There are some questions whether or not The Tattoo was played in North America.
This is an important question to explore as we try to reconstruct the duties of British and American drummers during the American Revolution.
What was The Tattoo?
The Tattoo signalled the end of the day.
After this beating, soldiers should be in their barracks, ready for bed, and then lights out.
According to Grose’s Military Antiques:
“Taptoo; the signal for souldiers to retire to their quarters or barracks, and to the sutlers to draw no more liquor, from whence it derives its name; the taptoo is seldom beat in camp.”
(Grose, 1786, vol. 2, 152; 254)
Grose suggests that, because the Tattoo’s original purpose was to signal for the taverns to close to soldiers, the duty call has no real purpose in camp.
Perhaps this is where the suggestion that Tattoo was not beat in the camps of the American Revolution originates.
We should remember to take Grose’s statement with a grain of salt.
Francis Grose served in the military in his youth, but left in 1751. He held roles in local militias and honorary roles, but never left England again.
By the time his Military Antiques was published in 1786, he had not served in an active military role in 35 years.
Was the Tattoo beat in North America?
We have fairly substantial evidence that The Tattoo was beat in North America during the American Revolution on both sides.
The Tattoo in British Camps
Stephen Kemble was the deputy adjutant general of British forces in North America during the Revolution. Throughout his reports – known today as the Kemble Papers – he mentioned the Tattoo.
He explains that:
“A Drummer from each Corps in barracks or quarters to assemble at the main guard at Troop, Retreat, and Taptoo beating. The whole to beat off with the Drummers of the main guard up King Street, to the Town House, where the Drummers of the different Corps will Separate and take the shortest rout to their respective barracks or quarters, continuing to beat. Those of the main Guard to their Guard.”
(Kemble Paper, vol 1, 257-8; November 1775)
Later, he records that the drummers play “Taptoo” at 8pm (Kemble Paper, vol 1, 257-8, 1775) and 9pm (428, 1776).
In these instances, Kemble refers to Tattoo in a garrison or town.
In another general order by Kemble, he knowns that at the Tattoo, “the Men will go to their Tents and no more Noise allowed in Camp; the Serjeant of the Rear Guard is then to see the fires put out” (Kemble 1780, vol. 2, 69).
This last remark suggests the Tattoo is also beaten in camp.
The Tattoo in American Camps
An American fifer, Samuel Dewees, refers to performing the Tattoo as well.
He recalls that:
“At bed-time we had to beat the ‘Tattoo.’ For Tattoo, we had many tunes also.”
(Dewees, 169-70)
And again:
“At nine o’clock at night, I had to play tattoo a signal for all to retire to rest.”
(Dewees, 344)
He doesn’t distinguishing between performing this in camp versus in garrison, but his comment here seems to imply he performed the Tattoo nightly.
The Tattoo Over Time
Both American and British drum manuals indicate that the Tattoo remains an integral part of the Camp Duty throughout the 19th century.
If the Americans and/or British often forwent The Tattoo in camp, we might expect to see the Tattoo disappear over time. This, however, is not the case.
The closest we see to this appears in a late-19th century British manual.
Drum and Flute Duty for the Infantry Branch of the Army (1887), states:
“The Tattoo and Retreat pieces for Drums and Flutes are principally used in garrison towns, where two or more regiments are stationed, each corps taking its turn alternately by weeks or days to play them. In towns where only one regiment is stationed it is customary to play them on alternate days, viz. : Tattoo on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays ; Retreat on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Sundays always excepted” (42).
(Drum and Flute Duty for the Infantry Branch of the Army, 42)
This reference reaffirms Grose’s comment that Tattoo (and Retreat) are not generally used in camp.
Possibly the Tattoo was performed throughout the American Revolution by both the Americans and British. Following the war, about when Grose published his book, the British army stopped playing the Tattoo in camp. This new tradition eventually leads to the tradition found in the 1887 manual.
What Next?
The Kemble Papers and Dewees’ memoir are not sufficient evidence of the use of the Tattoo in camp.
Our next interest should be to find additional references to the Tattoo in Orderly Books and General Orders, for both the Americans and British.
Have resources about The Tattoo? Contact me or comment below.
Want to know more?
Check out my discussion of the Major Duty Call: The Tattoo and learn about how to perform the beating / tune.
