their arms, and the drums beat a march; and the officers will see that their platoons have their proper distances, close the ranks and files, and each dress the flank”.

von Steuben (80)

We see here that it’s assumed the men have loosen up their ranks and are no longer at the shoulder, implying a route step.

The fact that, at the order to Carry Arms, the “drums beat a march” informs us that they haven’t been marching.

Additionally, Windham and Simes both note that the drums beat a march to order “Shoulder, marching,” the same situation as described above (Windham, 1759, 193-4; Simes Military Guide, 1776, 231; Military Medley, 1767, 237-8; Military Course, 1777, 177-8).

Thus, the march presumably is only performed while the men are shouldered and moving in a structured manner. Additionally, it’s used to command them to do so if at any other state.

French Use

The French also indicate that they march at a route step until they approach a town. When the troops approach a town, the column will stop outside so that the men can rest for a moment. As they enter the town or garrison, the infantry will parade by company, with the men at shoulder arms and the drums beating Aux Champs, their version of the Foot March (Ordonnance … Concernant les Gouverneurs … 1750, 7-8; 41).

These various sources indicate that the Foot March should be performed only for the commencement of a march and to regain discipline near the end of the march, or at least when under scrutiny in a town or camp.

How Long to Beat the March

This then begs the question: How long should the drummers beat the Foot March after stepping off?

The shortest possible performance of the march would equal fifty-four steps (not including the Voluntary). According to von Steuben, after twenty paces, the men should be brought to Support Arms. Since they should “keep[…] their files close,” they are not yet at a route step. von Steuben states:

“The whole column must always begin to march, and halt, at the same time, and only by order of the commanding officer. After the first twenty paces he should command Support – Arms! When the men may march more at their ease, but keeping their files close. Before the column halts, he should command Carry Arms! Column! Halt! […]”.

von Steuben (50)

Based on this, drummers probably only beat the march for about forty steps.

In English discussions of mounting the guard, some manuals note that as the new guard comes within forty paces, the drummers of the old guard are ordered to beat a march as a salute (Bland 108). In another situation, when a detachment returns to the battalion with the colors, the drummers who remained with the battalion beat a march and cease when the company halts (Bland 108).

Route Step After 40 Paces?

What is interesting here is the implication that, in the first example, the march will end after roughly forty paces and therefore there is no need to stipulate that the march should cease when the new guard halts. This is unlike the second example when ten paces is obviously too short of a span of time to complete any march.

This is hardly conclusive evidence that the march should be about forty beats, but is an interesting observation that seems to support playing the Foot March once through, without repeating the fife divisions, and ending after Division 8.

Petang to comence another tune

Another alternative is that the “petang” signals a shift from the English March to other tunes.

Based on information from 1812-era and mid-19^th century drum manuals, we also see that there is a tradition of playing a single flam as a signal to commence a tune or march.

Potter notes that the drummers beat an open flam after the Three Rolls before performing the camp duty (20).

Klinehanse states that “all Marches, quick or slow, and all calls in the field, camp, or garrison, begin with a Flam” as well as after the three rolls “the leading drummer mak[es] a Flam, as a signal that he intends to commence” (4).

These sources are much later than the Warrant. However, because of the traditional nature of fife and drum, this 19th century usage might be from an earlier use of the Petang.

Conclusion: Role of the Petang

Unfortunately, the Petang or use of a Flam in this manner must either be a signal to halt, to continue marching but stop playing, or to commence a tune. It cannot serve two or all purposes.

It’s the author’s opinion that the Petang signals the drummers to cease beating, but for the march to continue. This seems to be the most valuable and basic function.

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I hope this discussion on the interpretation of the English March and Charles I’s Warrant has been interesting, thorough, and convincing.

Are you confused about how to perform the march?

The tuplet 5-stroke rolls are the same as in the English Reveille. Check out this Three Camps tutorial to clean up your fives.

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Do you have any research or resources on the English march? Please contact me or comment below.

Do you have any constructive criticism or are you unconvinced by my argument? Comment below and get a discussion started.