RACINE'S AMERICAN BUGLE BAND:
Although not a drum and bugle corps, Racine's American Bugle Band is noteworthy here for two reasons; Its leader John R.
Davies referred to his instrument, a coronet, as a "bugle" because of its high quality workmanship and secondly, because the
name "American Bugle Band" introduced Racine in 1858 to an organization with "bugle" in its name at a time when there
basically were no such organizations in existence anywhere. The high quality of musicianship within this organization and
their longevity also helped tremendously to create a very positive image for Racine's residents with regard to an organization
with "bugle" in its name.
The period of the Civil War, with the years both preceding and following it, was a turbulent time in the United States. From
1850 to 1861 rumblings of the approaching storm of war was increasingly ominous; then for four long years the country was
in the grip of a desperate and bloody struggle. From 1865 to 1875 and beyond, the people of the United States were
intensely engaged in a heartbreaking effort to recompose its political, social, economic and industrial life. It was they hey-day
of the stump-speaker; the flowering time of the political parader; the golden age of the brass band in America. All three were
much in evidence during this whole era. Brass bands were an indispensable part of the occasion for a stump-speaker and
political parades, and, in fact, were a huge factor in the success of the event. As the "golden age" of brass bands came to an
end around 1900, and most brass bands had faded out by then, drum and bugle corps were becoming increasingly popular
and they took over this role vacated by the demise of brass bands.
So, in my opinion, the brass bands of the 1800s laid some of the necessary and important ground work for the drum and
bugle corps activity not only to begin, but to flourish as well, especially in Racine. Drum and bugle corps needed a reason for
their existence and by following in the footsteps of the brass bands, they found it. Of course the American Legion would
change all of that in the 1920s, but until then drum and bugle corps would take on a role similar to that of the brass bands of
the 1800s.
During the golden age of brass bands Racine would have scores of them. Most lasted only a few months, or for a year or
two, perhaps, before unobtrusively faded out of existence. The Racine American Bugle Band was one of Racine's most
prominent and longest lasting brass band of this era. Here is their story provided to you by two sources.
SOURCE: The Book "Racine, Belle City of the Lakes and Racine County, Wisconsin. A Record of Settlement,
Organization, Progress and Achievement" by Fanny S. Stone, published in 1916.
In 1858 Racine's American Bugle Band was organized by its leader, a Welshman named John P. Jones and a list of the
members follows: John P. Jones, John R. Davis, A. Kellogg, E. Pritchard, F. Gibson, J. Pribyl, C. Haas, A. Schneider, R.
Daniels, L. C. Wentworth, E. P. Lowell, D. C. Washburn, H. M. Wentworth and R. Jones.
"Bugle" was added to the name because of the then noteworthy fact that the instrument played by John R. Davis was a solid
silver bugle which cost $150. When the Civil War broke out this band often played at patriotic gatherings to rally recruits and
stir up enthusiasm; its services always were tendered on these occasions without remuneration. The band was often found
on hand at college functions of various kinds.
The German Band of Racine was organized in 1865 and Charles Heyer was the leader; other members included John and
Henry Broecker, Charles Haas, Jacob Esser, Paul Bohn, Christian Retter and others.
Competition between these two bands, the American Bugle Band and the German Band, was very lively whenever they both
happened to be out at the same time. During one of the stirring campaigns shortly after the Civil War, the Democrats and the
Republicans were each having a procession on the same day, the American Bugle Band heading the Republicans, and the
German Band the Democratic hosts. The German Band boasted that it would blow the American Bugle Band off the streets if
it ever had the chance, so the news was. At any rate, the Republicans, headed by the American Bugle Band in a wagon, had
been parading over in Racine's Fourth Ward and, returning to Market Square in downtown Racine, found the German Band
installed on the court house steps, entertaining a large crowd. Mr. Davis, leading the American Bugle band at this time,
ordered the wagon driver to stop in the middle of the square, to the accompaniment of a quickstep, and warned the players
that the tussle of their lives was on. The question then to be decided was, which band could out-play and out-stay the other.
The personell and political partisans of each encouraged the contestants in every way to hang on. J. I. Case was particularly
anxious that the Republican band should win, and was amused for two and a half hours before the German Band was blown
out and retired, leaving the American Bugle Band to play a final fanfare in token of victory.
Perhaps it is not generally known that a citizen of Racine composed the music for that ever popular gospel song, "The Sweet
Bye and Bye," but such is history. J. P. Webster, a member of the American Bugle Band, was a fine musician and composer,
and while a resident of Racine, about 1860, wrote the music to the song. The first time it was sung in public was at a concert
by the American Bugle Band, when Mr. Webster sang the beautiful composition as he accompanied himself on the piano. A
Mr. S. Fillmore Bennett of Elkhorn, WI, wrote the words to the song. At the time the song was written J. P. Webster was in the
saloon business in Racine with a man named Gillson, another member of the American Bugle Band. Later on in the 1860s J.
P. Webster moved to Elkhorn, WI, where he and Mr. S. Fillmore Bennett were associated in the production of song books and
sheet music.
Other compositions attributed to J. P. Webster while he was living in Racine include "Little Maud," "Lorena," "The Dying
Volunteer," "Lost in Lady Elgin," "Rock Me To Sleep, Mother" and two songs for an entertainment for the Soldier's Relief
Association of Racine, "Our Country Is In Danger" and "Uncle Sam's Boys," a song and chorus.
SOURCE: "The American Bugle Band" by Eugene W. Leach, published in the Racine Journal-News, Thursday,
February 4, 1926.
Recently in looking over a copy of the Racine Journal of January 5, 1861, I came across the following advertisement:
American Bugle Band
The American Bugle Band takes this occasion to say to the public that we have secured, and are using, a set of the most
costly and best tuned instruments in the whole country.
We have also fitted ourselves with a handsome uniform, and we flatter ourselves that as skillful musicians, the American
Bugle Band has no superior. We will be happy to receive orders for our services on all occasions.
Terms moderate.
J. R. Davies, leader and director.
D. C. Washburn, business agent.
Fifty-three years later, in the summer of 1914, I had an eight hour interview with John R. Davies in Waukegan, where he was
then living with his daughter. In that interview I got much of the interview on which this story of the American Bugle Band is
based. This is one of the brass bands that flourished during the "golden age" of brass bands and it served its generation
well. It was organized in 1858 by John P. Jones, one of Racine's most accomplished musicians, who was its first leader.
Others of its original members being:
Elias Pritchard - first B flat coronet
John R. Davis - second B flat coronet
Anson Kellogg - second E flat coronet
Roderick Daniels - second baritone
Charles Smith - snare drum
D. C. Washburn - bass drum
Si Packard
William Needham
Frank Needham
Amos bangle
William P. Burbeck - tuba
Others who later played with this band were J. Pribyl, first alto; Charles Haas, second alto; Frank Gibson, second bass; A.
Schneder, first bass; Z. C. Wentworth, F bass; E. P. Lowell, E bass; H. M. Wentworth, side drum; R. Jones, cymbals, and J. P.
Webster.
This band was called "American" for obvious patriotic reason and to distinguish it from the German Band, also known as the
Racine City Band, its political and professional rival; and "bugle" because of the superior excellence of its instruments, the
bugle of Mr. Davies, which was solid silver, costing him $100, so he told me.
When the Civil War broke out, the American Bugle Band played often at patriotic gatherings to stir up enthusiasm, and to rally
volunteers to the enlisting point, and they always played without remuneration at meetings of this nature. On the night of
inauguration day, March 4, 1961, after Abraham Lincoln's induction into the presidency, it paraded the streets for hours
playing patriotic airs, in a spirit of sheer jubilation.
In political campaigns during the war and after, there was lively competition with the German Band. During one of these
stirring campaigns, the Democrats and Republicans were celebrating with torchlight parades on the same night, the American
Bugle Band heading the Republican, and the German Band the Democratic hosts as usual. The German Band had boasted
that they would blow the American Bugle Band off the street if ever they had the chance. On the night of the double-header,
the Republicans, headed by the American Band on a platform wagon, had been parading over in the Fourth Ward and
returning to market square, found the German Band on the court house steps entertaining quite a crowd. Mr. Davies ordered
the wagon to the middle of market square, to the accompaniment of a quickstep, and warned his players that the tussle of
their lives was on. The thing to be decided was which band could out-play and out-stay the other. The personal and political
partisans of each encouraged them in every way to hand on. Conspicuous among the supporters of the American Bugle
Band was J. I. Case, who admonished them frequently to "give it to 'em, John." The crowd was entertained that night for two
and a half hours before the German Band was blown out and retired, leaving the American Bugle Band to play a final fan-fare
in token of victory.
John R. Davies
John R. Davies was born in Montgomeryshire, North Wales, June 13, 1830. He came to the United States with his parents in
1944, locating in Utica, NY, from which place he moved to Racine in 1848. In 1850 he married Jane Owens, a native of
Carnarvonshire, North Wales, with whom, in 1851, he moved to Rome, NY, returning to Racine in 1852.
Mr. Davis was a foundryman and in the 1850s he had a shop in Racine just west of the river between Second and Fourth
Streets where he made the castings for the first swing bridge erected at Fourth Street in 1857. At about this time he became
associated with Jerome I. Case, who began purchasing castings for his threshing machines from him. Mr. davies told me that
he built the first cupola for J. I. Case's first foundry, and that for several years thereafter he operated the foundry under
contract to furnish castings to Mr. Case at an agreed price per pound.
In 1860 Mr. Davies was elected Supervisor from the Third Ward in Racine. He was elected Chief of the Fire Department that
same year. He was a soldier during the Civil War, enlisting in the spring of 1863 and serving as a Lieutenant and Captain of
Battery C, First Wisconsin Artillery. He was mustered out September 21, 1865. In 1866 he was again elected to a two year
term as Chief of Racine's Fire Department. He died in Waukegan, IL, in October, 1915, in his eighty-sixth year.