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Black US Army Bands and Their Bandmasters inWorld War IPeter M. LeffertsUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln, plefferts1@unl.edu

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Lefferts, Peter M., "Black US Army Bands and Their Bandmasters in World War I" (2018). Faculty Publications: School of Music. 67.https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/67

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Versionof04/02/2018

Thisisthethirdversion,puton-linein2018,ofthiswork-in-progress.Thisessaywasputon-lineforthefirsttimein2012,at(https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/25/),andasecondversionwasputon-linein2016,at(https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/55/).Theauthorisgratefultothosewhohavecontactedhimaboutthisworkandwelcomesfurthercomments,additions,andcorrections(plefferts1@unl.edu).BlackUSArmyBandsandTheirBandmastersinWorldWarIPeterM.LeffertsThisessaysketchesthestoryofthebandsandbandmastersofthetwentysevennewblackarmyregimentswhichservedintheU.S.ArmyinWorldWarI.Thenewbandsunderwentrapidmobilizationanddemobilizationwiththeirregimentsover1917-1919.Theywereforthemostpartunconnectedbypersonnelortraditionstothelong-establishedbandsofthefourblackregularU.S.ArmyregimentsthatprecededthemandthatcontinuedtoserveoutsideEuropeduringandaftertheGreatWar.Pressedtofindsufficientnumbersofwillingandableblackbandleadersforthesenewregiments,theArmyturnedtoschoolsandtheentertainmentindustryforthenecessarytalent.ThenewlyformedbandsentertainedservicemenandciviliansinEuropeandAmericanotonlywithtraditionalmilitarymarchesandconcertbandfare,butalsowithminstrelshowsandrevues,andwiththelatestflavorofragtimemusic,whichtheycalledjazz.Themostimportantaspectofthisstoryisthatitprovidesacontext---includingcolleaguesandcompetitors---forthewartimeandimmediatepost-waraccomplishmentsofJamesReese(Jim)Europe.ThestoryofhowJimEuropeandthe“HarlemHellFightersBand"introducedjazztoEuropeansduringWorldWarIisoneofthemostfamoussetpiecesinAmericanmusichistory,andhismurdershortlyaftertheirreturntothestatesisoneofitsgreattragedies.Thereisnodenyinghisfameandaccomplishments,butLieutenantEuropewasnotanisolatedfigure.Rather,hewasfirstamongequals.HewasoneofanumberoffreshlymintedblackU.S.Armybandleaders,someofwhomwhoalsohadbeenfamouscivilianmusiciansintheirownright,whobroughtlargeandsmallensemblejazztoEnglandandFrancein1918-1919.Asmallnumberofthesenewblackbands,aftertheArmistice,touredtheStatestocapitalizeswiftlyontheirmomentoffameandthesurgingpopularityofthenewjazzmusic.MOBILIZATIONFORWAR

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TheU.S.Army’sfourregularblackcombatregiments,activelyoccupiedelsewhere,

didnotseeserviceinEuropeduringWorldWarI.1Rather,27newregimentsforAfrican

Americansweremobilizedin1917-1918,andtherewasnotagreatdealofcrossingover

fromtheolderoutfitstothenewer.ElevenofthenewunitswereU.S.Armycombat

regiments,comprisingthe92ndDivision(sevenregiments,threeofartilleryandfourof

infantry)andthe93rdDivision(fourregimentsofinfantry),althoughinfacttheunitsofthe

93rdendedupfightingwiththeFrenchArmyunderFrenchcommand.Theremainderof

the27regimentswerethesixteenso-calledPioneerInfantryRegiments801-816,ofwhich

allbut810and812servedoverseas.ThesePioneerRegimentsconsistedofnon-combatant

blacktroopswhoworkedasstevedores,dugtrenches,graves,andlatrines,andbuilt

hospitals,roads,bridges,andrailroadlines.2Inaddition,otherunitsoftheU.S.Army's

ServiceofSupplyweremannedbyAfricanAmericans,andtheybroughttheirbandstothe

docksanddepotsatfarremovefromthetrenches.

Allotthe27newcombatandPioneerinfantryregimentswereeventuallyableto

establishregimentalbands,3andwithoneexception(JamesRileyWheelock,aNative

American),thesenewblackbandsallwereconductedbyblackconductors.Bandsmenwere

assignedtotheirregiment'sHeadquartersCompany.

AppendixIofthispaperpresentsthenamesoftheBandLeadersandAssistantBand

LeadersthatIhavebeenabletodeterminefortheseunits,alongwiththenamesofsomeof

theotherindividualsonthebandleadershipteams.Tomakesenseofsuchamassofmostly

unfamiliarnames,wemustbeginwiththerealizationthatthetalentpoolofblack

musicianseligible,available,andwillingtoenterthearmyasbandmasterswasnotlarge.

Someoftheunitsquicklywereabletobuilddistinguishedbandsunderexperienced

leaders.Butbecausethenumberofqualifiedconductorswassosmall,thearmyhadtocast

1Duringthewar,theNinthCavalryservedinthePhilippines,theTenthCavalryandTwenty-FourthInfantryservedinArizonaontheMexicanborder,andtheTwenty-FifthInfantryservedinHawaii.2SeeAppendixI.3NotallthebandswereabletobeformedintheUS.Thebandofthe805thwasorganizedonlyinJanuary1919inEurope(PaulS.Bliss,Victory:Historyofthe805thPioneerInfantry,AmericanExpeditionaryForces(St.Paul,Minn.:theauthor,1919),pp.207-209;seealsoAddieW.HuntonandKathrynM.Johnson,TwoColoredWomenwiththeAmericanExpeditionaryForces[NY:BrooklynEaglePress,1920]),p.223.TheSt.NazairebandalsoonlygotitsinstrumentsinEurope(HuntonandJohnson,p.222-23).

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itsnetfairlywide,catchingeveryonefromregulararmymen,nationalguardbandsmen,

membersoftheeducationalcommunity,andseasonedveteransoftheentertainment

industry,toneophytesjustoutofcollege.

Agewasonesignificantfactorthatworkedagainstacohortofactive,senior,

nationallyprominentAfrican-Americanmusiciansbornfromthelater1850sintotheearly

1870s---alreadyintheirfortiesandfiftiesandthusabovedraftage---whodidnotserveas

militarymusiciansinthiswar.4ExceptforElbertB.Williams(b.1864),GeorgeE.Dulf

(b.1872),andJamesRileyWheelock(b.1874),allthebandmastersofthenewlyactivated

regimentswererelativeyoungsters,menintheirtwentiesandthirtiesbornfromaround

1880toaround1895.Theprimaryleadersofthegreatestcombatregimentbandswere

bornaround1880-1885.5Lessprestigiousbutstilloftenmentionedwerethebandsledby

menbornaround1885-1890.6Thebestofthehurriedlyassembledanddrilledbandsofthe

PioneerInfantryregimentswere,naturallyenough,thosepreparedbytheirtwomost

seniorbandmasters,whoweretheonlytwotomakeLieutenant:JamesRileyWheelock

(b.1874)andWillVodery(b.1885).MostoftheprettygreenAssistantBandLeadersinthe

PioneerInfantryregimentswerebornbetween1889and1895.7

Themajorityofbandmastershadworkedpreviouslyinmorethanoneprofessional

arena.Thosewithpriorarmyexperience,andwhothuswerefamiliarwithmilitarydrill

andothercustoms,werefew.ElbertB.Williams,thefirstofficiallyapprovedblackarmy

bandmasteroftheoriginal“quotaoffour,”wasaveteranwithtwenty-nineyearsofservice.

Fromthe10thCavalryinArizona,andofpurelymilitarybackground,cameitsbandmaster

AlfredJackThomas(anotheroftheoriginal“quotaoffour”blackbandmastersintheUS

army),hissecond-in-commandDorcyRhodes,andBurnitMcReynolds.E.E.Thompson,

4IncludingHendersonSmith(b.1858),N.ClarkSmith(b.1866),WillMarionCook(b.1869),WilliamH.Tyers(b.1870),FredW.Simpson(b.1871),WalterH.Loving(b.1872),JohnRosamondJohnson(b.1873),andW.C.Handy(b.1873).5J.TimBrymn(b.1879),F.EugeneMikell(b.1880),JamesReeseEurope(b.1880),E.E.Thompson(b.1883)andA.JackThomas(b.1884).Ofthisgeneration,theprincipalfigurenottodirectamilitarybandwasFordT.Dabney(1883-1958).6DorcyRhodes(b.1887),BurnitMcReynolds(b.1887),NormanScott(b.1888),FrankL.Drye(b.1889),andArthurT.Stewart(b.1891).7WesleyI.Howard(b.1889),EdwardBailey(b.1890),RalphS.Redmond(b.1890),AmosM.White(b.1890),GeorgeL.Polk(b.1890),RalphW.E.Brown(b.1893),LawrenceDenton(b.1893),LouiaVaughnJones(b.1895).

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nowaClefClubandTempoClubinsider,wasaten-yearveteranofBritishmilitarybands

fromhisJamaicandays,andhadalsoservedaUSNationalGuardstintwiththe15thN.Y.

MenoflessmilitaryexperienceincludedFrankL.Drye,whohadservedjustonethree-year

termofenlistmentwiththe9thCavalry,andGeorgeE.Dulf(anationalguardsmanwhohad

experiencedsomeactiveduty).JamesReeseEurope(aranknovice)musteredintothe

regulararmyafterashortstintintheNationalGuard.

Theaterandsocietyorchestras,andbandsoftheitinerantvaudeville,minstrel

shows,medicineshows,andcircusside-shows,werethelargestsinglesourceofnewblack

bandmasters,eventhoughfewmenfromthisspherehadhadanypriormilitaryexperience.

Whattheydidhave,though,wasafamiliaritynotonlywithpopularmusicbutwiththe

performanceofclassicalmusicinarrangementsforband.8FromNewYork’s“Black

Manhattan”camenotonlyEuropeandThompson,butalsoBrymn,Vodery,Redmond,

KincaidandDeBroite;fromChicagocameDulf,Bailey,andStewart;fromMinneapolis,

Cason;fromKansasCity,Denton,andfromtroupesontheroadcameGeorgeL.Polkand

AmosM.White.MenjustonestepremovedfromthemusicbusinessincludedFrankL.

Drye,whooncehadbeenontheroadascornetsoloistforW.C.Handy,andF.Eugene

Mikell,whohadrunminstrelshowandtheatreorchestrasformanyyearsinJacksonville,

FloridaandChicago.

BlackschoolsdirectlyyieldedDryefromTuskegee;Mikell,amanwhoalsohad

extensiveprioreducationalexperienceinSouthCarolinaandFlorida,fromthe

Bordentown,NewJerseyIndustrialSchool(“theTuskegeeoftheNorth”);theveteran

ElbertB.WilliamsfromthenewColumbiaConservatoryofMusicinWashington,D.C.;

RalphW.E.BrownfromtheHungerfordSchoolinEatonville,Fla.;HoraceB.Wallacefrom

LaneCollegeinJackson,Tenn.;andNormanScott,aself-employedmusicteacherfrom

Wilmington,Del.TothisnumbercanbeaddedNativeAmericanconductorJamesRiley

WheelockfromtheCarlisleIndianIndustrialSchool.NeophytesLouiaVaughnJonesand

8Thelargerminstrelshoworchestrasandbandsoftenplayedclassicalmusic.Inoneweekin1911,forexample,thebandofRichard’s&Pringle’sFamousGeorgiaMinstrelsrenderedselectionsfromWilliamTell,BohemianGirl,Faust,Tannhauser,PiqueDame,Rigoletto,IlTrovatore,andLuciadiLammermoor,andlightclassicalbandfaresuchasthefantasiason“RockedintheCradleoftheDeep”and"OldFolksatHome.”SeetheIndianapolisFreeman,February18,1911,p.6.

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WesleyI.Howardwereveryyoung,recentgraduatesoftheNewEnglandConservatory,

wherebothwereviolinmajors.

*

RECRUITMENT

Areviewofbandsandbandmastersundertakengeographicallyprovidesthemost

insightintothearmy’sstrategyofmusicalrecruitment.Inthisrespect,itisappropriateto

startwithChicago,somanyofwhoselocalblackmusicianscouldplay“genuinejazzmusic,

suchasisonlyfoundinChicago.”9ItwasChicagoratherthanNewYorkCity,moreover,that

hadthegreaterheritageofmilitarymusic.Thisrequiressomeexplaining.Atthe

declarationofwarinApril1917thereweretwostandingAfrican-Americanregiment-level

bandsinadditiontothefourregularblackArmyregimentalbands.Theseadditional

regimentalbands,ledbyblackbandmasters,belongedtotheonlytwoexistingblack

NationalGuardregiments,the8thIllinoisofChicagoandthe15thNewYork.10TheEighth,

considerablytheseniorofthetwo,hadbeenaroundforquiteawhile,itsrootsdatingback

tothe1870s.ItwasformallydesignatedastheEighthIllinoisVolunteerInfantryRegiment

in1898whenitwascalledintoactivedutywiththeregimentfortheSpanish-American

War,anditwasrecalledtoactivedutyintheMexicanborderwarof1916.Itsnationally

recognizedbandwasasuperlativeoutfit,skilledinpopularaswellasclassicalstyles,and

anaspirationalmodelforallthesubsequentnewbands.

ThebandoftheOldEighthwasledbyGeorgeEdmundDulf,aprominentfigurefor

decadesinblackminstrelshowswhohadbeenassociatedwithitsince1898,conductingit

ca.1898-1901andagainca.1914-1917.11Underhisbaton,itwasinvolvedwithjazzfrom

anearlydate.In1916,theregimentswungintocampinTexasto“atunethatwasfreighted

withhomesicknessforChicagotroops....Itwasjustthe“Jazband”oftheEighthIllinois

9ChicagoTribune,March10,1919,p.7.10TherewerealsoindividualcompaniesofAfricanAmericansoldierswithinprimarilywhiteregimentsinsomestatenationalguards,andsomeofthesecompanieshadbands.The372nd,forexample,wasmannedbymenfromseveralsuchblackcompanies.Itislikelythatitsregimentalbanddrewonthepersonnelofanumberofestablishedcompany-levelblackguardbands.11OnGeorgeDulf,seenow“ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofGeorgeE.Dulf:MaterialsforaBiography,"on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/57/

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infantrymakinglightthestepstocampfortheNegrodoughboys.”12Theregimentwas

broughtintowarserviceinthefallof1917andredesignatedasthe370thinDecemberof

thatyear.Ittrainedfarfromhome,firstatCampLogannearHouston,inwhichcitythe

bandledtheGreatParadeoftheEighthRegimentonNovember7,1917,andthenatCamp

Stuart,nearNewportNews,wherethebandledtheWashingtonBirthdayparadeofseveral

thousandmilitarypersonnelthroughNorfolk,VirginiainFebruary,1918.The370thwent

toFranceinApril1918,and,aftertenmonthsaway,waswelcomedhometoChicagoina

greatcelebrationonFebruary17,1919.13

ThesecondgreatAfrican-AmericanregimentformedintheChicagoareawasthe

365thInfantry,aunitofdrafteeswhichwasorganizedinOctober1917atCampGrant,just

southofRockford,Il.Toberegimentalbandmasterofthe365th,ayoungoutsider,FrankL.

Drye,aformermilitarybandsmanandthenthecornetsoloistforW.C.Handy,camenorth

fromhiscurrentpositionasbandmasterattheTuskegeeInstitute,viatheDesMoines

trainingcampforblackofficers,whereheearnedhisofficer'sstripe.AtCampGrant,

LieutenantDryeorganizedsomeverysuccessfullargeshowsforwhichhewasmusical

director,conductor,andcornetsoloist.Drye,acommissionedlineofficer,laterfoughtatthe

frontinEuropeandwasindividuallydecoratedforvalor.Theunit’sofficiallyappointed

BandLeader,whohandledmostofitsday-to-dayconductingduties,wasaprominentlocal

ChicagomusicianandcolleagueofDulf,sergeant(laterLieutenant)ArthurT.Stewart.

WhilestillinRockford,asixteen-mansubsetoftheirensemble"establishedareputation

for'jazzstuff'."14The365thwenttoFranceinJune1918andenjoyeditsowngreat

welcomehomecelebrationinChicagoonMarch10,1919.BandsergeantAlbertJones,an

12ChicagoBroadAxe,July8,1916,p.4(“EighthTroopsSwingInCampto“Jaz”Music”).Thisisanearlyappearanceoftheword"jaz,"and,characteristically,itisassociatedwithChicagomusicians.Infact,theearliestknownapplicationofthetermtomusic,fromjustayearearlier,isfromtheChicagoTribune,July11,1915,p.E8("BluesisJazzandJazzisBlues").NewOrleanstheatricalmusiciansinlater1916werereportedasiratethatChicagomusicianswerebeingcreditedwithdiscoveringthenewformofmusicknownasthe"jazband."SeeNewOrleansStates,November12,1916,p.32NewOrleansStates,November14,1916,p.4,NewOrleansStates,November22,1916,p.10,andNewOrleansTimes-Picayune,November22,1916,p.6.13ForthemarchinNorfolk,seeFrankE.Roberts,TheAmericanForeignLegion:BlackSoldiersofthe93rdinWorldWarI(Annapolis,MD.:NavalInstitutePress,2004),p.25;forthereturnandcelebration,seeChicagoTribune,Tuesday,Feb.18,1919,p.1.14RockfordRepublic,February1,1918,p.5.

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activeclarinetistinChicagobeforethewarandafrequentsoloistwiththebandatCamp

Grant,conductedthebandinappearancesinChicagoafteritsreturn.15

InJuly1918,athirdmajorChicagoarearegimentofblackdraftees,the803rd

PioneerInfantryregiment,wasorganizedatCampGrant.ItsbandplayedunderEdwardW.

Bailey,whohadbeentheleaderoftheorchestraatoneofthenation’smostimportant

African-Americantheatricalvenues,theStatesTheateronChicago’sSouthSide.Theband

quicklytookCampGrantbystormbeforeshippingout,andaconcertbythegroupuponits

arrivalbackhomeafterthewarwaseagerlyanticipated.16Manyofthemenofthe803rd

wereRockfordarealocals,especiallyemployeesoftheRockfordMalleableIronWorks,and

thusitwasappropriatethatBailey’sassistantbandleaderwasAlfredJ.Taylor,aTuskegee

graduateandtalentedmusicianwhohadtouredwiththeTuskegeeSingersanddiscovered

theRockfordarea;settlingthere,hetookadayjobattheironworks.WhenTaylorreturned

toRockfordafterthewar,heformedanAmericanLegionbanddrawingnotonlyonmen

fromthe803rdbutalsoincludinglocalveteranswhohadplayedwiththebandofthe

365th.17

FromtheNewYorkarea,theblackentertainmentindustryyieldedupsomeofits

finesttalenttothearmy,eventuallystaffingfiveregimentalbands,fourofwhichwere

widelycelebrated.AsinChicago,thestorymustbeginwiththeNationalGuard.

Thesecondofthenation’stwoblackNationalGuardregiments,the15thN.Y.,had

onlyrecentlybeenestablished,onJuly1,1916.Thehistoryofthebandofthe15thN.Y.is

anelaboratestory,andonethathasbeendistortedsomewhatbythecelebrityofJames

ReeseEurope.ItsfirstChiefMusicianwasE.E.(EgbertE.)Thompson,handsdownthemost

obviouscandidateforthejobworkinginNewYorkCityatthetime.Thompson,“theblack

15ChicagoDefender,October30,1915,p.6;ChicagoDefender,November27,1915,p.6;RockfordDailyRegisterGazette,May7,1918,p.2;ChicagoBroadAx,April19,1919,p.4;DallasExpress,May10,1919,p.1.16RockfordMorningStar,September16,1918,p.14;RockfordMorningStar,June3,1919,p.32.17RockfordMorningStar,December23,1919,p.4.AndasanotherexampleofhowtheChicagoareaveteranbandsmenkeptincontact,"abandcomposedofthebesttalentofthe365thInfantryBand,the8thRegimentBand,andthe803rdPioneerInfantryBand"headedtheparadethatkickedoffthefirstAmericanLegionrecruitmentdriveamongAfricanAmericanveteransintheChicagoareaatthe8thRegimentArmoryonOctober12,1919(ChicagoBroadAxe,October11,1919,p.2).

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Sousa,”wasaveteranoftheBritishmilitarybandworldwho,becausehecouldneverrise

tobandmasterintheBritishArmy,hadlefttheCaribbeanandmilitarylifein1907forwhat

becameahighlysuccessfulcareerintheNewYorkentertainmentindustry.18Ashewas

becomingestablishedinNewYorkCity,healsopolishedhismusicalskillsasastudentfor

threeyears,from1908to1911,attheInstituteofMusicalArt,earningthedeeprespectof

itsdirector,FrankDamrosch.19Thompsonhadbeenleadingaprofessionalconcertand

danceensembleoffortymen,“Thompson’sMilitaryBand,”inNewYorkforseveralyears

whenthecallcametobuildabandfortheguardregiment.Heledthebandofthe15thN.Y.

initsfirstfullseason,fromlatesummer1916tomidApril1917.

Thompson'sNationalGuardbandwasaunitmadeupofamixtureofunpaid,

enlistedguardsmen,someofwhomownednoinstrumentsandhadnopriormusical

experience,andalsoringerswhowerepaidNewYorkprofessionalmusiciansdrawnfrom

hisowncommercialoutfit.Heworkeddiligentlyallfallandwintertoalterthismixand

staffthebandentirelywithmusically-experiencedvolunteerguardsmen,buthewasnever

abletopullthisoff.Nonethelesshisaccomplishmentswiththebandwerepraised,andits

corewasstrong.The15thN.Y.marchedinagreatNewYorkCityparadetogetits

regimentalcolorsonOctober1,1916tothetuneofthebandunderThompson.20Shortly

thereafter,thebandmadeitsfirstconcertappearance,playingforabenefitatthe

ManhattanCasinoonOctober20.21Meanwhile,theprofessionalThompson’sMilitaryBand

playedatTempoClubconcertsunderthesponsorshipofJimEuropein1916-17and

18MortenClausen,"EgberthE.Thompson:HeIntroducedCopenhagenerstoRealJazzMusic,"TheBlackPerspectiveinMusic16/2(1988):151-76atp.161.19FrankDamrosch'sstrongletterofrecommendationforE.E.ThompsonisprintedintheNewYorkAge,April5,1919,pp.6-7.20NewYorkAge,October5,1916,p.1,ontheparade,mentionsthattheregimentalbandhad65members.NewYorkAge,October5,1916,p.4,inaneditorialdiscussinglastSunday’sparadeandgettingtheunit’scolors,“Col.Haywardandhisofficersdeservemuchcreditforwhattheyhaveaccomplishedinsoshortatime.AndspecialmentionmustbemadeofChiefMusicianThompsonandhisband.”AshortarticleintheNewYorkAge,October5,1916,p.6,offerscomplimentstothe15thregimentbandunderChiefMusicianThompson.21NewYorkAge,October26,1916,p.6,inareviewofthebandconcertonOctober20,mentionsthatThompsonwasworkingwith“untrainedmaterial,”andthatmanyofitsinstrumentalistshadbeenjustassignedtheirinstrumentsandwerelearningthem.AcolumnistintheIndianapolisFreeman(November4,1916,p.4)saidthatthisconcertprovedthatThompson“isthepeerofallthecoloredbandmastersandcanbecomparedwithoutmuchexaggerationwiththebestofthewhite.”

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continuedtoplayontheirownandforJimEuropeafterThompsonsteppeddownfromthe

15thN.YinApril1917.22

ColonelWilliamHayward,commanderofthe15thN.Y.,wasjealousofthebandof

themoreseniorblackNationalGuardregiment,the8thIllinois.InDecember1916,on

accountofhisconcernforthequality,irregularstaffing,andcontinualout-of-pocket

expenseofthebandunderThompson,Haywardbegantoputpressureononeofhisnewly-

commissionedofficers,JimEurope,tohelpwiththesituation.23Europe,oneofthebest

knownblackmusiciansinNewYorkCity,hadenthusiasticallyenrolledintheNational

GuardinSeptember1916asaprivate,thoughnotasabandsman,andasjustmentioned,

hehadbeenemployingThompson’sbandinhiscivilianbusiness.Hewasrapidlypromoted

tosergeantthatfallandthengivenanofficer’scommissioninDecemberasafirst

lieutenant.Inearly1917,withthehelpoffellowClefClubberNobleSissle,whohadalso

joinedthe15thN.Y.inthefallof1916,JimEuropemountedavigorousfundingand

recruitmentcampaignfortheband.Theirgoalsweretogetmoreprofessionalmusiciansto

enlistasguardsmen,andtoestablishanendowmenttopaythemanacceptablewage,since

guardsmenearnednomoneyfortheirservice.

Ninemonthsaftertheregimentwasestablished,andjustaftertheUSdeclarationof

warinApril1917,the15thN.Y.passedinspectionandwasfederalized.Thompsontookthis

momenttostepasidefromtheregiment’sband.24Haywardandhisfellowseniorwhite

22NewYorkAge,September28,1916,p.1;NewYorkAge,April5,1917,p.6.23ForthestoryofJimEuropeandthe369th,seeaboveallReidBadger,ALifeinRagtime:ABiographyofJamesReeseEurope(NewYork:Oxford,1995).ThemostimportantolderaccountsoftheactivitiesofthebandareNobleSissle,“MemoirsofLieutenant“Jim”Europe”(unpublishedcarbonoftypescriptca.1942,nowhousedattheLibraryofCongressandavailableonlinethroughtheAmericanMemoryCollectionattheLibraryofCongresswebsite)andArthurW.Little,FromHarlemtotheRhine:TheStoryofNewYork'sColoredVolunteers(NY:CoviciFriede,1936).ForaschematicoverviewofJimEurope'scareer,seealso“ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofJamesReeseEurope:MaterialsforaBiography,”on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/58/24NewYorkAge,April19,1917,p.1.Col.Hayward’sstatementaboutthebandsituationincludedthefollowing:“ItmaynotbegenerallyknownthatalthoughMr.Thompsonwhohasresignedasbandmaster,workedhard,hewasunabletogetthemembersofhisbandtoenlist.Thebandthatthepublichasseenandheardwascomposedonlyinpartofenlistedmen.Theothersbeingcivilianswhoseserviceswerepaidforfromtimetotime,andoneveryoccasion,includingrecruitingduty,exceptingthree.Ofcourse,thenon-enlistedmenwereofnousetouswhentheregimentwentintoservice.Idonotthinkthatthefailuretosecureenlistedmenforthebandwasthroughlackof

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officershadshakendowntheirrichfriendsforcontributions.Europe,takingoverwitha

$10,000bandfundnowathisdisposal,25immediatelysailedforPuertoRicotorecruit

somemusicians,especiallyreedplayers.Curiously,despiteallhewasdoingandwoulddo

fortheband,EuropecouldnotbeitsofficialBandLeader.AnappointmentforFirst

LieutenantEuropeasBandLeaderwouldhaverequiredanunacceptabledemotiontonon-

commissionedofficerstatus.Instead,F.EugeneMikellenlistedandreceivedthe

appointmentassergeantBandLeader.26Europewasnonethelessexofficiotherenovated

band’sprimaryconductorandmusicaldirector.Forthenexttwoyears,itwasreferredto

asEurope’sband,andatitsheadhebecameamajorinternationalcelebrity.Withtheband

fundalreadyseriouslydepleted,theirfirstpublicappearanceunderJimEuropewasata

benefitattheManhattanCasinoonJune22,191727;itleftforthefrontsixmonthslater.Its

regimentservedthelongestoverseasofanyoftheblackregiments;thefirsttoleave,it

sailedforFranceonDecember12,1917andreturnedtotheUSonFebruary12,1919.It

wasrenamedthe369thinFrance.WhentheregimentreturneditscolorsbackinNewYork

onFebruary17,1919inagiantparadethroughManhattan,itwasheadedupbytheband,

whichwasdirectedbyEuropeandledbydrummajorGillardThompson.28

ThesecondgreatAfricanAmericancombatinfantryregimentfromNewYorkCity,

the367th,wasformedfromdrafteesatCampUpton,onLongIsland,inearlyNovember

1917.Thusthe369thand367thofNewYorkCitywereaguardsmen/drafteespairjustlike

370thand365thofChicago.Thebandofthe367thwasputintothehandsofnoneother

diligentandearnesteffortsonMr.Thompson’spart.Hehadadifficulttask.Ifelt,however,thatprogresswouldbemadebymakinganewstartfromthebeginning.”25Thepersonalsubsidyof$10,000givenbyNewYorkbankerDanielG.ReidisreportedinalmosteverystoryaboutJimEurope'sband,buttheregiment'sofficersandotherprominentNewYorkersamongHayward'sfriendsgavelesseramountstothebandfund,whichwasforinstrumentsaswellassalaries;indeed,theReidcheckfor$10,000maywellhavebeenintendedjustforthenecessaryequipment(TrentonEveningTimes,September7,1917,p.3;ChicagoDefender,March23,1918,p.5;NewYorkHerald,April17,1918;FlintJournal,April22,1919,p.3;Little,FromHarlemtotheRhine,p.122).26Thus,JimEuropeandEugeneMikellstoodinthesamerelationshipinthe369thasLieut.FrankL.Drye,alineofficer,andLieut.ArthurT.Stewart,BandLeader,hadinthe365th.OnMikell,see“ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofEugeneMikell:MaterialsforaBiography,”on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/60/27Sissle,"Memoirs,"p.63;seealsoBadger,ALifeinRagtime,p.150.28NotBill"Bojangles"Robinson.

11

thanE.E.Thompson,whohadbeenthefirstbandmasterofthe15thN.Y.Afterlessthan

twomonthsofrehearsal,hehadhislatestregimentalbandreadytoplayataGrandMilitary

BallonNewYear’sEveatthe71stRegimentArmoryat34thandParkinManhattan.Itwas

reportedatthetimethatThompsonwantedtomakehisgrouponeofthebestinthearmy,

andthatthey“madeamostfavorableimpression.”29The367thanditsbandparticipated

withalltheotherCampUptonregimentsintheWashington'sBirthdayParadeinNYCon

Friday,February22,1918,winninggreatapplause.Varietycommentedthat"manythought

itabettermusicalorganizationthanthebandJimmyEuropeformedandwhichisnowin

France."30TheregimentgotitscolorsafteramajorparadethroughManhattanonMarch

23,1918,andupontheirarrivalinHarlem,thebandhadenoughpeplefttoentertainthe

crowdwithragtime.31AttheendofMarchthebandappearedinconcertattheManhattan

OperaHousewithguestsincludingAbbieMitchellandWillMarionCook.32Enduringseven

monthsofstatesidepreparation,itcontinuedtoparticipateineventslikeLibertyLoan

parades.33The367thfinallywentoverseasinJune1918.Itcontinuedtobethesubjectof

attentioninNewYorkpaperswhileabroad,andaMonsterBenefitwasheldforthe

regimentinManhattaninOctober,withahuge,raciallyintegrated,all-starroster.34Backby

lateFebruary1919,the367threturneditscolorsinitshomecityafteranotherspectacular

paradethroughtown,ledbytheband,onMarch14,1919.

Atthesametimeasthe367thwasbeingformedonLongIsland,butashorttrain

rideoutofManhattanintheoppositedirection,the349thand350thFieldArtillery

29NewYorkAge,December29,1917,p.6;NewYorkAge,January5,1918,p.6.30Variety,lateFebruary1918,p.8ontheVaudevillepage.31Forageneralaccountoftheparade,seetheNewYorkTimes,Feb22,1918,p.11,andNewYorkTimes,February23,1918,pp.1,3.TheCrisis15/6(April,1918),p.294,reportsthat“AnattemptwasmadetoleavethecoloredsoldiersoutoftheWashingtonBirthdayParadedownFifthAvenue.TheGovernorinterferedandthebattalionofthe367thcoloredregiment,whichparaded,receivedthemostattentionandapplauseamongthe10,000marchers.”32NewYorkAge,March30,1918,p.6(“367thinDanceandSong”).33NassauPost,April19,1918,p.5.34ThebenefitwasheldSunday,October27,1918.SeeadvertisementsintheNewYorkAge,October19,1918,p.6andNewYorkAge,October26,1918,p.6;thesamepaperprintedareviewonNovember2,1919,p.6.ParticipantsincludedwhitestarsBelleBaker,IrvingBerlin,DavidBispham,EddieCantor,EddieLeonard,andMarilynMiller,aswellasblackstarsincludingBertWilliams,WilburSweatman,AbbieMitchell,FordDabney’sSyncopatedOrchestra,andWillMarionCook’sClefClubOrchestraandSingers.

12

regiments,composedofdrafteesprimarilyfromNewYork,NewJersey,andPennsylvania,

werebeingassembledatCampDixnearTrenton,NJ.Theexploitsoftheseunitswere

followedwithcarebythepressofthreecities:NewYorkCity,Trenton,andPhiladelphia.

Themoreprominentbandtoemergefromthispairwasthatofthe350thundera

ManhattanClefClubstalwartandlong-timecolleagueofJimEurope,J.TimBrymn.35His

regimentalcolonelwantedtheirbandtobethebestintheservice,anditswhiteofficers

workedhardtoraiseabandfundthatwouldsupportanensembleof100men.Thegreat

contraltoErnestineSchumann-Heink,the“MotheroftheArmy,”sangataconcertwiththe

bandinNewJerseyonMay15,1918,andbecameitschiefsponsor.36Intermsofdrumming

upprivatemoneytofundalargeband,Brymn’s350thregimentwasevidentlyevenmore

successfulthanEurope’s369th.Hetookanensembleof70overseasandcontinuedtoadd

mentoit.BrymnwrotecolumnistLesterA.WaltonoftheNewYorkAgefromFrancein

October1918andsaid,“Mybandisnowincreasedtoonehundredmusicians,asweare

consideredA-1inthearmy.”37Indeed,itwaswidelyreportedtobethesinglelargest

musicalunitservinginWorldWarI.Oneoftheregiment'scombatsoldiers,whoservedas

DrumMajorwhenhewasnotatthefront,wasWilliamH.(WillietheLion)Smith,thegreat

Harlemstridepianist.

WhenPresidentWilsonopenedanationwideRedCrossCampaigninMay1918,the

kickoffwasahugeparadeinManhattanonSaturday,May18,ledbyBrymn’s350th

regimentband(withThompson’s367thconsiderablyfurtherbackinthelineofmarch).

Famously,thepresidentcouldnotresistmovingtoitsmusicandgotoutofhislimousineto

35EmmettJ.ScottsaysBrymnalsohelpedpreparethebandofthe349thforanextendedperiod,whichmakessensesinceitwasatCampDixatthesametime.SeeScott'sOfficialHistoryoftheAmericanNegrointheWorldWar(Chicago:HomewoodPress,1919;repr.NY:ArnoPress,1969),p.310.Itisfurtherpossiblethatthebandsofthe3439thand350thwereoccasionallymergedoverseas,whichcouldgoalongwaytoexplainBrymn'sclaimthathisbandeventuallyexpandedto100musicians.OnTimBrymn,seenow“ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofJ.TimBrymn:MaterialsforaBiography,”on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/64/36NewYorkAge,May17,1918,p.6;seealsoScott,OfficialHistory,p.311.37Bycontrast,JimEurope’sbandonthecontinent,thoughsecondtononeintheAmericanArmy,wasanensembleofjust44or45;Badgersays44wentoverseas.SeeReidBadger,“PerformancePracticeTechniquesintheJamesReeseEuropeBand,”InHowardT.Weiner,ed.,EarlyTwentieth-CenturyBrassIdioms,RutgersInstituteofJazzStudies,StudiesinJazz,no.58(ScarecrowPress,2009),Chapter7,pp.64-72.

13

walktheroute.38Brymn’sbandstayedintowntoparticipateinSundaymorningservices

onMay19,anditgaveaconcertontheCentralParkMallfortheRedCrossthatafternoon,

playingforanaudienceof50,000.39Shortlythereafter,inJune1918,itwentoverseas,

returninginearlyMarch1919.

Alittlelaterintheyear,attheendofJuly1918,afifthAfricanAmericanregiment

thatincludedmenfromtheNewYorkarea,the807thPioneerInfantryRegiment,was

formedatCampDixwithdrafteesfromNewYorkandNewJersey,alongwithmenfrom

Delaware,WestVirginia,andNorthCarolina.Itsbandbecamethefourthandfinalgreat

NewYorkareablackarmyband,alongsidethoseofEurope's369th,Thompson's367th,and

Brymn's350th.(Thebandofthe349thnevermadethesamekindofsplash.)TheBand

Leaderofthe807thwasthegreattheatricalcomposer-arrangerWillVodery,40with

experiencedtrombonistRalphS.RedmondasAssistantBandLeader,andtenorsoloistand

jazzinstrumentalistOpalD.Cooperasdrummajor.Withinjustthreemonthsthisensemble

reachedanoteworthylevelofexcellence.Infact,afrontpage1929obituaryintheNew

YorkAgeforoneofitsperformerssays“theirbandwonfame,secondonlytothatofLieut.

JimEurope’sFifteenthHellfighters.”41And“atleastonecommandingofficerpronounced

them‘thebestbandintheA.E.F.’.”42TheBandSecretary,CorporalAlbertA.Smith,wasnot

shyaboutdeclaringthat"WeestablishedourselvesasoneofthepremierebandsintheA.

E.F."43

SuchrenownindicatesthatVoderyhadfoundamongsttheregiment’sdraftees(or

broughtwithhimintothebandasvolunteerenlistees)manyEastCoastprofessionals.By

onelaterdescriptionitwasabandof52players,whileoneextantphotographshowsa

conductorand47instrumentalists.44Fortheatricalshowstheybrokeoutasmallergroup.

38NewYorkAge,May25,1918,p.1(“HeHeardMusicandJustHadtoWalk”);seealsotheNewYorkAge,May17,1919,p.6:“Isimplymustmarchtothatmusic;itisirresistible.”39NewYorkTimes,May20,1918,p.11;JerseyCityJournal,May20,1918,p.5.40OnWillVodery,see“ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofWillVodery:MaterialsforaBiography,”on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/62/41NewYorkAge,January26,1929,p.1,inanobituaryofCharlesL.Thorpe.42AccordingtoMarkTucker,quotingfroma1926PittsburgCourierarticle.SeeMarkTucker,"InSearchofWillVodery,"BlackMusicResearchJournal16/1(Spring,1996):123-82,atp.134.43PhiladelphiaTribune,June14,1919,p.1.44AphotoofthebandtakenwhentheywereatSouillywasfirstpublishedintheNewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6.

14

ThereisarosterofVodery’sminstrelshowandpitorchestratotaling30names,comprising

about10actor-singersand20instrumentalists.45Morethanhalfoftheseindividualscanbe

tracedasactiveprofessionalactorsandmusiciansincivilianlife.Oneparticularly

prominentsubsetofmenwhoplayedtogetherinthe807th---OpalCooper,Sammy

Richardson,LouiaV.Jones,andEarlGranstaff---returnedtoFranceafterthewarand

playedtogetheron-and-offformostofthe1920s.

MovingdowntheEastCoast,theBaltimore-Washingtonareaalsoyieldedapairof

AfricanAmericancombatregiments,the368thInfantryandthe351stArtillery,whichboth

wereformedfromdrafteesandestablishedinOctober1917.Theseunitswereorganizedat

CampMeade,whichliesroughlyhalfwaybetweenthetwocities.Theydrewtheirrecruits

fromPennsylvania,Maryland,andtheSouth.Tworegulararmybandsmenwhosecareers

hadlongbeenjoinedcameeasttogetherfromthe10thCavalryinArizona---BandLeader

AlfredJackThomasandAssistantBandLeaderDorcyRhodes---toconductthebandsof

thesenewunits.ThomasandRhodeshadeachtakentimeofffromtheirdutieswiththe

10thCavalrytogotheGovernor’sIslandArmyBandmastersSchool,in1912-14and1914-

1916,respectively.Maintainingastrikingparallelism,theywereoftenmentionedtogether

intheWashingtonpapers,46andtheywouldbothmusteroutafterthewarandreturnto

theCapitolareatoworkinacademia,ThomastoBaltimoretoestablishtheAeolian

ConservatoryandRhodestoWashington,DCtoruntheHowardUniversityROTCBand.

Thomas’sbandwasbyfarthemoreimportantofthepair,ifassessedby

documentedactivitiesandcontemporarynewspaperreferences.Hemadeabigeffortto

staffitwithexperiencedmusicians.Inanadvertisementforplayersplacedinthe

WashingtonBee,Thomaspromised“NoTrenchdigging,guarddutyorotherlaborious

dutiestoperform.Specialprivilegesaccordedtobandsmen.”47JimEurope,infact,thought

the368thofA.J.ThomaswasthebestbandintheA.E.F.Bythisheprobablymeantthatit

45NewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6("MakingMusicfortheArmy").46Forexample,WashingtonBee,February9,1918,p.5,whentheyweregueststogetherataWashingtondinner,andWashingtonBee,April5,1919,p.3,reportingonbothaftertheirreturntothestates.47WashingtonBee,December8,1917,p.8.

15

wasthebestofthebandsatperformingseriousmusic,andweknowthat“themensaythey

prefertoplayclassicalpieces.”48Inearly1918thebandnumbered87pieces,which

includedafieldmusicunitof39bugles,fifes,anddrums,andaconcertunitof48.The48

playerswereevenlydividedatthistimebetweenwoodwindsandbrass,andThomas

hopedtoincreasethenumberofwoodwindstoachievearatioofone-thirdbrass

instrumentstotwo-thirdswoodwinds,thereverseoftheusualratioinarmybands.49

Thebandofthe368thcouldsplitoffaterrificfreestandingjazzbandledbyits

colorfuldrummajor,EdgarA.Landin.Animposing6’4”formerPhiladelphiapoliceman,

Landinwashailedas“TheRagtimeBaton-Twirler,”“TheGreatCake-WalkingBandleader

andHisJazzBand,”and“TheSultanofSyncopationandHisGallavantin’JazzBand.”While

inthestates,thebandofthe368thwasactive,forexample,providingaconcertatCamp

MeadeonEasterSunday1918towhichthepublicwasinvitedandthatwasannouncedon

pageoneoftheWashingtonBee.50ItalsoplayedinBaltimoreandWashington.Theband

wasespeciallybusyinthespringof1918intheLibertyLoanDrive.Toopenthiseffort,

PresidentWoodrowWilsonattendedaBaltimoretroopreviewandparadeonSaturday,

April6,1918whereDrumMajorLandin’santicswereahitwiththedourpresident.Landin

immediatelybecameasignificantnationalcelebrity,“TheDuskyDrumMajorThatMade

thePresidentLaugh.”51

Laterthatsummer,inJuly1918,athirdimportantBaltimore-Washingtonareaband

wasformedatCampMeadeaspartofthe808thPioneerInfantryregiment,aunitwhich

drewalmosthalfitsmenfromMaryland.ItsBandLeaderwasaNativeAmerican(Oneida),

JamesRileyWheelock,awell-knownmusicalfigureintheBaltimore-Washingtonarea.

Wheelock,"theredrivalofSousa,"52wasoneofthemostseniorofthenewbandmastersat

age44.Hehadmadeaprominentpublicbidinthespringof1917tobecomethe

bandmasterofaregimentinoneofTheodoreRoosevelt'sproposedvolunteerdivisions,

andthentookapostathisalmamater,theCarlisleIndianIndustrialSchool,when

48NewYorkAge,February22,1919,p.6;seealsoBadger,p.308.49WashingtonEveningStar,March24,1918,p.14.50WashingtonBee,March30,1918,p.1.51BaltimoreSun,April12,1918,p.16;PhiladelphiaEveningPublicLedger,April19,1918,p.8;BaltimoreSun,May12,1918,p.14.EdgarA.Landin(3September1891-March1966).52AlbanyEveningJournal,September22,1905,p.10.

16

PresidentWilsonquashedRoosevelt'splans.53WiththeclosingoftheCarlisleSchoolayear

laterbythegovernment,Wheelockwasanobviouschoicetoleadthebandofalocally-

staffedregiment,andhewasabletoattracttalentedmusicians.Intheracialpoliticsofthe

Army,Wheelockwaseffectivelywhite,whichwecaninferfromthefactthatayounger

NativeAmerican(Chippewa)andCarlislegraduate,GusWelch,wasacommissionedofficer

(secondlieutenant,risingquicklytocaptain)inthe808th,whoseofficercorpsalwayswas

describedasall-white.

America'sDeepSouthwasrepresentedamongthecombatregimentsbythe371st

Infantry,basedinSouthCarolina.ItsbandwasledbyCaptainElbertWilliams,aretired

ArmyveteranwhohadbeentheU.S.Army'sfirstofficiallyappointedandconfirmedblack

regimentalChiefMusician(1908);hehadbeenteachingmusicinWashington,D.C.Before

goingoverseas,the371stInfantryBandplayedforeventssuchasa"raceconference"

encouragingAfricanAmericanstopurchasewarbondsandwarsavingstamps(thrift

stamps).54

TheGreatPlainsandupperMidwestarethefinalAfricanAmericanpopulation

centerfromwhichthearmydrewheavily.Onecombatinfantryregimentnotyetaccounted

for,the366th,wasmusteredintoserviceatCampDodge,justtothenorthwestofDes

Moines,Iowa,inNovember1917.ItsbandmadeitsfirstappearanceonFebruary5,1918,

underSergeantGrinnell.55

AndKansasCitydeservesmentionforthetwoPioneerInfantryregiments,the805th

and806th,thatwereorganizedatnearbyCampFunstoninManhattan,Kansas,inthe

summerof1918.TheywerestaffedmostlywithrecruitsfromtheKansas-Missouriand

broaderGreatPlainsregion,butaswastrueofmanyoftheotherPioneerInfantryunits,

theyalsodrewonawider,evennationalpopulationfortheirmanpower.Themenofthe

bandofthe805th,forexample,werenotjustfromKansas,Missouri,andOklahoma,but

53GettysburgTimes,March24,1917,p.3;PhiladelphiaEveningPublicLedger,March27,1917,p.5.TheNewYorkAge,June7,1917,p.1reportsthatRoosevelthadwantedtoraisetwoblackregiments.CouldWheelockhaveknownthis,andmighttherebearelationshiptohisappointmentwiththe808th?54Columbia(SC)Record,March13,1918,p.8.55DesMoinesBystander,March8,1918,p.4;DesMoinesBystander,March15,1918,p.3;DesMoinesBystander,May3,1918,p.4.

17

alsofromTexas,Ohio,Louisiana,Delaware,NewJersey,andNewYorkCity.Theywereled

byGeorgeL.PolkofSmyrna,Delaware,whoatthetimehefilledouthisdraftregistration

cardhadbeenplayingwithJ.C.O'Brien'sGeorgiaMinstrels.56LawrenceDentonfrom

KansasCity,wholedthebandofthe806thforatime,rememberedthatithadmen"from

allover,Louisiana,Mississippi,LosAngeles."57Nonetheless,forbothunits,theirprincipal

identitylaywithKansasCity,and,forexample,upontheirreturn,thesoldiersand

bandsmenofthe805thledtheJuly4,1919paradeinthatcity.58

SERVICEINFRANCE

Overseas,mostofthebandsstayedclosetotheirregiments,playingforthetroopsin

thetrenchesunderfireandforthemenatrestimmediatelytotherear.59Awayfromthe

combatzone,theyperformedatmilitaryceremonies,atpublicopen-airconcertsfor

civilians,atprivatesoireesforgeneralsandpoliticiansandroyalty,inmusichallsand

hospitals,andatRestAreas.Thelargerbandswerereallyentertainmenttroupes.They

couldbreakupintosmallergroupsincludingjazzbandsandvaudevilletheatreorchestras,

andbandsmencouldputdowntheirhornstopickupbanjosandviolins,ortosingin

quartets,doublequartets,andchoruses.Notjustpurveyorsofconcertmusic,thebands

carriedactorsandsingersontheirrosterandcouldmountandaccompanystagedminstrel

andvarietyshowsthatincludedskits,soloandquartetsinging,andvirtuosodancing.

Thebandsvariedconsiderablyinsize,quality,andcapabilities.Pinningdownthe

numberofinstrumentalistsinthelargergroupsishardtodowithoutphotosorrosters,

andthesecanbesurprisinglyhardtocomeby;further,citednumbersneedtobe

interpretedwithcaution,sincetheymayincludeonlytheinstrumentalistsoralsoinclude

56Bliss,Historyofthe805th,pp.65-67,208,givesafullrosterfortheband,includingphotosandhometowns;GeorgeL.Polkwasjustaprivatewhenhewaspulledoutoftherankstoleadtheband.57NathanW.Pearson,Goin’ToKansasCity(Urbana:UniversityofIllinoisPress,1987),p.18.58KansasCityAdvocate,June6,1919,p.4.59Fordiaryaccountsoftwo(white)bandsmen(bothofwhomendedupinPershing’spost-armisticeAll-StarAEFGHQband),whichareinsightfulaboutformingbands,fashioningsoldiersintomusicians,andthebandsman’sdailylife,seeRoyceBoyer,“TheWorldWarIArmyBandsman:ADiaryAccountbyPhilipJames,”AmericanMusic14/2(1996):185-204,andseethediaryofbandsmanRobertR.Gustafson,onlineatwww.worldwar1.com/dbc/rgustafson.htm(accessed6/7/2011).

18

theactorsandsingers.Numbersalsochangedependingonwhetherwhatisbeing

describedisthebandbeforeembarkingforEurope,thebandinthewarzone,ortheband

ontourafteritsreturntotheUS.Passengerrostersofthetrooptransportsmayreportall

themusicians,orelseleavesomehiddenincombatunitsiftheyhadneverbeenofficially

transferredintotheHeadquartersCompany.Thefluepidemicof1918-1919insuredthat

photographsofthebandsinFrancemaynotalwayshaveshowedthematfullstrength.

TheUSArmy'smilitarybandreformsofmid-1918(seebelow)permittedbandsat

fullstrengthtoincreasefrom28to48men,andthelatternumbermightalsohave

determinedhowmanyindividualswereofficiallyidentifiedasbandmembersinthetroop

shippassengerlistsuponthereturntoAmerica(whileadditionalbandsmencouldsimply

havebeenlistedamongtheprivatesintheHeadquartersCompany).Aphotoofthebandof

the372ndshowsscarcelytwodozenmen.Dulfinthe370thsailedwith25,returnedwith

48,andtouredafterthewarwith56.Polkinthe805thhad38.Passengerrostersgive

EuropeandMikellagroupof50inFrance,whiletheHell-FightersBandtouredwith65

backintheUS;Europe’soverseasbandissometimesdescribedasagroupof44or45,but

twoofficersand56enlistedmenweredetailedtotraveltoAix-les-Bains(seebelow).The

additionalenlistedmenwerelikelytheactorsandsingersinthetroupe.Thomashad48.

Voderysailedwith55,aphototakeninthefieldshows48men,andhereturnedwith48.

Brymnsailedforwarwith37musiciansandreturnedwith48,althoughheclaimedthathis

bandreached100meninFrance,60andbackintheUS,hetouredimmediatelyafterthewar

with70.

Thoseensemblesbuiltfromdrafteesmightbesmallandweak---barelyableto

scratchoutamarchoraccompanymilitarydrills---whilebetterbandsmightworkfroma

playbookofmainlystandardlightclassicalandmiddlebrowpopularfare.61Intensive

recruitingbyanambitiouscolonelwithabandfundandanableconductormightcoaxa

60AletterfromTimBrymntoLesterWaltonoftheNewYorkAgewaspublishedinOctober1919,inwhichBrymnwritesthat"Mybandisincreasedtoonehundredmusicians,asweareconsideredA-1intheArmy"(NewYorkAge,October26,1918,n.p.[p.6]).61Notalldrafteebandsmenwerealreadymusicians,oriftheyhadcomeintothearmywithsometraining,forexampleasapianistorsinger,thentheywerenotalwaysproficientonabandinstrument.Bandsneededinstruments,andfundsforthispurposecouldbehardtolocate.Bandsweremostlyblendsofprofessionalsandcapableamateurswithrankbeginners.Conductorsmightbepulledfromtheranksofprivates.

19

significantnumberofvoluntaryenlistmentsandresultinaflexible,professional-quality

ensemble,anentertainmenttroupewhosenumbersincludedsingers,actors,anddancers

inadditiontobandsmen.Anabilitytoplaythenewesthotragtimeidiomcalledjazzoften

garneredthemostattention.Notallbandleadershadanaffinityforjazz,though,andinat

leasttwodemonstrableinstances(inthe368thandthe809th),jazzbanddutieswere

delegatedtotheAssistantBandLeaderorthedrummajor.

AlthoughJamesReeseEurope’sbandunquestionablyhadthehighestvisibilityand

renownofanyU.S.ArmybandinFrance,eachoftheotherblackregimentalbandsserving

inEnglandoronthecontinentdeservesfurtherattentionthanithasreceivedtodate.

Exceptwhenthebandswereawayfromthefront,however,particularlyattheleaveareas

atAix-les-BainsandnearbyChambery,orinParis,muchoftheirwartimeactivityis

extremelyhardtotrace.Inthecombatzone,whentheywereplayingatallratherthan

duckingartilleryshellsandhelpingthewounded,theywerenotgoingtogetmuchifany

pressduetoanewsblackoutonaccountoftheneedforsecrecyabouttheirregiment's

whereabouts“SomewhereinFrance.”SuchaccountsasdoturnupintheUSpresscouldbe

printedmonthsafterthefactduetocensorshipandtransportationdelaysformail.An

articleintheNewYorkHerald(Parised.),quotedinaNewJerseypaperaftertheArmistice,

revealshowbandactivitiescouldbesensitivenews:“Theappearanceofthebandofthe

350thFieldArtilleryRegimentinNancyforaconcertwasthefirstnoticeherethattheonly

brigadeofnegroartilleryeveryorganizedhadbeendefendingNancybyholdingthe

Marbachesector,southofMetz.”62

BythetimeoftheArmisticeonNovember11,1918theregimentshadbeenabroad

foranywherefromonetoelevenmonths,andinsomecasestheirbandshadneverleftthe

sideofthetroops.AftertheArmistice,themajorityofbandsmenfacedanadditionalthree

monthsormoreofcamplifeinmudandrainalongsidealltheotherdoughboys,with

boredom,pneumonia,andthefluepidemicasunpleasantcompanions,beforetransport

home.Atthismoment,totheirrelief,bandsotherthanJimEurope’sbegantobesummoned

awayfromtheirregimentsformoreceremonialduties,inspecialassignmentsthatwerea

welcomediversion.

62Woodbury(N.J.)DailyTimes,December24,1918,p.1.

20

*

CONCERTIZINGINFRANCE

Thefollowingquickreviewofbandactivitiesfirstwillsummarizetheactivitiesof

thetwomostcelebratedbands,thoseofJimEuropeandWillVodery.Nexttobesketched

willbewhatweknowaboutthemoreprominentremainingbands,movingfromdivisionto

divisionratherthanfollowingthestatesidegeographicalpaththatwastakenaboveinthe

accountoftheirinitialformation.Mentionedherearetheprinciplewartimeanecdotes

aboutthebandsoftheblackcombatregimentsthatcanbegleanedfromlateraccounts,

especiallyUSnewspapersarticlesandconcertadvertisements.Wartimecensorshipin

EuropeandAmericastillobscuresourviewoftheactivitiesofthebandsbeforethe

Armistice,evenatthedistanceofonehundredyears.Surelymuchmoreremainstobe

discoveredinthenewspaperfilesandarchivesoftheFrenchvillages,towns,andcities

whereblackregimentsandtheirHeadquartersCompanybandswerebilletedor

concertized.

THE369THANDTHE807TH

The15thN.Y.spentthelongesttimeabroadofanyblackregiment---atotalof

thirteenmonths---fortenofwhichitsbandwasunderMikell’sbaton.Hehadsubstantially

morepodiumtimewiththebandthandidJimEurope.However,itwasthetotalofthree

monthsofconcertizingawayfromthefrontbeforetheArmisticebyEuropeandthe“Hell

Fighters’Band”thatdrewextensiveattentionatthetimeandhasbeenremarkedonat

lengthbysomanysince.ThesethreemonthsbeganwithamonthintherestareaatAix-les-

BainsfrommidFebruarytomidMarch1918,includingelaborateconcerttoursbytrainto

andfromthattown.63JimEurope,asacombatofficer,hadtohavespecialpermissionto

stepoutofhiscompanytoconductthebandatAix-les-Bains.

63Aix-les-Bainsislessthan400milessouthofParisandthefront,butthebandwassaidtohavetravelledseveralthousandmilestogetthereandback.Therestareahadjustopened,andEurope'sbandentertainedthefirstsoldierstobepulledoffthefront.SeeTheCrisis15/6(April1918),p.

21

The15thN.Y.wasformallyre-designatedthe369thonMarch12,1918,andwas

senttothefrontunderFrenchcommand.Europewentwiththefighters.Hewasawayfrom

theheadquartersbandforalmostsixmonths,frommidMarchtoAugust1918,toleadhis

machineguncompanyincombat,duringwhichexperiencehegotgassedandwas

hospitalizedinJuly.HerejoinedthebandintimefortwomonthsofconcertsinParisfrom

midAugusttomidOctober1918.Theretheband'sinitialappearancewasatthefinal

meetingoftheAlliedPeaceConferenceinParis,heldintheThéatredesChamps-Elyséeson

August18.Thissignaleventwasfollowedbyeightweeksofappearancesathospitalsand

restcampsaroundthecity.

Europe’sgroupisrememberedtodayprincipallyforitsinstrumentalperformances

andforthesingingofNobleSissle,butitmountedstageshowsaswell.Forinstance,during

itsfirstmonthawayfromtheregiment,“ThefineArmybandofAmericanNegromusicians

cameoverfromAix-les-BainsandputChambéryinawhirlofexcitement.Aconcertwas

giveninthetheaterundertheauspicesoftheY.M.C.A.,andthehousewascrowdedtothe

doorsandeveryseatintheorchestraoccupiedbyAmericansoldiers.Aminstrelshowwas

partoftheprogramme,andthetwoendmen,intraditionalminstreltogs,crackedjokes,

danced,andsangsongs,withachorusandbandtosupportthem.Thewildapplauseofthe

audienceworkedtheactorsintoaperfectfrenzyofcakewalks,hand-springs,and

grotesquegestures,andthecurtaindroppedonaroarofexcitementfromsoldiersand

actorsalike.”64

TherecordofthebandunderMikellislesseasytotrace,andinthatrespectits

historyisquitesimilartothoseoftheotherbandsinthe92ndand93rddivisions.

Nonetheless,thoughhetendstogetsnubbedinlateraccountsthatfocusonJimEurope,

Mikelldidvaluableservice.Indeed,inJune,1918hewashonoredinhisownrightata

ceremonywherehereceivedabatonpresentedbyaFrenchregimentalbandmaster.65On

July4,1918,inoneofitsmostprestigiousengagementsunderhisleadership,Mikellledthe

294,whichreportsthat“AnAmericanNegrobandledtheAmericansoldierswhoreturnedfromtheirfirstexperiencesinthetrenchesinaparadeatAix-les-Bains,France.”64Outlook,v.118/16(April17,1918),p.621,fromanarticlebycorrespondentPaulineSandsLee,whowrotefromfromChambéryonFebruary24,1918.65NewYorkAge,June15,1918,p.6(“BandmasterMikellisPresentedWithBaton”).

22

bandinaconcertatGeneralGouraud’sheadquartersinChalons-sur-Marne.Inmid1918

Mikellenjoyedthearmy’sboostinrankforbandleaderstoSecondLieutenant,andhe

remainedwiththeband---andEuropecamebacktoit---whenalltheregiment’sotherblack

officerswereremovedlaterthatsummer.66Thebandwasreturnedtoitsregimentand

pulledbackfrompublicengagementsafteritsstintinParis,keepingalowprofileforitslast

threeandahalfmonthsoverseaswhileotherbandstookthespotlight.JimEuropereturned

totheU.S.notasacombatofficer,butasanofficerinhisregiment'sHeadquarters

Company.

TheotherpreeminentblackregimentalbandofWorldWarI,WillVodery’s807th

PioneerInfantryBand,beganitsoverseasservicewithatasteofcombat:“whenwearrived

inacertainpartofFrancewewerecarryingammunitiontothefrontunderfire.”Its

“climacticsuccess”reallybegan,though,whenthebandwasdetachedfromitsregimentto

betheFirstArmyHeadquartersBattalionPostBand.Thiswasthemostdistinguishedand

lengthiestassignmentundertakenbyanyoftheblackregimentalbands,inwhichcapacity

itplayedalloverFrance.TheopportunitywascreatedwhenonOctober16,1918,General

JohnJ.Pershingturnedoverpersonalcommandofthemillion-manUSFirstArmyto

GeneralHunterLiggett,whocommandedituntilApril20,1919.Naturally,Liggettthen

neededhisownheadquartersbandindependentofPershing’s,andacompetitionwasset

upfortheposition,whichwaswonwhenVodery’sbandbeatoutfourother(white)

regimentalbands.67Thebandofthe807thtransferredtoFirstArmyHeadquarterson

November13,1918.BasedfirstatSouillynearVerdunandthenatBar-sur-Aubeinthe

countrysidesoutheastofParis,closebytoPershing’sownheadquartersatChaumont,

Vodery'smenservedasFirstArmyHeadquartersBandforfivemonthsuntiltheFirstArmy

wasdissolvedinApril.Inearly1919,Voderysteppedawayfortwomonthstodothe

66NobleSissle,whoheldtherankofsergeantanddrummajor,whileprimarilyperformingasasinger,hadtoleavethe369thtobecomeastaffofficerwiththe370thwhenhereceivedhisofficer’scommissioninthefallof1918inFrance.Heperformedagainwiththe369thbackintheUSinearly1919beforeEurope'sdeath.ThemodernsecondaryliteraturesometimescreditsSisslewithactuallyconductingtheband,therebymis-identifyinghimwithMikell.67LetterfromSgt.CharlesL.Thorpe,printedintheNewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6.GeneralPershingalsodeterminedtohaveanewband,alarge,all-starAEFGHQ[GeneralHeadquarters]Bandrecruitedfromthevariousregiments.Simpleracismrearingitsheadagain,nomembersofanyblackregimentalbandweretakenforthisgroup.

23

BandmasterscourseatnearbyChaumont,andaVoderylettershowsthatafterthecourse

heexpectedtoreturntothestateswithFirstArmyHeadquarterspersonnel.Instead,inlate

April,heandthebandweresentbacktotheirregiment,whichhadmissedthemsorelyand

whichwasnowatBourg,Haute-Marne.

AfewreferencesindicatethecaliberofeventforwhichVodery'sbandprovided

entertainmentinthisassignment.68ItrepresentedtheAmericanArmyatareceptionfor

FrenchPresidentM.PoincaréandMme.PoincaréatVerdunonNovember20,1918,when

PoincaréwastravellingtojoinMarshallsFochandPetainfortheceremonialentriesinto

theliberatedtownsofAlsace-Lorraine.Poincaré“saiditwasthefirstcoloredbandhehad

everheardanditsmusicwasastounding.”69OnDecember5,thebandplayedwhileGeneral

LiggettdecoratedeightaviatoracesatSouilly.OnJanuary8,itplayedattheservicesin

honorofColonelRooseveltatwhichGeneralLiggettandGeneralDrumandstaffwere

present(TheodoreRoosevelthaddiedonJanuary6).Further,duringJanuarytheband

playedatoneoftheCatholicCathedrals,anditalsoplayedprivatelyonJanuary19forthe

PrinceofMonacoathischateau,atwhichoccasion"thePrinceexpressedparticular

pleasureinNegromusic.”70AndonMarch21,theyplayedforGen.Pershing,hisstaffand

guests,thekingandqueenofBelgium,atLignol,thechateauthatwasLieut.Gen.Hunter

Liggett’sheadquartersnearBar-sur-Aube.71OnApril6theyplayedforGeneralPershingat

Bar-sur-Aube.Andtheyalsomadetoursofbasehospitals,ofcourse.72

Vodery'soutfitwasverymuchatheatertroupeaswellasaconcertband,andit

couldmountatleasttwodifferentshows.Adescriptionofoneoftheshowsperformedin

Bar-sur-AubeinJanuarymentionscomedysketches,asaxophonequartet,acomedian,and

asong-and-danceroutine.73

68AllmaterialinthisparagraphistakenfromtheChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.4andPhiladelphiaTribune,June14,1919,p.1,exceptwherenoted.69VoderyletterofNov.22,1918,printedintheNewYorkAge,December21,1918,p.6;NewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6.70TheCrisis17/6(April,1919),p.294.71ClevelandGazette,April26,1919,p.3;seealsoNewYorkTimes,March22,1919,p.3.72TheCrisis17/4(February1919),p.194.73NewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6;NewYorkHerald(Parised.),January29,1919,p.2(“HeadquartersBandofFirstArmyGivesShow”),ascitedinMarkMiller,SomeHustlingThis!TakingJazztotheWorld,1914-1929(Toronto:TheMercuryPress,2005),p.54.

24

OTHERBANDSOFTHE93RDDIVISION

Whatoftheotherbandsattachedtotheblackcombatdivisions?Theregimentsof

the93ndDivisionwerethefirsttogo“overthere,”embarkingbetweenDecember1917

andApril1918,beginningwiththe15thN.Y.AllservedatthefrontunderFrench

command.WiththeexceptionofJimEurope's,theirbandsstayedclosebythetrenches.

GeorgeDulf’sgreatChicagobandoftheOldEighthIllinois,nowthe370th,wasparticularly

famedforitsexperienceclosetotheaction.OnOctober13,troopsofChicago's370thwere

thefirsttoenter"theFrenchcityofLaonwhenthatfortressfellafterfouryearsofGerman

occupation....[and]BandmasterDulfledthebandthatmarchedattheheadofthe

regimentintoLaon...."...."playingFrenchnationalairsasitmarched,andfinally

breakinginto"TheStarSpangledBanner,"then"YankeeDoodle,"andfinally"Dixie"."74

Then,inthedriveontheRhineinNovemberitwastheonlybandtogooverthetop(at

Metz),and“played‘Illinois’intheveryteethofGermanguns.”Anotheroften-toldanecdote

recountshowtheyheldaconcertinwhatwassupposedtobeaquietsector,atBar-le-Duc,

nearVerdun,whileanunexpectedairplanebattleragedoverheadbetweenFrenchand

Germanaviatorsanditraineddownshrapnel.InlaterNovember,inceremoniesafterthe

Armistice,theyplayedattheparticularrequestofMarshallsFochandPetainandGeneral

Pershing.TheyalsogaveaspecialconcertatBrestforGeneralPershingbeforehesailed

hometotheStates.75WhenNobleSisslereceivedhispromotiontoLieutenantinOctober

1918,hewastransferredfromthe369thtothe370thtobecomeanofficerinthis

regiment'sHeadquartersCompany.

Thebandsofthe371stand372nddidnotleavesignificantanecdotesinU.S.sources

concerningtheiractivitieswhileoverseas.

BANDSOFTHE92NDDIVISION

Thesevenregimentsofthe92rdDivisionallsailedlaterthanthoseofthe93rd,

embarkingforthewarinJune1918,andallservedunderU.S.command,spendingon

74KansasCitySun,February15,1919,p.1.75ChicagoTribune,February15,1919,p.10;SanFranciscoChronicle,October5,1919,p.E5;GrandForksHerald,December24,1919,p.10;CheyenneStateLeader,January7,1921,p.5.

25

averageaboutninemonthsoverseas,onlythefirstfiveofwhichcamebeforetheArmistice.

OfthebandsofthethreeFieldArtilleryregiments,thoseofthe349thand351stseemto

havemadelittlewidespreadimpact.TimBrymn’s350thFieldArtilleryBand,however,

achievedsignificantrecognition.Beforethebigfalloffensive,"GeneralPershingordered

thebandtomakeatouroftheentirefront,foritisknownthatmusichasmoretodowith

sustainingthemoraleofthesoldiersthanalmostanyothermedium.76Then,returningto

campanditsregiment,thebandwasathandinthebloodyArgonneandMetzdrivesinfall

1918,andbyBrymn’saccount,atonepointtheyhadtoputdowntheirinstrumentstofight.

TheyservedatthebattlesofEpley,Pontamousson,andMarbach.Croixdeguerrewinners

includedsixbandsmen,amongthemSergeantHeyder,clarinet,BobbyJones,percussion,

andCorporalRusselSmith,cornet.77"Inspiteoftheintensivefightingwhichneverletup,

LieutenantBrymnkepthismusiciansinconstantrehearsal."78Further,"theyservedtheir

countrybydrivingammunitiontruckstothefrontlinetrenches,aswellasbyinspiring

theircomradesbytheirmusic."79AftertheArmistice,thebandwonrecognitionas"the

onlycoloredaggregationofmusicianstoappearbeforePresidentWilsonandGeneral

Pershingbyspecialrequestduringthetourofthebattlefrontbythecountry’sChief

Executivepriortotheopeningofthepeaceconference.”80And"whenPresidentWilson

visitedFrancelastChristmastime,heexpressedadesiretoheartheBlackDevilBand,and

whentheyplayedforhisentertainmentatthesectorwhichhevisitedatholidaytime,the

ChiefExecutivehailedtheorganizationasthepeerofallcoloredaggregations."81Away

fromthefront,inconcert,theyplayedspecialengagementsinNancy,Marseilles,Bordeaux,

Brest,andothercities.Inaddition,weknowthatBrymn'sbandplayedforthreeweeksata

basehospitalinParisandatGeneralPershing'sgreatreviewofthe92ndDivisiontogether

76HarrisburgTelegraph,April5,1919,p.13.77BinghamtonPress,January26,1922.78HarrisburgPatriot,April4,1919,p.14.79TrentonEveningTimes,March24,1919,p.7.80PhiladelphiaInquirer,March19,1919,p.3.WilsonarrivedonDecember13,sothiswouldhavebeenatsomepointbetweenmidDecember1918andearlyJanuary1919.81HarrisburgTelegraph,April5,1919,p.13.

26

withPresidentWilsononJanuary28atLeMans.Further,thememoirsofdrummajor

Willie“theLion”SmithmentionavisitofthebandtotherestareaatAix-les-Bains.82

ThefamedactivistandauthorW.E.B.DuBoiswentovertoFranceshortlyafterthe

Armistice,sailingfromNewYorkonDecember1,1918tobeanobserverattheVersailles

PeaceConference.WhileinParishehelpedorganizethePan-AfricanConferencein

February1919tocoincidedwiththePeaceConference,andheadedhomeinlateMarch

1919.InearlyJanuary,DuBoisvisitedthe92ndDivisionintheMarbachesector,inMaron

ontheMoselleRiverbelowMetz,justwestofNancy.DuBois,inafamouseditorialforThe

Crisis,describedtheimpactofBrymn'sbandinevocativelanguage:83

"InFrance....TimBrimmwasplayingbythetownpump.TimBrimmandthebuglesofHarlemblaredinthelittlestreetsofMaroninfarLorraine.Thetinystreetswereseasofmud.DankmistandrainsiftedthroughthecoldairabovetheblueMoselle.Soldiers---soldierseverywhere---blacksoldiers,boysofWashington,Alabama,Philadelphia,Mississippi.Wildandsweetandwooingleaptthestrainsupontheair.Frenchchildrengazedinwonder---womenlefttheirwashing.UpinthewindowstoodablackMajor,aCaptain,aTeacher,andI---withtearsbehindoursmilingeyes.TimBrimmwasplayingbythetown-pump."Chicago’s365thhasleftfewertracesofitsexperiencesabroad,butalatesummer

1918letterfromFrancetotheIndianapolisFreemanfromdrummerJasperTaylor,written

shortlyafterhisarrivaloverseas,speaksaboutplayingpopularmusic---lovesongsandjazz

numbers---andalsostandardbandselectionsfortheboys.84AftertheArmistice,band

memberBenJacksonwrotehometoafriendanaccountthatdetailssomeoftheir

whereabouts.Justbeforetheunit"wentoverthetop"withthebanddoinghospitalservice

undershellfire,theywereatSoisy,aboutfourkilometersfromPontaMousson,whichis

twenty-sevenkilometersfromMetz.(Theywereclosebytothe350thatthismoment.)

TheymoveduptoAttonfortheattack,andthenreturnedtoPontaMousson.Theymoved

againonDecember5toanotherunnamedtownwheretheystayedforamonth,andthen

82TrentonEveningTimes,March23,1919,p.25;BinghamtonPress,January26,1922;AmiriBaraka,TheLeRoiJones/AmiriBarakaReader,ed.WilliamJ.Harris(NewYork:Thunder'sMouthPress,1991),pp.535-536.83TheCrisis17/5(March1919),p.215-6.84IndianapolisFreeman,September28,1918,p.2(“ABlackHunChaserWritesFromFrance”),citedinMiller,SomeHustling,p.52.

27

billetedatAmbrièresinJanuarybeforeembarkationatBrest.Nowthe"OldEighth"was

locatednearby.85

Thebandofthe366thseemstohavekeptalowprofileonshore,thoughitwasa

shipboardfavorite,86andneitherthebandsofthe367thunderE.E.Thompsonnorofthe

368thunderA.JackThomasgeneratedmanyreferencesbackintheU.S.totheiractivities

whileabroad.Wedo,however,haveaphotoofthebandofthe367thserenadingGenerals

PershingandGouraudinthesummerof1918.87Andweknowthatthebandofthe368th

playedconcerts“inToul,Saizerais,Nancy,Brest,LeMansandotherplaces,”butalsowere

onthesceneforcombatonthreefronts---intheVosges,intheArgonneforest,andatMetz.

IntheArgonnefightinginSeptember,bandsmenhadtoputdowntheirinstrumentsto

becomestretcherbearersandfirstaidmen,andtoburythedead,andtheyalsowere

slightlygassed.88

PIONEERINFANTRYBANDS

TheAfricanAmericanPioneerInfantryregimentssailedfromAugustthrough

October1918,intimeforonlyjustfive(802,805,806,807,808)toassistinthefinal

bloodyassaultsonGermanpositions.Arrivingsomuchlaterthanthecombatregiments,

theyalsostayedonthecontinentmuchlater---deepintothesummermonthsof1919---to

workoncleaningupthedebrisandscarsofwar.Astheentire92ndand93rdDivisions

pulledbacktotheportareasandreturnedtothestatesinFebruaryandMarch1919,

demandsonthePioneerInfantryregimentalbandsincreasedbothtoentertainthe

remainingtroopsandtoserveonceremonialoccasions.Thesebands,too,variedwidelyin

85LetterdatedJanuary10,printedinSpringfield(Ill.)DailyIllinoisStateJournal,February3,1919,p.13.86ItreportedlyplayedaconcerteverynightonboardtheUSSCovingtononthewaytoFranceandonboardtheAquitaniaonthewayhome(on-linebiographyofHenryFrankSmith(1892-1960),versionof11/01/2006,athome.earthlink.net/~gskwink/InHonor.html,accessed06/04/2013).ForanotherreferencetotheconcertsontheAquitania,seealsoAdeleLoganAlexander,HomelandsandWaterways:TheAmericanJourneyoftheBondFamily,1846-1926(NewYork:PantheonBooks,1999),p.421.87NewYorkAge,September14,1918,p.6;Sweeneyreprintsitbetweenpp.112-113.ThepublicationdatesuggeststhatthiswasaneventofJuly/August/earliestSept.88NewYorkAge,Feb22,1919,p.6;TheSouthernWorkman,vol.48(April1919),p.254.Toul,Saizerais,andNancyareneareachotherintheLorraine,closetothefront.LeMansisinthewestonthewaytoorfromBrestandSt.Nazaire.

28

talentandaccomplishment.Vodery'sgreatbandofthe807thwasdiscussedabove.Iwill

justmentionafewmorebelowthathaveleftsomesignificanttraceofoverseasactivity.

Thebandofthe803rdwas"eventuallydetachedfromtheirregimentandsent

touring....entertainingeverybodyfromAlsace-LorrainetotheMediterranean."Itplayed,

forexample,atareceptionforthecivilianpopulationofChalles-les-EuxonMarch12,1919,

anditwasphotographedwithAddieHuntoninChamberyonMarch18,1919whileon

specialdutyintheleavearea.Theywereatremendoushit."Thesemengaveussomuchjoy

andentertainmentintheirplayingthatnotonlydidtheYmakeeffortstohavethem

retainedpermanentlyintheLeaveArea,buttheFrenchpeoplewerequiteaseagertohave

them,andshoweredpraisesandflowersonthemwhenatlasttheywereorderedbackto

theirregiment."89ItsextensivetoursthroughoutFrancemadethisbandoneofthemost

popularintheA.E.F.andallowedittoclaimthemantleof"thebestbandinFrance."90

Thebandofthe805thhadtohavebeenamongtheverylasttohavebeenformedin

thewartimeUSarmy,sinceitonlyreceivedinstrumentsonJanuary1,1919atChateaude

Chehery,ChatelChehery,wheretheregimentwasinresidencefromNovember25,1918to

May2,1919.The805thhadenrolledalargenumberofskilledmusiciansand

minstrel/vaudevilleactors,andtheynowwenttoworkimmediatelytoputtogethersome

concertrepertoireandavaudevilleshow.LieutenantLeonceR.Legendre(white)wasin

chargeoftheshowandtheband,withGeorgeL.PolkasAssistantBandLeaderand

conductor.Theregiment"becamefamousovernight"fortheBearCatEntertainersshow

andforasectionofthebandthatwasspunoffasaJazzOrchestra.TheirColonelHumphrey

laterboastedthathisBearCatshad"thebestJazzbandinFrance,""thebestvaudeville

showintheA.E.F.,"andthebestbaseballteamofanyoutfitinFrance.FromFebruaryto

May1919theyentertainedmanydistinguishedvisitorsatChatelCheheryandwentonthe

roadtomanyFrenchvillagesaroundtheArgonne-Meusearea,withfamousKansasCity

89HuntonandJohnson,TwoColoredWomen,pp.171,220-21,withaphotoofthebandtakenatChamberybetweenpp.222and223;anotherimagefromthatphoto-sessionatChambery,madeintoapostcard,wasformerlyvisibleontheinternetatwww.usmilitaryforum.com(accessed12/15/2010).Athirdoften-reproducedphotoofthebandshowstheminBrestonboardthetrooptransportU.S.S.PhilippinesjustpriortotheirreturntotheUnitedStates;see,forexample,theimageaspreservedintheLibraryofCongress,GladstoneCollection(www.loc.gov/exhibits/odyssey/archive/07/0705001r.jpg,accessed12/15/2010).90ChicagoDefender,June14,1919,p.9;ChicagoDefender,June21,1919,p.20.

29

professionalcomedian,actorandsingerBillyHiggins,promotedfromprivatetocolor

sergeant,astheirprincipalsoloist.91

ThebandoftheotherKansasCityareaPioneerInfantryregiment,the806th,gotoff

toastartthatwasalmostasslow.ItwasnotorganizeduntilaftertheArmisticein

November,andstartedwithborrowedinstrumentsuntilthemenoftheregimentcould

purchasesomefortheirband.TheyplayedmusiccomposedbytheirAssistantBand

Leader,thewell-knowntrombonistAshfordHardee,untilsheetmusiccouldbeordered

fromhome.Ofcourse,ittoo,was"nowthebestbandinFrance."92Stationedwiththe

regimentinearly1919atMontrichard,justeastofTours,thebandwassenttoParisin

MarchorAprilof1919andstayedthereuntiltheirreturntothestatesinAugust.An

ensembleof32pieces,itwasrememberedbyitsLawrenceDenton,theotherofits

conductors,asplayinglightclassicalselectionslikethetwofamousoverturesbyFranzvon

Suppé,"Morning,Noon,andNight"and"PoetandPeasant."InMayandJune,themenofthe

806thregimenthelpedtobuildPershingStadium,andthen“the806thPioneerInfantry

BandplayedattheColumbusStadiuminParis,givingdailyconcertsduringtheA.E.F.try-

outsfortheInter-AlliedMeet.”93

Baltimore's808thPioneerInfantrybandunderNativeAmerican“Chief”Wheelock

wasproclaimedforbringing”therealAmericaJazz,asitshouldbeplayed,overhere,”to

France.94Anditwascelebratedforstayingclosetothetroops:

"Thisbandofcoloredmusicianshasindeedupheldthetraditionofits

race,fortheirmusiccontributesmuchtomakethenameofthe808th

PioneerInfantrypopularatthefront.Tobeginwith,theyarerightatthe

91SeeBliss,Historyofthe805th,op.cit.;HuntonandJohnson,TwoColoredWomen,p.223;EmporiaGazette,July11,1919,p.3;KansasCitySun,May3,1919,p.8.92KansasCityPlaindealer,April18,1919,p.4,inananonymousletterofMarch6,1919fromabandmember.93CharlesH.Williams,SidelightsonNegroSoldiers(Boston,1923),p.155;seealsoThisted,p.43.TheInter-AlliedGameswere22Juneto6July,1919,atPershingStadium,butoneofthesponsorswastheKnightsofColumbus,hencealso”Columbus”stadium.Unitsofthe806thhelpedconstruct/renovatethestadiumandsite.SeeWilliams,p.154,H&J,p.154,andTheInter-AlliedGames,Paris,22ndJuneto6thJuly,1919,ed.GeorgeWytheandJosephMillsHanson(Paris:publishedfortheGamesCommitteebySociétéanonymedepublicationspériodiques,1919).TheblackbandsdidnotdirectlyparticipateinthefestivitiesandceremoniesoftheInter-AlliedGamesthemselves.94BaltimoreAfro-AmericanLedger,November29,1918,p.4.

30

frontbeingonlyafewkilometersbehindtheline,andalthoughindanger

ofattractingtheattentionofhostileforces,theyrealizethatthespiritof

theboysmustbekeptcheerfulandrefreshed.So,oftentheyassembleina

wellprotectedspotandplayfortheconstantlineofkhakiasitmoves

alongtheroadtowardtheenemy."95

AftertheArmistice,whenthebandsoftheblackcombatregimentshadembarkedfor

home,Wheelock’sunitremainedincampandgarneredalltheprizes:thebandofthe808th

wasjudgedthebestinfantrybandintheA.E.F.,whiteorblack,inacontestheldatCamp

Pontanezen,Brest,France,onJune2,1919.Additionally,itwonthesignalhonorofplaying

forPresidentWilson'sdepartureforhomefromBrestonJune29,1919.96Lieutenant

WheelockreturnedtotheU.S.asanofficerinhisregiment'sHeadquartersCompany.

The814thPioneerInfantryregimentwasoneoftheverylastUSarmyregimentsto

gooverseasandoneofthefirsttoreturn,leavingthestatesinthefirstweekofOctober

1918andreturningjusttwomonthslater.97Whileabroad,theregimentwassplit,partly

goingtoEnglandtobuildarailroad,andpartlytoFrancetodostevedorework(NYT,

January25,1919,p.11:workingwiththeServiceofSuppliesinFrance).Thebandandthe

companiesthatwenttoEnglandwerehousedinWinchester.Fromthatbase,thefamous

forty-two-piecebandofthe814thBlackDevils"touredandestablishedalong-to-be

rememberedreputationinvariouscitiesandtownsinEngland."98Byonereport,during

theirtwomonthsinEngland"thebandvisitedLondonseveraltimes.Ononeoftheirtrips

theyplayedinthePalaceTheatreintheactofMissElsieJanis.Theyalsoplayedin

WinchesterCathedral,attherequestofthecaretaker,totheguestsatthattimeinthe

95HuntonandJohnson,TwoColoredWomen,pp.223-224.96HuntonandJohnson,TwoColoredWomen,pp.223;GenoaIndianNews,October1919,p.6.97ThereisafamousWesternUnionphotoofthebandofthe814thtakenuponitsreturn,immediatelyafterdisembarkingontothedocksonDecember18,1918.Incidentally,the“BlackDevils”soubriquet,giventoalltheU.S.blackcombattroupsbytheGermans,firstturnsupinJune1918inreferencetotheentire92ndDivision.WhilestillintrainingcampinKentuckyinlatesummerof1918,the814thwanttoclaimitastheirnickname,andtheyuseditassucheventhoughtheyneverreceivedformalauthorization.Boththe370thandthe350thappropriateditupontheirreturntotheUSinspring1919,aswillbementionedbelow.Time:TheWeeklyNewsmagazine,LettersSupplement(a.k.a.Letters:PublishedFortnightlybyTime,Inc.)I/17(September17,1934),p.2.98TopekaPlaindealer,February14,1919,p.1.

31

building."99AccordingtoTimemagazine,themostconspicuouswartimeserviceofthe

814thwasrenderedbyitsregimentalband,"acollectionofsuperbmusiciansand

entertainerswhotookLondonbystorm.ItsmostfamousmemberswereDrum-Major

Julius(“Slim”)WilliamsandCorporalCharles(“EggShell”)Fleming,bothexpertbuck-&-

wingdancers.ThehighpointoftheirvisitwasacommandperformanceatBuckingham

Palace,whichbroughtaletterofcommendationfromKingGeorge.”100Awidely

disseminatedAPwire-serviceanecdotedatedLondon,Saturday,November16andfirst

printedinmanyUSpapersonNovember18mustalsobeaboutthem:"whenanother

coloredbandfromTheStateswenttoLondontoheadaparadeofAmericanandEnglish

soldiers,andhaltedatBuckinghamPalace,itissaidthatKingGeorgeVandQueenMary

heardthelivelyairswithundisguisedenthusiasmandwereloathtohavetheplayers

departfortheparkwheretheywerescheduledforaconcert,withadanceengagement,

underBritishmilitarycontrol,tofollow."101

HuntonandJohnsonrememberedthebandsofthe815thand816thforplayingin

therestareasandatthededicationoftheMeuse-ArgonneAmericanCemeteryinRomagne,

FrancebyGeneralPershingonMemorialDay,May30,1919:"Thencamethe815thwith

theirfineWesternprideandspiritplayingtheirway,too,intotheheartoftheArea.Wemet

themagainatRomagnewhen,withthebandofthe816thPioneerRegiment,theywere

playingdailytocounteractthedepressinginfluencesoftheirsurroundings.Westoodnear

themandwatchedwithtear-filledeyesastheypaidtheirhumblehomageonthat

memorablethirtiethofMaywhenGeneralPershinghadcometodedicatethatlargest

99SouthernWorkman48/8(August1919),p.417.ElsieJanis(1889-1956)was"theSweetheartoftheAEF".100Writingsolongafterthefact,Time's1934account(seenote64above)possiblymayconfusetheperformanceofthebandofthe814thwiththeroyalcommandperformancesoftheSouthernSyncopatedOrchestraandtheOriginalDixielandJazzBandatBuckinghamPalaceinthesecondhalfof1919.101ChicagoTribune,Nov.18,p.5anddozensofotherpapersaroundthecountryoverthenextfourweeks;seealsoScott,OfficialHistory,p.303.TheClevelandGazette,November23,1918,p.1,printsaparaphraseofthisnewsitemwiththeadditionalclaimthatthebandwasinfactthatofJimEuropeandthe369thInfantryplayingfortheAmericanDaycelebrationofthesigningoftheArmistice,auniqueembellishmentforwhichthereisnofurthercorroboration.

32

militarycemetery.WewerewiththemagainatthePortofBrestwhere,withtheir

wonderfullystirringmusicthey,too,foughtinthatbattleformorale."102

*

BeforediscussingthereturnoftheblackregimentalbandstotheUnitedStatesafterthe

Armistice,twolooseendswillreceivesomeattentionhere.Thefirstconcernsadditional

blackmilitarybandsthatcametoEuropeaspartofthewareffort,andthesecondconcerns

issueshavingtodowiththerankandqualificationsofbandmasters.

ADDITIONALBANDS

Otherunitsinthearmyalsohadbands.Thisistrue,forexample,ofEngineer

regimentsandservicebattalions,andlaborbattalionsandcompanies,allofwhomworked

fortheArmy'sServiceofSupplyanditsQuartermasterCorps,asdidstevedoreregiments

andbattalions.Someofthesenon-combatantunits,includingtheirbands,werestaffedby

AfricanAmericans.103Forexample,therewereatleasteightArmyServiceCorpsbands,and

theArmyServiceCorps1stBandwasacoloredband.104The317thEngineersRegiment

(colored),attachedtothe92ndDivision,hadacelebratedbandunderThomasE.Green,

whocametoitfromtheregulararmy,wherehehadbeenleadingthebandofthe24th

Infantry.105ThebandwasreferredtointheNewYorkAge,whichreportedthatthe317th

LaborBattalion,QuartermasterCorps,wascoloredandhaditsownband,thoughtheir

102HuntonandJohnson,TwoColoredWomen,pp.221-22.Thebandofthe815thwastherebecause"membersoftheregimenthadchargeofburialoflargenumbersofAmericandeadinthecemeteryatRomagne-Sous-Montfaucon,France"(Pueblo(Col.)Chieftain,August7,1919,p.4).Abandmemberofthe816th,VernonL.PagealsomentionedplayingforthededicationofthecemeteryonMemorialDay1919(KansasCitySun,July5,1919,p.8).103AnthonyPendletonTaylor(1894-1957)isanAfricanAmericanABL,accordingtogenealogyandUSVeteransGravesitesdata.HisdatesofserviceareJuly3toDecember7,1918.AccordingtohisgravestoneandhisU.S.NationalCemeteryIntermentControlForm,hewasAsst.BandLDR49CO151DepotBrigade.104ChicagoTribune,July31,1919,p.9.105NewYorkAge,August3,1918,p.2;LosAngelesCaliforniaEagle,January2,1941,p.3-A.EmmetScott'slistofNegroorganizationsthatservedoverseasreferstothe317thasaLaborBattaliononp.316butasthe317thEngineersonp.482;thelaborbattalionisundoubtedlytheengineersunderadifferentname.

33

commentatorremarked,“IdonotbelievethereisanotherLaborBattalioninFrancewitha

band.”106TheEvansvilleCourierreportedittobeabandoftwenty-eight"whichhas

attractedwideattention,"andfurtherthat"thetalentofthe317thlaborbattalionfor

entertaininghaslongbeenrecognized"andthatthebattalionwouldbemountingashow

thatwouldappearatChambery.107

Regardingstevedores,anarticlefortheNewYorkAgementionsabandof50,allof

whomworkedonthedocksuntilthearmistice.108TheSeattleDailyTimes,inanarticle

withawonderfultitle("FrenchGoSupperlesstoHearYankeeBands"),alsomentionsthat

"oneofthemostpopularandbest-knownAmericanbandsinthe"ServiceofSupplies"in

Franceiscomposedofthenegrostevedores."109Thismaybethesamebandreferredtoin

theNewYorkAge,whichmayinturnbethebandthatHuntonandJohnsonsingleoutas

theSt.Nazaireband,“encouragedbytheYMCA,”thatplayedunderAssistantBandLeader

SergeantStevenson.StevensondiedatChamberyfromafallin1919.110St.Nazairewasa

principalportfortroopsandsupplies,andwashometomanyarmyunitsofwhiteand

blacklaborers,whileChamberywasafurloughspotforAfricanAmericansoldiersfrom

JanuarytoMay1919.Apparently,theSt.NazairebandwasvisitingtheLeaveAreawhen

Stevensonhadhisfatalaccident.

RANKANDQUALIFICATIONS

Issuesconcerningtherankandqualificationsofbandmastersareofsignificancein

thestoryoftheblackU.S.ArmybandsinWorldWarI.Afirstpointhastodowith

designatedrank.BeforeWWI,armybandmasterswereenlistedmen---effectively,

sergeants.In1916,thepositionofChiefMusicianwasofficiallyrenamedBandLeader,with

anAssistantBandLeaderservingimmediatelyunder.FollowingasuggestionofGeneral

Pershing,militaryordersissuedonJune1,1918requiredthattheU.S.Army’sBand

Leadersreceivetemporaryofficers’commissions.Thosewithoverfiveyearsofserviceas

106NewYorkAge,March29,1919,p.2.107EvansvilleCourierandPress,May31,1919,p.6.108NewYorkAge,June7,1919,p.1.109SeattleDailyTimes,December1,1918,p.27.110AddieW.HuntonandKathrynM.Johnson,TwoColoredWomenwiththeAmericanExpeditionaryForces,p.222,withaphotooftheSt.Nazairebandbetweenpp.222and223.

34

leaderweremadefirstlieutenants,andthosewithless,includingallnewappointments,

weremadesecondlieutenants.ThusalltheBandLeadersinthe92ndand93rdDivisions

becameLieutenants,asmallbutnoteworthyadditiontothenumberofblackofficers.111

DryeandEuropehadwonpreviousappointmentsaslineofficers,notasmusicians,soeach

oftheirbandsalsohadasergeant(laterLieutenant)BandLeader.TimBrymnwaslater

alwaysdescribedasthefirstofthebandmasterstoreceivehisappointmentas2nd

Lieutenant,andthatappointmentcameonJune22,1918.

RecallthatthePioneerInfantryregimentswereorganizedfromJunetoSeptember

1918,thusafterimplementationofPershing'sneworders.Theyallhadwhiteofficers,so

withthesoleexceptionofVoderyandWheelock(andremember,Wheelockwaswhitein

thearmy’seyes),theirconductorswereleftattherankofsergeantinthepositionof

AssistantBandLeader,answerabletoawhitelieutenantfromHeadquartersCompanywho

wasnotnecessarilyamusicianatall;nocommissionedblackBandLeaderwasever

appointed.112Moreover,inJuly1918theAmericanExpeditionaryForceadoptedapolicy

wherebysegregatedblackunitshadtohaveeitherallwhiteorallblackofficers;nounits

weretohaveamixofracesamongtheirofficers.113Thispolicywasrelaxedforblackband

leaderLieutenantsinunitswithotherwiseallwhiteofficers,asinthecaseforMikellinthe

369th,andforJimEuropeuponhisreturntothebandofthe369thinAugust1918,andfor

Voderywiththe807th.

AsecondpointabouttheU.S.Army'sbandmastersandarmybandsinEurope

concernsbandmasterqualificationsandeducation.GeneralPershing,despiteallthe

demandsonhisattention,foundtimetoreviewtheconditionofthemilitarybandsunder

111Afterthewar,allbandleaderswhodidnotmusteroutrevertedtoenlistedrank.ThepresentdayranksofWarrantOfficer(from1920)andChiefWarrantOfficer(from1941)werecreatedlater.WilliamC.White,AHistoryofMilitaryMusicinAmerica(NY:ExpositionPress,1944;repr.GreenwoodPress,1974),p.98-101.112ThesewhitelieutenantsapparentlydidnotholdformalBandLeaderappointments;theywereontheregimentalheadquartersstaffandoversawthebandbutdidnotgetcloselyinvolvedwiththemusicians.TodateIhavefoundthenamesofonlytwo(Legendrewiththe805thandMaxomwiththe814th).LawrenceDenton’scommentsabouthistimeinthe806thcapturethesituationclearly:“Imadeassistantbandleaderandthebandleaderwasawhitefella,lieutenant...Weonlysawhimaboutonceamonth.Helefteverythingtous”(Pearson,Goin’ToKansasCity,p.18).HuntonandJohnson(p.28)tellananecdoteaboutanotherwiseunidentifiedblackbandwithawhiteleader,andtheydescribetheSt.NazairebandasledbyitsblackAssistantBandLeader.113Badger,ALifeinRagtime,p.190.

35

hiscommandinthespringof1918andfoundmanyinneedofimprovement.Firststeps

weretakenbytheordersofJune1,1918,whichnotonlycalledforthepromotionofband

leaderstoofficerrankbutalsofortheenlargementofregimentalbandsfrom28to48men,

andtheadditionofadrumandbuglecorps.Thegenerallevelofmediocrityamongst

conductorswasnotsoeasilydealtwith.Whiteorblack,ablebandmasterswerein

desperatelyshortsupply,andtheknowledgeandabilitiesofthosebroughtintothearmy

variedconsiderably.Bycoincidence,itwaspreciselyatthisjuncturethatfamedAmerican

conductorWalterDamroschcametoFranceinJune1918toengageaFrenchorchestrafor

concertsatthesoldiers’restcamps.Pershing,learningofhispresenceonthecontinent,

summonedhimtohisheadquartersinChaumonttoconsult.Oneimmediateresultoftheir

discussionwasthedecisionthatbandsmenwouldnolongerhavetobepressedintoservice

asstretcher-bearers.114Moreconsequentiallyforbandmasters,Damroschagreedto

examineallofthemtoevaluatetheircompetency.

A.JackThomasandE.E.Thompsonwereamongthe200-oddbandmasters(byone

report240,ofwhom229werewhiteand11non-white)whotookWalterDamrosch’s

examinationforarmymusiciansinParisoverseveralweeksinJuly1918.115Onlyeight

whitesandThomasandThompsonpassed.116Damroschexplainedthechasteningresults

toPershingandsubsequentlytooktheleadingroleinestablishinganarmybandmasters

schoolinChaumontthatoperatedfromNovember1,1918toJune1,1919.Thecourseof

studylastedeightweeks.117ItwasattendedbyA.JackThomasandWillVoderyinlate1918

114AfterPershingandDamroschconsulted,bandswereofficiallyrelievedoflitterworkbyGeneralOrder139,A.E.F.,butbandsmencontinuedtoserveinthiscapacityanywayrightthroughthelastgreatoffensives.Seetheexperiencesofthebandsmenofthe368thcitedaboveandseealsotheGustafsondiaryon-line,andtheSavannah(GA)Tribune,March1,1919,p.1fortheexperiencesofthebandsmenofthe371stasfirstaidmenandstretcherbearers.115Citationneedstobeentered.Thenumberelevenforblackbandmastersaccountsforalloftheelevencombatregiments.116BaltimoreAfro-American,March10,1928,p.9(“Membersof368thInfantryBandBack9YearsFriday”),withdetailsprobablycontributedbyBaltimoreresidentA.JackThomas.Thenumberofelevennon-whitesfitstheelevenblackcombatregiments.AtthetimeofDamrosch’sexamination,thePioneerInfantryregimentsandtheirbandswerejustintheinitialstagesofformationinthestates.117Damrosch’sowndetailedaccountcanbereadinTheEtude38/3(March1920),pp.151-52:“TheMusicalAftermathoftheGreatWar:AninterviewsecuredespeciallyforTheEtudewiththedistinguishedconductorDr.WalterDamrosch.”

36

andearly1919,notbothatthesametime,beforetheyreturnedwiththeirunitstotheUS.

Mostprobably,ThomasattendedinNovemberandDecember;Voderyattendedfrom

FebruarythroughearlyApril.VoderyrecalledbeingtheonlyAfricanAmericanamongthe

40inhisclass,whoweredrawnbycompetitiveexaminationfromapoolof162applicants.

BothThomasandVoderydidoutstandingworkthere.118Vodery,inparticular,notonly

earnedhiscommissiontherebutwas"theHonourmanoftheA.E.F.Schoolfor

Bandmasters."119

*

POSTWARRETURNANDTHELUREOFTOURING

AftermusteringoutbackintheU.S.,mostofthedoughboys,includingbandsmen,

dispersedimmediatelybacktohomes,families,andjobs.Oftheregimentalbandmasters,

NormanScotthaddiedinFranceofpneumonia,andhisreplacement,BurnitMcReynolds,

returnedtothe10thCavalry.Alltheotherbandleadersmusteredoutofthearmy.Ofthem,

onlyDorcyRhodeslaterre-enteredactiveduty,in1926,asbandmasterofthe9thCavalry.

Aboutequalnumberstookupciviliancareersineducationandintheentertainment

industry.A.JackThomasretiredfromhislengthymilitarycareerandimmediatelyfounded

asymphonyorchestraandtheAeolianConservatoryinBaltimore.Dryereturnedto

TuskegeeandMikelltotheBordentownSchool,RhodestookovertheHowardUniversity

band,WheelockwentouttotheGenoa,NEIndianIndustrialSchool,Brownreturnedhome

toKentuckytoteachinacareerthateventuallytookhimtoHarlem’sfamousPS186,and

PolkacceptedapositionattheSt.JosephIndustrialSchool.WesleyI.Howardreturnedto

EuropeforayearofstudyandthenbeganacareeratHowardUniversity.LouiaVaughn

JonesopenedaprivatestudioinBostonfortwoyears,thenwenttoEurope;hecameback

totheUSin1930toteachatHoward.Thompson,Vodery,Cason,White,andStewartwere

amongthemanywhopickedupthethreadsoftheirindividualcareersinthefieldof

entertainment.

118VoderylettertoAlexRogersintheNewYorkAge,June7,1919,p.6("VoderyMakesHighestMarkoftheBandleaders");reprintedbyMarkTucker,"Vodery,"pp.181-82.119PhiladelphiaTribune,June14,1919,p.1.

37

Thegreatestoftheblackregimentalbandshopedforstatesideworkinearly1919

basedontheirwartimereputations.Expectationwasbuilding(atleastintheEastCoast

press,whichpaidlittleheedtoChicago)aboutthoseledbyEurope,Brymn,Thomas,and

Thompson.Anarticleentitled“ColoredMilitaryBandsToDelightAmericanAudiences”

proclaimedthat“WiththereturnofcoloredregimentsfromFrancewearesoontohavein

ourmidstracemilitarybandsgalore.Ofcourse,eachregimentwillclaimhonorsofhaving

thebestband.”120Withprideatstake,gettingoutaheadofthefieldwasgoingtobe

importantfromthemomentthetransportsdocked.Withoutaguaranteeofimmediate

work,though,bandsweresuretoevaporateafterdemobilization,especiallyifthe

bandsmenwereofgeographicallydiversebackgrounds.Ananecdoteistellinghere:inthe

caseofBrymn’sband,itwasreportedthatthemengotasignalfromshorebeforetheyeven

disembarkedthatconfirmedtheywouldhavework.121

Themostexcitingprospectforturningfameintofortunewasthroughtouring,

presentingblackmusicandmusicianstowhiteaudiencesinlargeconcerthallsand

theaterspatronizedbywhites,foramiddleclasswhowantedtohearwhathadgottenthe

foreignerssoworkedupoverseas.Theblackmilitarybandsnotonlybroughtjazzto

France,butinaveryrealsense,theyalsobroughtjazztoAmericanaswell.FromMarch

throughMayof1919,theyplayedforlargerandmorediverseaudiencesthanhadever

heardthismusicbefore.

Touringinthestateswasvirtuallyterraincognitaforthebands,though.Therewas

exactlyonemodelforsuchalargeenterpriseanditwasofremarkablyrecentvintage.

Hopingtobuilda"movementtoexploitNegromusic,"WillMarionCook122announcedin

September1918aproposedtourbysixtyinstrumentalistsandsingersoftheNewYorkClef

120NewYorkAge,February22,1919,p.6.Thearticleproposedthat"Thismootedquestion[ofwhoisthenumberoneblackmilitaryband]mightbedecidedbystagingabigbandcontestsomeSundayeveningattheHippodrome."121HarrisburgPatriot,April5,1919,p.7:"WhentheBlackDevilBandnearedthedockinNewYorkCitytheyespiedthefigureofCaptainCarlHelm,theirwhitefriendandmentor,standinguponthestringpieceofthewharf.Theyletoutayellwhichcouldbeheardamileormore,fortheyknewthathewasonthejob,andthattheirAmericantourwasassured."122OnWillMarionCook,seenow"ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofWillMarionCook:MaterialsforaBiograph,"on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/66/

38

ClubinNovemberthatwouldtakethemtotenofthenation'slargestcities.123Thistour

nevergotofftheground.Inalllikelihood,thelogisticswerebeyondCook'sabilityand

experiencetomanageatthetime.Meanwhile,forthegrandbenefitforthe367thInfantry

attheCenturyTheatreonOctober27,1918,Cook,themusicaldirector,hadtoworkclosely

withGeorgeW.Lattimore,thegeneraldirectoroftheevent.Cookhadfoundhis

professionalmanager.BylaterNovemberorearlyDecember,thetwoofthemcontracted

togethertorunaneworganization,theNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra(NYSO),which

wentoutontheroadforninetydaysbetweenJanuary30andApril30,1919,completing

twocircuitsouttoChicagoandback.Ratherthanmoveatthepaceofavaudevilleshowor

Broadwayroadcompany,theNYSOtravelledtotherhythmandtempoofaSousaband-

styletour,thatis,onthemovedaily,withdailymatineeandeveningconcertsateachstop,

hittingmanysmalltownsaswellasthebiggesthallsinthelargestcities.EntertainerTom

Fletcher,whowasamemberofthecompany,recalledthattheNYSOtourwas“thefirst

timeanorchestraofthiskindhadevertouredthecountry,”andhereportedthatCook’s

ambitionwasforittobe“thegreatestthingeverdonebycoloredpeople.”124

Cook'sinitiallythwartednotionanditsrealizationunderLattimore'smanagement

showsushowimportantitwasthataninvestmentbemadeinprofessionalplanningfor

ambitiousandcomplicatedtours.Further,itshowsthattheplanningprocessneededto

havebegunwellbeforethebandslanded.AsfarasmajorUStours,onlythreebands---

thoseofDulfandEuropefromthe93rdDivisionandBrymnfromthe92ndDivision---were

abletoarrangetomakeextensive,immediatetoursforprofitasprivatecitizens,andaswe

willsee,onlyDulfandBrymnwereabletokeeptheirbandsmore-or-lessintactthereafter

foranextendedperiod.ThetourroutesofCookandtheNYSO,Brymnandthe350th"Black

Devils"Band,Europeandthe369th"HarlemHellfighters"Band,andDulfandthe370th

"BlackDevils"BandaregiveninAppendixIII.

Theothertwogreatbandsofthe92ndDivision---thoseofthe367thand368th---

cameupintheconversationabouttouringbutdidnottaketheplunge.AndthePioneer

123NewYorkAge,September21,1918,p.5;WashingtonBee,September21,1918,p.8;TheCrisis17/1(November1918),p.32(repr.inCaxton'sWeekly(Seattle),November23,1918,p.3).124TomFletcher,100YearsoftheNegroinShowBusiness(NewYork:Burdge,1954;repr.DaCapo.1984),pp.187,277.

39

Infantrybands,returningsomuchlaterin1919,neverbecameapartofthisenterprise---

notevenVodery's807th,thebandthatsomethoughtsurpassedanyotherbandthatever

wenttoFrance.125

AnticipatingthatE.E.Thompsonwouldtourwiththebandofthe367th,one

observerspeculatedthat“thereshouldbesomeinterestingmusicalmomentsthenextfew

dayswhenthe“Buffalo”musiciansreturnandfindtheorganizationsofthe368thand

369thalreadyonthefield.”The367th,however,runningafewweeksbehindtheothersin

theprocessofdemobilization,andapparentlywithoutstrongstatesidesponsorship,opted

outoftouring.Instead,Thompsonandhis“Buffaloes”playedattheManhattanCasinoon

April9andthenatCarnegieHallforabenefitonMay3undertheauspicesoftheY.M.C.A.,

butneveragainre-assembled.126Inthefall,ThompsonwenttoworkforWillMarionCook

andGeorgeLattimore.ArejuvenatedversionofCook’sNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra,re-

namedtheSouthernSyncopatedOrchestra,hadsailedforEnglandinMayandJune1919

andhadbeenplayinginLondonsinceJuly.ThompsonjoinedtheorchestrainEnglandas

conductorinplaceofCookinOctober1919,andheremainedwithitformostoftwo-and-a-

halfseasons,leadingit---ofteninuniform---intolate1921.127

A.JackThomasofthe368thwassaidtobe“planningtoorganizeaconcertband

fromthebestmusicaltalentinthe92ndDivision,”128butthatnotionalsonevercameto

fruition.Insteadofwrestlingtoholdhismentogetherandorganizeatourafterthey

musteredoutonMarch9,heoptedtosettledowninBaltimorebyearlyApril.Thomas

announcedtheopeningoftheAeolianConservatoryonApril23,andhealsoorganizeda

125ChicagoDefender,June21,1919,p.4.Attheleast,Vodery'sbandwasexpectedtomakeagrandparadeupLenoxAvenuewhenitgothome(ChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.4),buthomecoming,onceanticipatedforMay,endedupbeinginlateJuly,andtherewasnoparade,muchlessanytouring.126ThereisalongarticleontheBuffaloesandThompson,withaphotoofThompson,intheNewYorkAge,April5,p.6-7,inanticipationofconcertofApril9.TheMay3concertwasreviewedintheNewYorkAge,May10,1919,p.6,andseealsotheChicagoDefender,May10,1919,p.4.127OnthecomplicatedandsometimesdramatichistoryoftheSSOanditspersonnel,theessentialstartingpointisnowHowardRye,"TheSouthernSyncopatedOrchestra,"BlackMusicResearchJournal29(2009):153-228,withsubstantialadditionalinformationonitsroster,itinerary,andmoreaddendabythesameauthorinBlackMusicReserchJournal30(2010).128NewYorkAge,February22,1919,p.6;seealsoBadger,ALifeinRagtime,p.204andp.308,n.9.

40

symphonyorchestratherebyApril27.129DrumMajorLandinandtheJazzBandmadea

fewprominentappearances,however,culminatinginafarewellinBaltimoreonthenights

ofApril21,22,and23.130Further,“asectionoftheregimentalbandofthe368thInfantry”

playedinWashington,DC,atHowardUniversity’scommencementinJune,amajorevent

whichincorporatedacelebrationofthatinstitution’sfiftiethanniversary.131

Whatofthethreebandsthatdidtour?Theseseasonedensembleswereindeedout

ofthegateinahurry.Bycoincidence,Dulf’sandEurope’sregimentswerenotonly

celebratedinmonsterparadesledbytheirrespectivebandsinChicagoandNewYorkon

theverysameday,February17,butbothbandssetoutontouronemonthlater,againon

thesameday,March16.Further,aslateasMarch29,itwasreportedthattheregimental

bandsoftheOldEightandtheOldFifteenthwouldappearinNewYorkinajointrecital,

andthehyperbolicreportrhapsodizedthat"Neverinthehistoryofthecountryhassucha

giganticundertakingbeentriedasthetouroftheseMilitarybands."132Brymn,notfar

behindthesefirsttwo,begantouringonMarch19.DulfdidnotwrapupuntilatleastMay

22,whileJimEurope’stourwastoendatsomepointsoonaftertheMay9-11concertsin

Boston,andBrymn’sonMay18.AstheNewYorkClipperreportedit,"theendofthewar

hasbroughtintobookingofficesalargenumberofmusicalsoldiershows,vaudevilleacts

andjazzbandsthataremakingrecordsalmosteverywherewhenitcomestogetting

money."133AndtheNewYorkAgeboastedof"ColoredAttractionsWinningO.K.of

BroadwayAudiences."134

Takingupfirstthecontinuingstoryofthe“Old8thIllinois,”Dulftookhis“Black

Devils”ofthe370thontheroadforovertwomonthsfrommidMarchthroughlateMay

1919,expectingtohitasmanyas50majorcities.FromNewOrleanstheyheadednorth,

thenswungeastthroughColumbus,Toledo,andClevelandintoPennsylvania,andthen

downtheEastCoastfromBaltimoreandWilmingtonatleastasfarsouthasGreensboro

129BaltimoreAfro-AmericanLedger,April23,1919,p.2,BaltimoreAfro-AmericanLedger,May16,1919,p.10;TheCrisis18/2(June,1919),p.101.130BaltimoreSun,April20,1919,p.11.131WashingtonBee,June16,1919,p.4.132AnAssociatedNegroPressarticleoutofChicago;see,e.g.,DallasExpress,March29,1919,p.12andRichmondPlanet,April12,1919,p.9.133NewYorkClipper,March26,1919,p.5.134NewYorkAge,March22,1919,p.6.

41

andRichmond.ThebandwasassistedbyanotherChicagoan,thenationally-famedAfrican

AmericancoloraturasopranoAnitaPattiBrown(1881-1950),alongwithbandveterans

FrankA.Dennie,tenorsoloist,andCharlesA.Brady,cornetvirtuoso.Theirshowalso

featuredthedecoratedwarheroLieut.SamuelS.Gordon,himselfawardedtheCroixde

Guerre,whonarratedstoriesoftheexploitsoftheregimentanditsband.Ontheirstopin

Cleveland,“Selectionsfromgrandoperawereappreciatedbytheaudience....butwhen

theboysplayedthepopularjazzmusictheaudiencebecamesoexcitedthat,haditnotbeen

Sunday,theremighthavebeendancing.Manyencoresweredemanded.Theywerealways

answeredwithmorejazz.”135Stayingtogetherafterthetoureitherasthe“BlackDevils”or

asthe“FamousEighthIllinoisBand,”theycontinuedtotakeengagementsthatsummer,

playing,forexample,inSt.LouisonFriday,August15fortheannualmeetingofthe

NationalNegroBusinessLeague,andthenplayingattheLexington,KY,ColoredFairfora

weekbeginningAugust17.(TheyweretoreturntothisLexingtonvenueinAugust1920.)

Brymn'sbandwasalsothe"BlackDevils,"soanadvertisementintheChicagoDefender

duringthespringtourmakesclearthatDulf'sbandwastherealdeal:"Beware!Genuine

"BlackDevils"are370thInf.OldEighthIllinoisRegimentBand/Geo.Dulf,Conductor/With

AnitaPattiBrown,soloist/NowEnRoute--WatchforDate."136

MostimportanttothestoryofDulf’slong-standingband,though,isthatin

September1919asecondspinoffoftheformerNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestrawas

createdintheUnitedStatesbyWillMarionCook,whichhecalledtheAmericanSyncopated

Orchestra[ASO].137TheASOabsorbedDulfandsomeofDulf’smen,wasbasedinChicago,

andwasrepresentedinnewspaperstoriesasadirectcontinuationofthe370th.Itwasto

haveplayedprivatelyunderDulfforPresidentWilsoninWichitaonSeptember29,1919to

kickoffitsfirstextendedtour,butthatopportunitywaslostduetoWilson'sstrokeand

suddenreturntoWashingtonbytrainfromWichitaonthe27th.Cookreturnedfrom

EuropesothatheandDulfcouldshareconductingdutieswiththeASOfromlateNovember

135ClevelandGazette,April12,1919,p.3.136ChicagoDefender,May3,1919,p.14.137Confusingly,theNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra’sfirstoffshoot,theSouthernSyncopatedOrchestra,wasoccasionallycalledtheAmericanSyncopatedOrchestrabyBritishpapers(sometimesasatitle,andsometimesmeaningsimplytheSyncopatedOrchestrafromAmerica).

42

1919tomidJanuary1920,afterwhichhereturnedtoEurope.DulfkepttheASOgoingfora

secondwinterseasonover1920-1921,touringnationallyatleastintoFebruary1921.138In

bothseasonsitessentiallytracedthesamegeneralrouteastheWesternvaudevillecircuits

oftheOrpheumandPantagesorganizations,whichranfromChicagonorththroughthe

TwinCitiesintoCanada,thenwesttothePacificCoastandsouthfromVancouverand

SeattletoLosAngelesandSanDiego.OfalltheblackregimentalbandsbackfromEurope,

Dulf'stravelledthefarthestandenjoyedthemostgeographicallydiverseaudience.

TimBrymn,whohadledthebiggest,wealthiestbandoverseas,mountedamajor

publicitycampaignforhistourbackintheStates.Inthenewspaperads,Brymnwas“Mr.

JazzHimself,”hisbandwas“TheOverseasJazzSensation”or“Europe’sJazzSensation,”and

hisconcertswere“AMilitarySymphonyEngagedinaBattleofJazz.”Healsofavoredthe

“BlackDevils”moniker,butDulfandthe370thhavingclaimeditfirst,Brymndistinguished

hisensemblebycallingitthe“70BlackDevils.”Heandabandofseventymadeatwo-

montheasternandmidwesterntourfrommidMarchtomidMayfeaturingvocalsoloist

JosephineDeanandsaxophonesoloistsfromtheband.Theybeganwithahomecoming

debutonMarch19inPhiladelphiaandanappearanceshortlythereafterinTrenton,then

swungwestthroughPennsylvaniaintoOhioandeastagainforatriumphantgrandfinale

onMay18attheCasinoonBroadwayat39thStreetinNewYorkCity.Forthisevent,the

paperscalledthem“TheBandAllNewYorkHasBeenWaitingtoHear.”MadameErnestine

Schumann-HeinckherselfwasonhandthateveningattheCasinoTheatretowelcome

them.139

Afterthespringtour,Brymnkeptgoingforatleastthreeyearsanever-shrinking

“BlackDevils”bandoffirst70,then50,then20,orevenonlyahalfdozenmen,mostly

playingatclubsandhotelsintheNewYorkarea.Justthreedaysaftertheirtourended,on

Wednesday,May21,theywereaheadlineactinthehugenationalSalvationArmy

DoughnutDayDrive,playinganoontimeconcertatNewYork’sPennsylvaniaStation.Most

significantfortheirwallets,though,weretwothree-month,high-profileresidenciesto

138TheOgden(UT)Examiner,January11,1921,p.4;etc.,etc.,toSanJose,Cal.EveningNews,Feb.9,1921,p.7andFeb.17,1921,p.2;SanJoseMercuryNews,Feb.6,1921,p.14andFeb.17,1921,p.8.139NewYorkTribune,May13,1919,p.11;NewYorkTribune,May16,1919,p.11;NewYorkTribune,May17,1919,p.11.

43

accompanystageshowsanddancingatafamednearbyresort,theHotelShelbourneat

BrightonBeachonConeyIslandinthesummersof1919and1920.(NobleSisslerecalls

thatthisbookingwasinitiallytohavebeenfilledbyJimEurope’sband).140Brymnclaimed

thatonlytheflatteringofferoftheBrightonBeachcontractkeptthebandfromembarking

onaworldtourinconcert.141BetweensummersattheShelbourne,thebandkeptbusy

withstintsoppositeSophieTuckeratReisenweber'sCafeatColumbusCircleinSeptember

andOctober1919,andatProctor’s125thStreetTheatreinFebruary1920.Brymn’sband

wasalsoaheadlineattractioninanextravaganzainMadisonSquareGardeninSeptember

1920asoneoftheliveactsonabillfeaturingtheworldpremiereofthesilentfilmbiopicof

BabeRuth,Headin’Home.TheSherbournethenrenewedtheircontractforanadditional

sixmonthsfromOctober1920intoApril1921.Inthespringof1921,Brymntookasmall

groupofBlackDevilsintoanOkehRecordsrecordingsession,marchedwithalargergroup

atPresidentHarding’sinauguralparade(March4,1921),andlaterservedascomposerand

musicaldirector,withapitorchestraof20BlackDevils,fortheBroadwaycoloredreview

PutandTake(August23-September23,1921).InJanuary1922,Brymnwasoneofagroup

ofsixBlackDevilswhoplayedtheBinghamton,NYautoshow.ByNovember1922,

however,hehadstoppedusingthenameBlackDevilsforhisbandsandorchestras,

althoughheheldonproudlytohisuniformandtothetitle"Lieutenant"fortherestofhis

career.

Lieut.JimEurope,the"JazzKing,"tookontheroadthemostfamousbandofthem

all,the“369thInfantryHellFighters’Band,”inwhatwasplannedtobeanine-weektourof

morethantwodozencities.AdvertisingcopyforthePathérecordingsthatthebandmade

inMarchsays"thisfamousoverseasbandisnowmakingatriumphaltourofthecountry

fromMainetoCalifornia,playingeverymatineeandeveningtopackedhouses."142Inthe

end,thattourlastedonlyeightweeks,fromMarch16toMay11,1919.(AfterEurope's

deathonMarch9,theconcertsonMarch10andMarch11wentonasscheduledunderthe

140Sissle,"Memoirs,"p.224.141NewYorkAge,October9,1920,p.5("LieutenantJ.TimBrymn'sInterestingMusicalCareer").142TheMusicTrades,May3,1919,p.34.

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batonofFelixWeir.143)Ithadbeenexpectedthatthetourwouldbefollowedbytripstoall

themajorcitiesoftheUSandCanada,andthenacrosstheAtlantic.Andthen,afterthe

deathofJimEurope,"themembersoftheband,underdirectionofFelixWeir,expectto

makeanationaltour,theproceedstogofortheerectionofamonumenttothememoryof

thegreatmusicaldirector,"144atourthatdidnottakeplace.

JustwhoandhowmanyHellFightersbandsmentherewerethatspringisaquestion

withnoonefirmanswer.Immediatelybeforethetour,Europetookagroupofabout

twentymenintotherecordingstudioforPathé,whilefortheManhattanconcertsheledan

“augmentedregimentalband”ofeightyormore,almostdoublethesizeoftheoverseas

ensembleoffortyfive,andthetravellingensemblewasadvertisedasabandofsixtyfive.145

TheHellFightersBandtravelledwestfromBostonasfarasIndianapolis,St.Louis,and

ChicagobeforeretracingitspathbacktoBoston,withtheanticipationofagrandfinalein

NewYorkCity.

The369thband'sitineraryregularlycrisscrossedwiththepathsoftheDulfand

BrymnbandsandWillMarionCook’sNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra.Forexample,

Brymn'smenplayedPhiladelphiaonMarch19,andEurope'smenplayedthesamecityon

theverynextnight.Newspaperadsforbothensembleswereveryawareofthenearhead-

to-headmatch-up,andadswerejuxtaposednexttoeachotherinthepapers,withTim

Brymn'sadvertisedclaimtobe"Europe'sJazzSensation"beingcounteredbyJimEurope's

advertisedwarning:"DoNotConfusetheGreatestofJazzBandswithanyotherTradingon

thenameofEurope."146AndanAssociatedNegroPressstoryoutofChicagoonMay8

celebratedtheextraordinaryjuxtapositioninthatcityofconcertsintheloopdistrictonthe

samenight---Monday,April28---byCook'sorchestraatOrchestraHall,Europe'sbandat

143BostonHerald,May8,1919,p.8;BostonHerald,May10,1919,p.1;BostonHerald,May11,1919,p.6;ChicagoDefender,May17,1919,p.1.AccordingtoBillboard,inabriefarticledatedMay17,FelixWeirwasEurope'ssuccessor,"andtheremainingconcertswillbegivenasoriginallyscheduled"(Billboard,May24,1919,p.5),butthisisnotwhatthentranspired.144DallasExpress,May24,1919,p.1.145Onthenumbersofpersonnel,seeReidBadger,"PerformancePractice,"andseealsoTimBrooks,LostSounds:BlacksandtheBirthoftheRecordingIndustry,1890-1919(Urbana:UniversityofIllinoisPress,2004),pp.280-92.Inanyevent,moreover,neitherthetouringbandofJimEuropenorthoseofDulforBrymnweremannedexclusivelybytheirownveterans.146PhiladelphiaInquirer,March19,1919,p.3.

45

theAuditorium,andthebandofthe365thunderSergeantAlbertJonesattheGrantPark

VictoryArchjustoffMichiganBoulevard("ColoredMusiciansHaveChicagoCharmed").147

AfterEurope'sdeathandtheconclusionoftheBostonconcertseries,ratherthan

tourunderFelixWeir,thegroupwasimmediatelydisbandedanditsmusiciansthrownout

ofwork.148NobleSissleturneddownasuggestionthathetakeoverthebandandleada

reducedensembleoffifteenonavaudevilletourontheKeithcircuit.149Instead,Mikell

steppedinatthisjuncture.HeassumedformalleadershipinJune150andkepttheHell

FightersBandgoingonandoffforatotalofsixmoreyearsinconjunctionwithhisteaching

career.Mikellhadhopedtotourinthefallwiththeband,butthatplannevercameto

fruition.Rather,hebeganwithindividualconcertsinNewYorkCityonJune15,June27,

July11,July26-27,August14,andSeptember26,1919,151followedbyaconcertonJanuary

25,1920inProvidence,RhodeIsland,152andoneonMay11,1920inNewYork.153The

groupthenwentonhiatusfortwoyears,asMikellbecamemoreandmoreinvolvedwith

teaching.154

ComplicatingthehistoryandlegacyoftheHellFighters’Bandisasituationthatwas

partlynational,partlylocalinsignificance.Foratleastsixmonthsin1917-1918therewere

two15thN.Y.NationalGuardregimentsandtwobands,the“old”andthe“new.”Thenew

15thN.Y.wasre-establishedforlocalhomeserviceinthefallof1917beforetheold15th

hadevenleftthestates.Abandforitwasquicklyformedandbegantoconcertizeunder

FrederickWardSimpson,whoearnedaNationalGuardcommissionasLieutenant.Upon

thereturnofNewYorkareaveteransinearly1919,avigorouseffortwasmadetosign

themupforthenewguardregimentanditsnewband.Furthermore,withthe"old"

147DallasExpress,Saturday,May10,1919,p.1.148NewYorkTribune,May25,1919,p.7.149RobertKimballandWilliamBolcolm,ReminiscingwithSissleandBlake(NewYork:VikingPress,1973),p.80.SissleandBlakewentoutonthevaudevillecircuitasaduoinstead.150TheNewYorkAge,June21,1919,p.6(“MikellNowLeaderof“Hellfighters”Band”).151NewYorkAge,October,11,1919,p.5152ProvidenceNews,January26,1920,p.4153NewYorkAge,May3,1920,p.6;NewYorkAge,May8,1920,p.6.154Afterthe1920-1921schoolyear,Mikell,whohadbeencommutingoutfromManhattan,lefttheBordentownSchoolaltogetherandconcentratedonhisprofessionalschoolteachingandClefClubdutiesinNewYorkCity.HehadbeenmadeconductoroftheClefClubOrchestra,andheleditattheLt.EuropeMemorialonMay15,1921;inJanuary1922heleditinaconcertatCarnegieHall.

46

15th/369thregimentdemobilized,thenew15thN.Y.wasnowtheofficialservicebandfor

eventsmemorializingthatcombatunit.Simpson’sgroupsoonwasabletoadvertisethat

“amongthemusicianswereanumberofoverseasveterans.”Itrepresenteditselfas“The

ColoredBandofWarFame,”“TheFamousNewYorkFifteenthInfantryBandof45

Musicians‘FromHarlemtotheRhine’,”“thebandthatwonallthejazzprizesinEngland,

FranceandItaly,”and“thesuccessortothefamous15thInfantryBandwhichserved

overseas.”

OnJanuary5,1921,aveteranwhiteofficeroftheold15thand369th,Col.ArthurW.

Little,wasappointedcommanderofthenew15thandbeganvigorouslytoincreasethesize

andresourcesoftheregiment.Hisinitiativesincludedamajorcampaignforanew

armory,155therenamingofthenew15thasthe369th,andanewdirectionforitsband(for

whichhehadaspecialplaceinhisheart,becauseasregimentaladjutantwiththe369thin

FrancehehadaccompanieditonitsFebruary-March1918tour).Formostofhisfirstyear

hekeptFredSimpsonasbandmaster,sothat,forexample,Simpsonledtheregimental

bandinthenew15th'sfirstmajorparademarchafterthewar,ahugeeventup5thAvenue

inMay1921.InDecember1921,however,Lieut.SimpsonwassucceededbyLieut.Will

Voderyasbanddirector,withLieut.NobleSissleasbandmanager.Simpson’sensemble

thentookondifferentsponsorship,immediatelyaffiliatinginabodywithMonarchLodge

No.45oftheImprovedBenevolentandProtectiveOrderofElksoftheWorld(colored)and

becomingtheMonarchBand.156ForthegalaaffairofJanuary20,1922thatmarkedthe

155Thehistoricarmoryofthe369thRegimentstillstandsat142ndStreetandFifthAvenue.Thesiteforthearmory,andinitialfunding,wereannouncedinJuly(NewYorkAge,July16,1921,p.1);aparadeandcornerstone-layingceremonytookplaceonMay27,1923(NewYorkTimes,May28,1923,p.7;NewYorkAge,June2,1923,p.1).156Asthenation’spremiereblackElksband,alsoknownastheMonarchSymphonicBandortheMiteeMonarchBand,itwasfortwosubsequentdecadesalarge,popular,andactiveensemblethatcametogetherfairlyfrequentlyforconcerts,especiallyinthesummermonthsontheCentralParkMall,andinamonthlywinterconcertseries.NewYorkAge,February28,1939,p.7,etc.TheElksband'slong-timedrummajorwasGillardThompson,whopreviouslyhadsucceededNobleSissleinthispositionwiththebandofthe369thduringthewar.GillardThompsonlaterservedasPresidentoftheMonarchBand,ExaltedRuleroftheMonarchElksLodge,andCommanderoftheDorrenceBrooksPostoftheV.F.W.,whilealsobecomingthefirstten-yearveteranofthenew369thNationalGuardregiment.ModernsecondarysourcessometimesconfuseGillThompsonwithBill"Bojangles"Robinson,andattributeThompson'sservicerecordtothegreattapdancerwhobecameHarlem'shonorarymayor.(Thompsonbeganwiththe15thasasergeantinHeadquartersCompany,thentookademotiontoprivatesothathecouldserveincombatasariflemanfromMay

47

renamingoftheregimentasthe("new")369th,theregimentalbandwasledbyWill

Vodery.Justhowmanyoftheperformersthatnightwereveterans,orweresimultaneously

membersoftheElksband,isnotknown.

Memorieswerelongandloyaltieswerestrong,moreover.Itwasneverforgotten

thattheMonarchBandwasformerlythebandofthe15th,anditheldontosomeofJim

Europe'sveteranbandsmen.Overthebetterpartofthenexttwodecadesitconcertized

extensively,frequentlyparticipatedinVFWeventsinHarlem,andenjoyedanational

reputationasElkdom'sChampionBand.Inthesecondhalfof1940,whenNationalGuard

soldierswerecalledupacrossthenationandHarlem's369thregimentbecamethe369th

CoastalArtillery,theNewYorkHomeGuardwasformedforstatesideservicewithanew

African-American15thRegimentasoneofeightNewYorkCityregiments.Simpsonandthe

Monarchsimmediatelybecameitsofficialband.

Meanwhile,ColonelLittle,concernedforthewelfareoftheveteranbandsmen,

beganinthespringof1922topursuetheideathatasmallerensemble,consistingjustof

veterans,mightbeabletofindfull-timework.Thisevidentlydidnotmeshwiththe

professionalschedulesofVoderyandSissle,whosteppedoutofthepicture,anditwasto

MikellthatColonelLittleturnedtoseeifthebandcouldagainbeaprofessionaloperation

thatcouldprovidesignificant,steadyincometoitsplayers.TheHellFightersBandstarted

full-timeworkinlateJune1922withthreeweeksofdailyafternoonconcertsin

Manhattan'sParkAvenueHotel.InJulyitbeganavaudevilletry-outwiththeB.F.Keith

organization,playingfirstatatheatreintheBronx,thenatoneinHarlem,andthenontoa

BroadwaydebutatB.S.Moss’sBroadwayTheatre,playing“severalofthenewestjazz

songsaswellasastirringmarchandaclassicaloperaticselection.”ItfinishedoutAugustin

vaudevilleatProctor'sFifthAvenueTheatre.InSeptember,Mikellbroughtthirtymento

Chicagoforafour-weekengagementplayingwiththenewCreamerandLaytonshowStrut

MissLizzie.ThiswasfollowedbyastintontheregionalvaudevillecircuitfromOctober

toNovember1918,thenreturnedtotherankofsergeantinHeadquartersCompanytosucceedSissleasdrummajor.InMarch1919,itwasThompsonwholedtheentire369thregimentupFifthAvenueinthehomecomingparade.BillRobinsonneverjoinedthearmyorleftthestatesandcanbecontinuouslytracedonthevaudevillestageduringthewaryears.)The"identitytheft"maygobacktoChartersandKunstadt.

48

1922throughJanuary1923withtheKeithorganizationthattookthebandfromNewYork

toNewJerseyandPhiladelphia,andthennorthtoProctor'stheatresinAmsterdam,Albany

andSchenectady.157Full-timeworkcouldnotbesustainedbeyondthesesevenmonths,but

theunitcontinuedtoplayprominentindividualengagements,mostmemorablywhenit

providedthemusicforagrandceremonyinManhattanonAugust13,1923payingtribute

toFrenchgeneralHenriGouraud.In1923thebandalsoplayedataninternationalpolo

matchoutonLongIsland,andtookavaudevilleengagementforaweekattheLoew’s

Theatreat9thAvenueand110th.158

AfterMikell’sefforttosustaintheHellFightersBandasacommercialconcerncame

toanend,hecontinuedtoleaditasaNationalGuardbandfortwomoreyears,through

mostof1925,untilheretiredfromtheguardshortlyafterColonelLittle.Latethatfallthe

bandwasputintothehandsofMikell'scurrentsecondincommand,long-timeband

memberandnowWarrantOfficerJacobW.Porter,wholeditforeightyears,untillate

1933.ItwasthenconductedforashortwhilebyArthurW.Phillips.RussellWooding

(1891-1959),thewell-knownbandleaderandarranger,wasappointedtodirectitin1936,

andherevitalizedtheensemble.Afterthecalltoactivedutyin1940itboastedofbeing“the

greatestmilitaryswingunitorganizedinanyUnitedStatesArmycamp,”andlaidclaimto

“acolorfulandinterestinghistory....followingandupholding”thetraditionofJim

Europe.159

SUMMINGUP

MakingalongitudinalstudyacrossofallthenewblackUSArmyregimentalbandsin

WorldWarIhasnotdislodgedJamesReeseEuropeandtheHellFightersBandfromtheir

pre-eminentposition.Butitallowsustoseebetterhowallofthenewbandswere

essentiallytheprogenyofGeorgeEdmundDulfandthebandoftheOldEighthIllinois,and

howthoseensembleswhichtouredthestatesaftertheirreturnwerefollowingthevery

recentmodelofWillMarionCook'sNYSOtour,asscheduledandbookedbyGeorgeW.

Lattimore.Therewillsurelybeprofitindiggingdeeperintonewspapers,memoirs,and

157All1922references.NewYorkTimes,June22,1922,p.8;etc.158NewYorkAge,October13,1923,p.6.159BaltimoreAfroAmerican,October11,1941,p.13,andTimeMagazine,March17,1941.

49

archivesbothinAmericaandabroadtoestablishmoredetaileditinerariesforeveryband

thatwentabroad.Nonetheless,theextended,cumulativecontributionsofthePioneer

Infantryregimentalbandsespeciallyemergenowingreaterclaritythanheretofore,asdo

theindividualrolesofsomeofthelesswellknownbandmasters.

Thenewjazzwasthespecialthingthatmostdistinguishedthesebandsmusically,

andeveryoneclaimeditastheirown.ItwasnotjustJimEurope'sbandthatbroughtjazzto

thecontinent;rather,itwassomethingontheorderoftwodozenbands.Moreover,they

playedthejazzofKansasCity,Chicago,Philadelphia,Baltimore,andWashingtonaswellas

thatofNewYorkCity.Uponthereturnofthebandsfromthewar,touringbackintheStates

broughtthenewjazzmusictodozensofsmallercitiesandtowns,andtowhiteaudiences

whohadneverbeforeheardtheseexotic,livelysounds.160Theresponsewasstrongand

positive.Byonereport,“SincethereturnofcoloredmilitarybandsfromFrancetothese

shoresthecountrysimplyhasgonewildaboutjazzmusic.”161Byanotherreport,

'There’smusicintheair,'andithasbeenplacedtherebythemembersofthe

race:theirorchestrasandbands,military,civilian,andjazz.Therearethree

aggregations,however,thataremakinghistoryinthewayofhappyfeeling;they

are:theoldEighthRegimentband,Chicago;theold15thRegimentband,New

York;andtheNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra.Theseareunderthedirectionof

GeorgeDulf,JamesReeseEurope,andWillMarionCook,respectively.These

organizations,ofmorethanfiftymeneach,havebeentouringthecountryin

recentmonthsand'settingthepeoplewild'bytheirrareentertainmentand

music.Thewhitepeoplehavefalleninlineandarehurrahingeverywherefor

racemusic,instrumentalandvocal.162

160Animpromptuconcertbytheregimentaljazzbandofthe809thduringaone-hourlayoverinaHarrisburg,Pa.,railroadyard,forinstance,drewabigfrontpageheadlineandfavorablecommentinthelocalpaper.SeetheHarrisburgPatriot,July21,1919,p.1.161NewYorkAge,May3,1919,p.6(“JazzMusicisNowAlltheRageThroughoutUnitedStates”).162BaltimoreAfro-American,Friday,May2,1919,p.4;theby-lineonthearticlewassentoutbytheAssociatedNegroPressfromChicagoonMay1.

50

FarfromhavingexhaustedthemarketaftertheirinitialburstoftouringfromMarch

intoMay1919,theensemblesbuiltbyDulf,Brymn,Europe,andCookcontinuedto

perform,andtoholdontotheirreputationsandtheirmilitaryandracialidentities,for

severaladditionalyears.WillMarionCook'sAmericanSyncopatedOrchestra(a.k.a.the

EighthChicagoortheOldEighth)underLieut.GeorgeDulftourednationallyintoearly

1921,whileCook'sSouthernSyncopatedOrchestraunderLieut.E.E.Thompsontoured

internationallyuntillate1921.Lieut.J.TimBrymnledanaggregationofBlackDevilsinto

mid1922,andLieut.F.EugeneMikellledtheveteransoftheHellFighters'Bandontour

intoearly1923.OnlyaftertheseterminaldatesdidtheactivitiesoftheChicagoandNew

YorkNationalGuardregimentalbandsagainbecomeofexclusivelylocalsignificance.

SomethingontheorderofathousandAfricanAmericanbandsmenmusteredinand

outofthetwenty-sevennewblackregimentsoftheUSArmybetween1917and1919.

Proudoftheirservice,theyheldfasttorankandtitle,performedinNationalGuardand

VFWbandsinlaterlife,andarrangedtobeburied,togetherwiththeirwives,inUS

veteranscemeteries.Amongthebandmastersandbandsmen,asignificantfew,familiarized

duringwartimewithlifeamongforeigners,wentbackabroadascivilianstoenjoythe

enthusiasmfortheirmusicandtherelativelackofracismthattheyhadexperienced"over

there"assoldiers.Notundertakenforthisessay,butcertainlyworthwhiletocanvas,on

accountofhowtenaciouslythemilitaryholdsontoitstraditions,wouldbethestoryofthe

revivalofbandsinblackregimentswithimportantWorldWarImusicaltraditionsaspart

ofthearmy'smobilizationforparticipationinWorldWarII---astoryseeninmicrocosmin

thelaterhistoryofthebandofthe369th.Timeandcircumstancehaveconspiredto

canonizeJamesReeseEuropeandthe369th,butinhisdaythenation’sblackandwhite

communities,andtheU.S.Army,followedtheexploits,attendedtheconcerts,andhonored

thememoryofhispeersaswell.

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APPENDIX I: LEADERSHIP TEAMS in the BLACK REGIMENTAL BANDS 92nd Division Band Leaders (BL Lieuts.), Assistant Band Leader (ABL Sgts.) 349th Field Artillery Reg. BL Lieut. Norman Delafield Scott (1888-1918) BL/ABL Lieut. Burnit McReynolds (1887-1959) Bnd Sgt. & Sgt. Bugler Walter Ringo 350th Field Artillery Reg. BL Lieut. J. Tim Brymn (1879-1946) "Black Devils" ABL Sgt. William Blue Drum Major William H. Smith Bnd Sgt. Russell T. Smith Bnd Sgt. George W. Hyder Bnd Sgt. Ruppert A. Benjamin 351st Field Artillery Reg. BL Lieut. Dorcy Rhodes (1887-1951) ABL Sgt. Berry A. Claytor (1893-1967) Bnd Sgt. Horace B. Wallace (1889-1962) Bnd Sgt. Leon J. Carter (1891-1952) ABL/Sgt. Clifton M. Davis -------- 365th Infantry Reg. Lieut. Frank L. Drye (1889-1957)

“Black Hawks” BL Lieut. Arthur T. Steward (b. 1891) ABL Sgt. Albert H. Jones Bnd Sgt. Roy E. Barnett

366th Infantry Reg. BL Lieut. John L. Grinnell (c. 1885-1969)

(Was sgt. in camp in US; from 10thCav. Band) ABL Sgt. George Triggers (1890-1966)

Bnd Sgt. Earl C. Cason (1893-1970)

367th Infantry Reg. BL Lieut. Egbert E. Thompson (1883-1927) "Buffaloes" ABL Sgt. Nelson L. Kincaid (1888-1956) 368th Infantry Reg. BL Lieut. Alfred Jack Thomas (1884-1962) ABL Sgt. Prince A. Venable (1887-1961) Drum Major Edgar A. Landin (1891-1966) 93rd Division Band Leader, etc. 369th Infantry Reg. = 15th NY Lieut. James Reese Europe (1880-1919) "Harlem Hellfighters" BL Lieut. F. Eugene Mikell (1880-1932) ABL Sgt. Frank De Broite (b. 1874) Drum Major Sgt. Noble Sissle (1889-1975) Drum Major Gillard Thompson (1886-1939) Bnd Sgt. Rafael I. Duchesne 370th Infantry Reg. = 8th Illinois BL Lieut. George E. Dulf (1872-1943) “Black Devils” ABL Sgt. Charles Dorsey Drum Major Sgt. F. Blue (acc. EJ Scott) Bnd Sgt. Charles Alexander (in 1917) Bnd Sgt. Oliver E. Perry (in 1917) 371st Infantry Reg. BL Lieut. Elbert B. Williams (1864-1929) “Black Tigers” ABL Sgt. Anderson Douglass, Jr. Bnd Sgt. Major James T. Baker Bnd Sgt. Major John D. Jones

52

372nd Infantry Reg. BL Lieut. Salmon P. White (1867/68/69-1943) ABL Sgt. Steward W. Goines (1894-1945) Bnd Sgt. Raymond Sheldon Bnd Sgt. Lawrence E. White Bnd Sgt. George Scott ********

53

Pioneer Infantry Regiments 801-816 Supervisors, Band Leaders, Assistant Band Leaders 801st Pioneer Infantry --- Bnd Sgt. Cyrus A. Evans Bnd Sgt. Elbridge H. Reed Sgt. Bugler Harry I. Long 802nd Pioneer Infantry --- ABL Sgt. Oliver Harrison Mead (1888-1978) 803rd Pioneer Infantry BL/ Bnd Sgt. Major Edward W. Bailey (1890-1983) ABL George E. Jefferson Bnd Sgt. Alfred J. Taylor (1892-1944) 804th Pioneer Infantry BL Sgt. Arnett Nelson (1892-1979) ABL Sgt. James L. Kirk (1893-1974) Bnd Sgt. Major Robert H. Craig (1895-1960) Bnd Sgt. Major Byron H. Williams (1895-1959) Bnd Sgt. Major Homer L. Johnson Bnd Sgt. Major George H. Young 805th Pioneer Infantry BL Lieut. Leonce R. Legendre (white; 1895-1951) “Bear Cats” ABL Sgt. George Lee Polk (1890-1951) Drum Major Middleton Brooks Polk (1891-1981) Bnd Sgt. Robert J. Hill ( - 1943) Bnd Sgt. Cesco H. Johnson (1889-1951) Bnd Sgt. John Pleasant Rathman (1893-1967) Bnd Sgt. Ulric L. Washington (1894-1978)

806th Pioneer Infantry --- ABL Sgt. Ashford Henry Hardee (1889-1956) Bnd Sgt. Maj. Leroy G. Moore Bnd Sgt. Lawrence Denton (1893-1986) Bnd Sgt. James Cox Bnd Sgt. Elmer J. Stirman 807th Pioneer Infantry BL Lieut. Will H. Vodery (1885-1951) “Pioneers” ABL Sgt. Charles L. Thorpe, Jr.

ABL Sgt. Ralph S. Redmond (1890-1960) ABL Sgt. Louia Vaughn Jones (1895-1965) Band Sgt./Drum Major Opal Dee Cooper (1889-1974) 808th Pioneer Infantry BL Lieut. James Riley Wheelock (1874-1941) BL Sgt. James B. Clark ABL Sgt. Leo H. Davis (1895-1981) 809th Pioneer Infantry BL Lieut. Charles W. Bushman (white; 1891-1950) ABL Sgt. Eugene V. Freels (1890-1956) ABL Bnd Sgt. Wesley I. Howard (1889-1962) Bnd Sgt. Lucion Ramseur (1886/88-1969) Bnd Sgt. Earl D. Washington (1892/93-1973) 810th Pioneer Infantry (no service in Europe) Bnd Sgt. Major Ira D. Oliver (1889-1969) 811th Pioneer Infantry BL Sgt. Albert J. Foster (black) ABL Sgt. John L. Davis

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Bnd Sgt. John W. Brown Bnd Sgt. Edwin Harold Hopper 812th Pioneer Infantry (no service in Europe) 813th Pioneer Infantry --- (BL not yet found) --- (ABL not yet found 814th Pioneer Infantry BL 2nd Lieut. Roy Maxon (white; 1894-1952) “Black Devils” ABL Sgt. Ralph E. Brown (1893-1989) [ or “W. E.”] Bnd Sgt. Julius C. Williams 815th Pioneer Infantry --- ABL Sgt. George W. C. Morgan (1895 - ) Bnd Sgt. Ulysses S. Everly (1889-1938) Bnd Sgt. Floyd Fitch Bnd Sgt. Ernest R. O’Reilly Bnd Sgt. Edward C. Morgan 816th Pioneer Infantry --- ABL Sgt. Amos M. White (1889-1980) Bnd Sgt. Charlie Hoops Bnd Sgt. Frank Hatton Bnd Sgt. Roy J. Monroe Chief Trumpeter Vernon L. Page (1897-1957) Commentary: The appendix provides a list of all the black combat and Pioneer Infantry regiments, with the names of as many of their identifiable Band Leaders, Assistant Band Leaders, and Band Sergeants as I have located to date. Some were singled out in publications by contemporaries such as Emmett Scott, Maud Cuney-Hare, or Hunton and Johnson as making an especially noteworthy contribution. Band Sergeant Major (BSM) is, I believe, essentially equivalent to Assistant Band Leader. I think the way it works is that the ABL is always some kind of sergeant, and the highest-ranking sergeant the ABL could be is BSM. I may mistakenly provide the name of a BN Sgt. (Battalion Sgt) above, thinking that Bnd Sgt was meant. -------- Mobility in the combat regiments: Wallace (351st) was a Musician First Class when outward bound and a Band Sgt. when homeward bound; U.S. Veterans Gravesites information calls him BAND SGT or SGT. Nelson Kincaid left for Europe as a private and returned as Assistant Band Leader in the 367th. Noble Sissle eventually left the 369th to return home as an officer (Second Lieutenant) with the 370th. Mobility in the Pioneer Infantry band ranks: Oliver Harrison Mead leaves NY on a troop transport in 1918 as a private in the 802nd Headquarters Company (presumably a musician) and returns from Brest in 1919 as Asst Band Leader.

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H&J give William Bailey for 803rd but the individual in question is actually Edward Walter Bailey; in at least one record he is ABL, but the Army Transport Service passenger lists name him as BL of the 803rd both outward and homeward bound. Arnett Nelson leaves as pvt and returns as Band Leader of the 804th.

Ashford Hardee leaves as pvt and returns as Band Leader of the 806th. Redmond is said to be the ABL with Vodery’s 807th (in the New York Age, etc.) when Louia V. Jones is simply a member on violin and saxophone. At some point, Redmond moves to another band or steps aside (he returns to the US early and demobilizes in May), and Jones gets late promotion. In the 807th, Opal Cooper sailed to Europe as a private and returned as a Band Sergeant. In the 808th, Wheelock moved into a Headquarters Company leadership role after his promotion to Lieutenant, and the BL position went to Clark, with Davis as ABL. In the 809th, I have seen a ref. to Wesley Howard as ABL but in transport records he is outward bound as a private and homeward bound as a Band Sgt. In the 809th, Eugene Freels is outward bound as a private and homeward bound as ABL. -------- It was announced that Charles Harris (b.1875), leader of the Commonwealth Band of Baltimore and a central figure in the African American musical community of that city, was "appointed assistant band leader and will soon go to France with one of the colored organizations. After six months, he will be made a second lieutenant" (Topeka Plaindealer, October 4, 1918, p. 1; New York Age, October 5, 1918, p. 2). I have seen no additional evidence that this was ever followed through, and in all likelihood, it is because of the Armistice and the return of troops.

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APPENDIXII:FULLBANDROSTERS

FullrostersformostoftheblackregimentalbandsarenowabletobeassembledfromU.S.ArmyTransportServicetroopshippassengerlists.Thereareusuallytwo:boundforEuropein1917or1918,andthenreturningtoAmericain1919.Givenbelowarerostersforfourofthemostimportantbands,namelythoseofTimBrymnandthe350th,JimEuropeandthe369th,EdmundDulfandthe370th,andWillVoderyandthe807th.Rostersareotherwisehardtocomeby.AnexceptionisPaulS.Bliss,Victory:Historyofthe805thPioneerInfantry,AmericanExpeditionaryForces(St.Paul,Minn.:theauthor,1919),pp.65-67,208,whichgivesafullrosterforthebandofthe805th,includingphotosandhometowns.

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350thFieldArtilleryRegimentHeadquartersCompanyBandSSPresidentGrantJune30,1918LeavingHobokenInall,Brymnplus37.Brymn,JamesT.BLBlue,WilliamAsst.BLMcCall,LeonardE.Sgt.Bugl.DeLeon,GeorgeA.BandSgt.Benjamin,RuppertA.BandSgt.Hyder,GeorgeW.BandSgt.Smith,RusselT.BandSgt.VanRensalier,JohnBandCpl.Howard,LionelH.BandCpl.Jackson,ArthurH.K.BandCpl.Martin,JohnD.BandCpl.Atkinson,WalterG.2ndClMus.Brooks,CiffoyaA.3ClMus.Brown,WilliamA.1ClMusColeman,HowardC.3rdClMusCrummal,EnglemarL.2ClMus.Dupre,LouisA.2ClMus.Fitzgerald,WesleyO.3ClMus.Hernandez,RamonM.2ClMus.Jackson,JamesA.3ClMus.Martin,NelsonC.2ClMus.Major,AddingtonD.1ClMus.Morrison,HenryE.3ClMus.Moore,JamesT.1ClMus.Parris,GilbertJ.1ClMus.Pinder,Arthur3Cl[Mus.]Purnell,GeorgeT.3ClMus.Revey,JamesR.1ClMus.Reynolds,StephenW.3ClMus.Scott,JosephT.3ClMus.Smith,Cecil2ClMus.Smith,Raymond3ClMus.Smith,SamuelS.3ClMus.Thompson,HenricoA.3ClMus.Williams,JamesC.,Jr.3ClMus.Wilson,AndrewC.3ClMus.

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Winder,JamesB.3ClMus.Young,JamesC.2ClMus.WilliamH.SmithofNewark,NewJersey(stridepianistWillie"theLion"Smith),withwifeBlancheSmith,wasaCorporalinBatteryAonthisvoyage.Bysecondaryaccounts,heactedasDrumMajorwhenthebandmarched,butwhiletheBrymnbandwasinhisdivision,hewasnotofficiallyapartofitoroftheHeadquartersCompany.

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350thFieldArtilleryRegimentHeadquartersCompanyBandUSSMauiFebruary16-28,1919BresttoHobokenInall,Brymnplus48.Brymn,JamesT.2ndLt.DeLeon,GeorgeA.Sgt.BuglerBlue,WilliamAsst.BLMcCall,LeonardE.Sgt.Benjamin,RuppertA.BandSgt.Hyder,GeorgeW.BandSgt.Smith,RusselT.BandSgt.VanRensalier,JohnBandCpl.Howard,LionelH.BandCpl.Jackson,ArthurH.K.BandCpl.Martin,JohnD.BandCpl.Atkinson,WalterG.2ndClMus.Brooks,CliffordA.3ClMus.Brown,WilliamA.1ClMusBrown,ClarenceB.3ClMus.Cannon,LeoL.3ClMus.Cole,HarryF.3ClMus.Coleman,HowardC.3rdClMusCook,GeorgeW.3ClMus.Crummal,EnglemarL.2ClMus.Dupre,LouisA.2ClMus.Fitzgerald,WesleyO.3ClMus.Harley,Chalmers3ClMus.Hernandez,RamonM.2ClMus.Jackson,JamesA.3ClMus.Jones,RobertC.3ClMus.King,Samuel3ClMus.Martin,NelsonC.2ClMus.Major,AddingtonD.3ClMus.Mickens,Cyril1ClMus.[Sickandwoundedlist]Moore,JamesT.1ClMus.[Sickandwoundedlist]Morrison,HenryE.3ClMus.Osgood,ArnettL.3ClMus.Parris,GilbertJ.1ClMus.

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Pinder,Arthur3ClMus.Purnell,GeorgeT.3ClMus.Ray,ElishaM.2ClMus.Reese,WilliamO.3ClMus.Revey,JamesR.1ClMus.Scott,JosephT.3ClMus.Smith,LukeM.2ClMus.Smith,Raymond3ClMus.Smith,SamuelS.3ClMus.Stewart,JamesE.3ClMus.Thompson,HenricoA.3ClMus.Williams,JamesC.,Jr.3ClMus.Wilson,AndrewC.3ClMus.Winder,JamesB.3ClMus.Young,JamesC.2ClMus.Onthereturnhome,WilliamH.SmithofNewark,NewJersey(stridepianistWillie"theLion"Smith),withwifeBlancheSmithasnextofkin,wasstillaCorporalinBatteryA.Bysomesecondaryaccounts,hefoughtinthetrenchesasafieldgunner,distinguishedhimself,andwaspromotedtosergeant,butthatisnotsupportedbytheU.S.ArmyTransportServicePassengerLists.WilliamandBlanche,musicians,areinNewarkintheUS1920Census.

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SomeRostersforthe15thNY/369thInfantryBandPassengerList1917fromSanJuan,PuertoRico,May5ontheCaracas,toNYCHerearemusiciansthatJamesReeseEuroperecruitedinPuertoRicoforthe15thNY.Therearethirteennames,forallofwhomtheaddressintheUnitedStatesisgivenasthe15thRegimentat131stand7thAvenue.Namesaregivenhereinthespellingofthepassengerlist.Thethirteen(13)comprisetwelve(12)PuertoRicanmusiciansandJimEurope.AllofthesenamesareinthelaterArmyTransportrostersforthe15th/369th.SexitoBenitzJoseFr.JimenezNicolasVasquezArturoAyalaGregorioFilexAntonioGonzalezPabloFuentesRafaelDuchesneEleuterioMelendezJoseRosaRiveraGenaroTorresSoliernoHernandezLt.JamesR.EuropeFouradditionalmusiciansfromPuertoRicowhobecomebandmembersare:LeonardoCruzJesusHernandezRafaelHernandezEligesRijosNB:DanielVernhetteshassharedwithmeaphotoofthirteenbandsmen,whichidentifiesthefollowingseveninacaption:“Losmúsicosportorriqueñosqueseencuentranenelfrentedebatallafrancés:EligioRijos,RafaelDuchesne,FroilánRamiz,PabloFuentes,AntonioGonzález,RafaelyJesúsHernandez.”Seealso:Martinez,Elena."RafaelHernandezandthePuertoRicanLegacyoftheofthe369th

Regiment'sHarlemHellfighters,"Voices:TheJournalofNewYorkFolklore40(Spring-Summer2014),on-lineathttp://www.nyfolklore.org/pubs/voic40-1-2/rafael.html(accessed03/26/2018).

Serrano,Basilio."PuertoRicanMusiciansoftheHarlemRenaissance,"CentroJournal19/2(2007),94-119.

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Rosterof369thmusiciansofthe15thNYonthePochahontas12December1917Inall,Mikellplus52.Inthepassengerlist,onlyMikellplus24areidentifiedasmusiciansoftheband.Theremainder(seebelow)hadnotyetbeentransferredtoHeadquartersCompany.Mikell,EugeneF.,BandLeaderSissle,Noble,1stSgt.DeBroite,Frank,Asst.BandLeader [cornet]Thompson,Gillard,ColorSgt.Duchesne,RafaelI.,BandSgt.(PR) [clarinet]Felix,Gregorio,Corp.(PR) [clarinet]Fuentes,Pablo,Corp.(PR) [bassoon]Hill,HaywardB.,Corp.Rosa,Jose,Corp.(PR) [tuba]Gonzales,Antonio,Mus.1Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Watkins,John,Mus.1Cl.Hernandez,Rafael,Mus.2Cl.(PR) [trombone]Hernandez,Severino,Mus.2Cl.(Cuba)Hubbard,William,Mus.2Cl.Booker,LeslieE.,Mus.3Cl.Brown,James,Mus.3Cl.Christmas,Thomas,Mus.3Cl.Cruz,Leonardo,Mus.3Cl.(PR)Green,Percy,Mus.3Cl.Hernandez,Jesus,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Jiminez,Freylan,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [baritone]Rijos,Elijes,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Melendez,Eleuterio,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [mellophone]Torres,Jenaro,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Vasquez,Nicolas,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [baritone]

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Thefollowing28arebandmusicians(asattestedintheFebruary1919StockholmpassengerlistonthereturntotheUSA)whowereonthePochahontasbutnotinthebandrosterontheDecember1917passengerlist:Adams,George,Corporal,Co.KAndrews,Ward,Private,MachineGunCo.Ayala,Arturo,Private,Co.LBenites,Sixto,Private,Co.LBrown,Edward,Private,Co.BCarter,John,Private,Co.KCarter,Joshua,Cook,Co.BClinton,Stansberry,Private,Co.HColeman,ErnestB.,Private,HdqrCompanyEwell,HenryS.,1stSgt.Co.BFarrington,HaroldA.,Corporal,Co.FFlemming,Herbert,Private,Co.CHall,ArchieC.,Private,Co.IJames,HaroldH.,Private,Co.EJohnson,WalterT.,Private,Co.BJones,Bert,Private,Co.ILee,AlfredD.,Corporal,Co.ALightfoot,William,Private,Co.DMiller,CharltonB.,Private,Co.LPorter,Jacob,Private,MachineGunCo.Richardson,Otto,Private,Co.FRobinson,Bernard,Bugler,Co.HSaltus,James,Bugler,Co.CSmith,David,Private,Co.FTaylor,WilliamT.,Private,Co.CThornton,Fred,Corporal,Co.HWright,Stephen,Private,Co.IWright,Herbert,Private,Co.I

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Rosterof369thmusiciansontheStockholm2February1919onthereturntotheUSAInall,Mikellplus50.Mikell,Eugene,BandLeaderDeBroite,JaconE.,Asst.BandLeader [cornet]Watkins,JohnH.,Sgt.BuglerEwell,HenryS.,ColorSgt.Farrington,HaroldA.,ColorSgt.Cruz,Leonardo,BandSgt.(PR)Duchesne,Rafael,Mus.1Cl.(PR)Felix,Gregorio,Mus.1Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Gonzales,Antonio,Mus.1Cl.(PR)Hill,HaywardB.,Mus.1Cl.Hernandez,Severino,Mus.1Cl.(Cuba)Porter,Jacob,Mus.2Cl. [cornet]Brown,JamesA.,Mus.2Cl.Brown,Edward,Mus.2Cl.Melendez,Eleuterio,Mus.2Cl.(PR) [mellophone]Rosa,Jose,Mus.2Cl.(PR) [tuba]Terres,Jenero,Mus.2Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Vasquez,Nicholas,Mus.2Cl.(PR) [baritone]Coleman,ErnestB.,Mus.2Cl.Adams,George,Mus.2Cl.Fuentes,Pablo—BandCorp.[evacuatedtohospital](PR)[bassoon]Hernandez,Rafael,BandSgt.(PR) [trombone]Hubbard,William,BandSgt.Ayala,Arturo,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Benites,Sixto,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [tuba]Booker,Leslie,Mus.3Cl.Carter,John,Mus.3Cl.Carter,Joshua,Mus.3Cl.Christmas,Thomas,Mus.3Cl.Clinton,Stansberry,Mus.3Cl.Miller,CharltonB.,Mus.3Cl.Fleming,HerbertM.,Mus.3Cl.(seeship’shospitallist)[trombone]Froylan,Jiminez,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [baritone]Green,PercyG.Mus.3Cl.Hall,ArchieC.,Mus.3Cl.Hernandez,Jesus,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [clarinet]James,HaroldH.,Mus.3Cl.

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Johnson,WalterT.,Mus.3Cl.Jones,Bert,Mus.3Cl.Richardson,Otto,BandCorp.Lee,AlfredD.,Mus.3Cl.Lightfoot,William,Mus.3Cl.Robinson,Bernard,Mus.3Cl.Taylor,WilliamT.,Mus.3Cl.Thornton,Fred,Mus.3Cl.Saltus,James,Mus.3Cl.Andrews,Ward,BandSgt. [trombone]Wright,Stephen,Mus.3Cl. [percussion]Smith,David,BandCorp.Thompson,Gillard,BandSgt.Wright,Herbert,Mus.3Cl. [percussion]NOTES:EligioRijosisontherosterasaPvtintheHeadquartersCompany,butnotintheband.NobleSissleacceptedacommissionasaSecondLieutenantandtransferredouttobepartoftheleadershipteamofthe370th.

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ROSTERSOFTHE"OLDEIGHTH"(370th)Forthisband,therearea1916roster(underBerry)anda1917roster(underDulf)inthe"U.S.AdjutantGeneralMilitaryRecords,1631-1976."1916:BandoftheOldEighthunderWilliamE.Berry,atleastthese32:Alexander,Charles,BandSgt.Armstrong,John,Mus.ThirdCl.Berry,WilliamE.,BandLeaderBias,Clinton,Mus.SecondCl.Blue,AlbertC.,DrumMajorBrown,Frank,Mus.ThirdCl.Dorsey,Charles,BandCorp.Graham,Gerald,Mus.ThirdCl.Knox,Henry,BandCorp.Lawrence,James,Mus.SecondCl.Lawson,Loid,Mus.FirstCl.Madison,Arthur,Mus.ThirdCl.Menns,Robert,Mus.ThirdCl.Mosely,George,Mus.ThirdCl.Nixon,James,Mus.ThirdCl.Perry,Oliver,Bandcorp.Pinkney,William,BandCorp.RandleWilliam,BandSgt.Ray,Joseph,Mus.ThirdCl.Smith,Halley,Mus.FirstCl.Smith,James,Mus.SecondCl.Smith,Walter,Mus.SecondCl.Spriggs,Richard,Mus.ThirdCl.Swift,Harry,Mus.FirstCl.Swift,Hugh,BandCorp.Troutman,Robert,BandCorp.Tucker,JamesB.,Asst.BandLeaderWalker,Charles,BuglerWalker,Palmer,Mus.SecondCl.Williams,George,Mus.Third.Cl.Williams,Scott,BandCorp.Woodfork,James,BandCorp.

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1917:bandoftheOldEighthunderDulfintheMusterRoll,these28:Alexander,Charles,BandSgt.Bias,Clinton,BandCorp.Buckner,James,Mus.ThirdCl.Carroll,Donald,Mus.ThirdCl.Dennie,Frank,Mus.ThirdCl.Dorsey,Charles,Asst.BandLeaderDulf,GeorgeE.BandLeaderGraham,Elwood,Mus.ThirdCl.Graham,Gerald,Mus.SecondCl.Hilliard,William,Mus.ThirdCl.Hodge,Samuel,Mus.ThirdCl.Instant,Peter,Mus.ThirdCl.Lawrence,James,Mus.SecondCl.Lawson,Loid,Mus.FirstCl.Lowe,John,Mus.SecondCl.Miller,Thomas,Mus.ThirdCl.Mills,Lewis,Mus.ThirdCl.Mosely,George,BandCorp.Perry,Oliver,BandSgt.Porter,Lamont,Mus.ThirdCl.Ray,Joseph,BandCorp.Ross,Henry,Mus.ThirdCl.Sherman,Felix,BandCorp.Smith,WilliamB.,Mus.ThirdCl.Tucker,JamesB.,Mus.FirstCl.Walker,Charles,BuglerWashington,GeorgeW.,Mus.ThirdCl.Williams,George,Mus.SecondCl.

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1917:Aphotographofthe“OldEighth”Band(takenOctober11,1917)hasthese33namesinthephotocaption(ChicagoBroadAxe,February15,1919,p.5):Alexander,Charles,BandSgt.,tubaBias,Clinton,BandCpl.,trombone [USCensus1920Chicagolaborer]Brady,CharlesH.,Mus.ThirdCl.,cornet[soloist,USCensus1920Chicagomusician]Buckner,James,Mus.ThirdCl.,cornetCarroll,Donald,Mus.ThirdCl.,altoDennie,FrankA.,Mus.ScndCl.,saxophone[soloist;1919passportassinger]Dorsey,Charles,Asst.BandLeader,cornetDulf,GeorgeE.,BandLeaderEllis,CharlesD.,private,clarinetGlover,Swanie,private,piccoloGovern,James,private,piccoloGraham,Elwood,Mus.ThirdCl.,cornet[USCensus1930Chicagomusician]Graham,GeraldR.,Mus.ScndCl.,altoGreenlee,Harry,private,cymbalsGross,ManliusL.,Mus.ThirdCl.,tubaHarris,Frank,Private,drumsHilliard,William,Mus.ThirdCl.,cornetJackson,Rudolph,private,clarinetLawrence,JamesH.,Mus.ScndCl.,bassdrumLawson,LoidW.,musician,clarinet[N.ClarkSmith'sbrother-in-law]Mason,RichardH.,private,drumsMay,Lloyd,private,altoMiller,ThomasJ.,Mus.ThirdCl.,cornetMilner,Marshall,private,tromboneMosley,George,BandCpl.,altoPerry,OliverE.,BandSgt.,baritonePorter,Lamont,Mus.ThirdCl.,clarinetRay,Joseph,BandCpl.,cornetRoss,Henry,Mus.ThirdCl.,altoSherman,Felix,BandCpl.,tromboneSmith,WilliamB.,Mus.ThirdCl.,baritoneTucker,JamesB.,Mus.FirstCl.,tubaWilliams,George,Mus.ScndCl.,snaredrum

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370thBandRosteronUSPresidentGrant,sailingApril7,1918fromNewportNews:Inall,Dulfand25names.Alexander,Charles,BandSgt.Bias,Clinton,BandCorporalBrady,CharlesH.,Mus.2Cl.Buckner,James,Mus.2Cl.Carroll,Donald,Mus.3Cl.Diemer,HoraceL.,Mus.3Cl.Dorsey,Charles,Asst.BandLeaderDulf,GeorgeE.,BandLeaderEllis,HarryD.,Mus.3ClGlover,SawnieW.,Mus.3Cl.Graham,Elwood,Mus.3Cl.Graham,GeraldR.,Mus.2Cl.Gross,ManliusL.,Mus.3Cl.Hutt,WilliamE.Musc.3Cl.Jackson,Rudolph,Mus.3Cl.Lawrence,JamesH.,BandCorporalLawson,LoidW.,Mus.1Cl.Mason,Richard,Mus.3Cl.Mills,Lewis,Mus.3Cl.Perry,Oliver,E.,BandSgt.Porter,Lamont,Mus.3Cl.Ray,Joseph,BandCorporalRoss,Henry,Mus.3Cl.Sherman,Felix,BandCorporalTucker,JamesB.,Mus.1Cl.Walker,CharlesE.,Sgt.Bugler[Freeman,MarkP.ColorSgt.][Scott,Joseph,ColorSgt.]ALSO:Thereare25meninawartimephototakeninthefield.NB:FrankA.Dennieisnotinthisroster,althoughhewaswiththeunitinEurope,andhereturnedwiththebandin1919(seeimmediatelybelow).

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370thBandRosteronLaFrance,sailingFebruary2,1919fromBrestforNYC,reflectingalargeinfluxofMusiciansThirdClass:Inall,Dulfplus48names.Alexander,Charles,BandSgt.Bias,Clinton,BandCorporalBlanchard,Dennis,Mus.3Cl.Blue,Albert,1stSgt.Brady,CharlesH.,BandSgt.Buckner,James,Mus.1Cl.Carroll,Donald,Mus.3Cl.Collins,George,Mus.3Cl.Crockett,Harold,Mus.3Cl.Dampeer,George,Mus.2Cl.Dennie,FrankA.,Mus.1Cl.Diemer,HoraceL.,Mus.2Cl.Dorsey,CharlesE.,Asst.BandLeaderDulf,GeorgeE.,BandLeaderEllis,HarryD.,Mus.1ClEstell,DonV.,Mus.3Cl.[Estill]Givens,Scott,Mus.3Cl.Glover,SawnieW.,Mus.3Cl.Govern,James,Mus.3Cl.Graham,Elwood,Mus.1Cl.Graham,GeraldR.,BandCorporalGreenlee,Harry,Mus.3Cl.Gross,ManliusL.,Mus.2Cl.Harris,Frank,Mus.3Cl.Hiller,Thomas,Mus.3Cl.Hilliard,William,Mus.3Cl.Humbert,Herbert,Mus.3Cl.Hutt,WilliamE.,Mus.2Cl.Jackson,Rudolph,Mus.2Cl.Jenkins,Alvin,Mus.3Cl.Lawrence,JamesH.,BandCorporalLawson,LoidW.,BandSgt.Mason,RichardH.,BandCorporalMay,Lloyd,Mus.3Cl.Mills,Lewis,Mus.2Cl.Perry,Oliver,E.,BandSgt.Porter,Lamont,Mus.2Cl.Radcliffe,Boyd,Mus.3Cl.Ray,Joseph,BandCorporalRobinson,Henry,Mus.3Cl.Robinson,Thomas,Mus.3Cl.

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Ross,Henry,Mus.2Cl.Sherman,Felix,BandCorporalStarks,Albert,Mus.3Cl.Traynham,JamesW.,Mus.3Cl.Tucker,JamesB.,Mus.1Cl.Walker,CharlesE.,Sgt.BuglerWilliams,George,Mus.2Cl.Woodard,William,Mus.3Cl.[Freeman,MarkP.,ColorSgt.][Edmonson,John,ColorSgt.]

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WorkingrosterforEurope-bound807thontheMaui,September4,1918:Inall,Voderyplus55namesBailey,JohnF.,Pvt.Baker,RichardT.,Pvt.Barnes,HaroldR.,Pvt.Barnes,RoyalH.,Pvt.Blackburn,Harrison,Pvt.Brown,Julian,Pvt.Chambers,DallasE.,Pvt.Cole,Edward,Pvt.Cooper,JamesC.,Pvt.Cooper,OpalDee,BandSgt.Davis,Verner,Pvt.Delis,Amado,Pvt.DeLoach,Nathan,Pvt.Edmead,ErnestS.,Pvt.Glover,ClarenceL.,Cpl.Granstaff,EarlB.,Pvt.Hairston,Dennis,Pvt.Harden,WilliamB.,PvtHoward,RalphA.,Pvt.Howe,George,Pvt.Johnson,DouglasF.,Pvt.Johnson,JamesE.,Pvt.Johnson,Lacy,Pvt.Jones,LouiaV.,Pvt.Lino,WilliamG.,PvtLofton,Willie,Pvt.Love,FloydP.,Pvt.Marshall,Allan,Pvt.Mayfield,Egbert,PvtMorgan,Frank,Pvt.McCormick,Louis,Pvt.McKinney,HenryT.(Pvt.,CompanyM,in1918)McMaster,WilliamL.,Pvt.Parker,BernardH.,Pvt.Pope,DuncanE.,Pvt.Redmond,RalphS.,Pvt.Richardson,SamuelA.,Pvt.Richardson,RyarsC.,Pvt.Saunders,SamuelL.,Pvt.Scott,JohnH.,Pvt.Smith,AlbertA.,Pvt.Smith,Eddie,Pvt.

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Stewart,CharlesE.,Pvt.Thomas,JuliusC.,Cpl.Thorpe,CharlesL.,jr.,ABLThurman,HenryL.,Pvt.Walkes,Aubrey,Pvt.Wall,CharlesS.PvtWhaley,ThomasL.,Pvt.Williams,Casco,Pvt.Wilson,ClarenceG.,Pvt.Williams,Walter,Pvt.Wooding,Samuel,Pvt.Venable,WilliamA.,Pvt.Vodery,WilliamH.,BLJohnReevesisontheUSSMauiandUSSOrizabawiththe807thregiment,butnotasamemberoftheband;nonetheless,itisreportedthathewaspartoftheensemble,asatrombonist,fortheminstrelshowbusiness.

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807TransportrosterontheUSSOrizaba,fromBrestonJune25,1919;someindividualstravelledseparately(e.g.,Redmond,Granstaff,DeLoach).Inall,Voderyplus48names.*=singledoutformentioninNewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6("MakingMusicfortheArmy")*Vodery,WilliamH.,2ndLt.Infantry*Jones,LouiaV.,ABLGlover,ClarenceL.BandSgt.MajorThomas,JuliusC.,BandSgt.MajorHairston,Dennis,BandSgt.Major*Thorpe,CharlesL.,jr.,BandSgt.*Cooper,OpalDee,BandSgt.*Thurman,HenryL.,BandSgt.*Lofton,Willie,BandSgt.*Smith,Albert,BandCorp.*Wall,CharlesF.BandCorp.Venable,WilliamA.,BandCorp.*Richardson,SamuelA.,BandCorp.Brown,Julian,BandCorp.*Blackburn,Harrison,BandCorp.*Johnson,DouglasF.Mus.1Cl.*Parker,BernardH.,Mus.1ClDelis,Amado,Mus.1Cl.*Chambers,DallasE.,Mus.1Cl.Cooper,JamesC.,Mus.1ClHowe,George,Mus.2Cl.Baker,RichardT.,jr.,Mus.2Cl.Lino,WilliamG.,Mus.2Cl.Johnson,Lacy,Mus.2Cl.Davis,Verner,Mus.2Cl.*Wilson,ClarenceG.,Mus.2Cl.Barnes,HaroldR.,Mus.2Cl.Saunders,SamuelL.,Mus.2Cl.McKinney,HenryT.,Mus.2Cl.Stewart,CharlesE.,Mus.2Cl.*Williams,Casco,Mus.3Cl.*Edmead,ErnestS.,Mus.3Cl.

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Love,FloydP.,Mus.3Cl.Walkes,Aubrey,Mus.3Cl.Smith,Eddie,Mus.3Cl.Mayfield,Egbert,Mus.3Cl.Morgan,Frank,Mus.3Cl.Barnes,RoyalH.,Mus.3Cl.Williams,Walter,Mus.3Cl.*Wooding,Samuel,Mus.3Cl.*McCormick,Louis,Mus.3Cl.Marshall,Allan,Mus.3Cl.*Pope,DuncanE.,Mus.3Cl.*Howard,RalphA.,Mus.3Cl.*Whaley,ThomasL.,Mus.3Cl.*Scott,JohnH.,Mus.3Cl.*McMaster,WilliamL.,Mus.3Cl.Bailey,JohnF.,Mus.3Cl.Johnson,JamesE.,jr.,Mus.3Cl.Notes:HunterC.GoodecameoverontheMauiwiththe807thBandandreturnedontheOrizabawiththe807thRegimentasCorporal,butnotwiththeband.ONMAUIIN1918ANDMENTIONEDINNYAGE1919ARTICLEBUTNOTONTHE1919USSORIZABATRANSPORTROSTER*DeLoach,Nathan(leftforUS3March1919)*Redmond,Ralph,BandSgt.(leftforUSon21April1919)*Granstaff,EarlB.,BandSgt.Major(leftforUS8June1919)JohnReevesisontheUSSMauiandUSSOrizabawiththe807thregiment,butnotasamemberoftheband;nonetheless,itisreportedthathewaspartoftheensemble,asatrombonist,fortheminstrelshowbusiness.

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APPENDIXIII:THEBANDSONTOURINTHEUNITEDSTATESINSPRING1919

WillMarionCookandhisNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra1919touroftheEastandMidwest,intworound-tripswingsWillTyers,Asst.ConductorBilledasnotjazzorragtime(thoughtheydidplaythat),butsomethingmore,representingtheNegro.Jan.30Lancaster,Pa.Jan.31Baltimore,Md.Feb.1Washington,DCFeb.2Washington,DCFeb.3Hagerstown,Md.Feb.4Johnstown,Pa.Feb.5Altoona,Pa.Feb.6Pittsburgh,Pa.Feb.7Pittsburgh,Pa.Feb.8Cleveland,Oh.Feb.9Akron,Oh.Feb.10Columbus,Oh.Feb.12Chicago,Il.Feb.14Chicago,Il.Feb.15SouthBend,Ind.Feb.17Sandusky,Oh.Feb.18Canton,Oh.(matineeandevening)Feb.19WilberforceUniversity(Springfield)Feb.19Springfield,Oh.Feb.20Youngstown,Oh.Feb.21Marietta,Oh.Feb.22Clarksburg,Oh.Feb.23NYCattheManhattanOperaHouse,abenefitfortheUrbanLeagueFeb.24Harrisburg,Pa.

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Feb.25Philadelphia,Pa.Feb.26Williamsport,Pa.Feb.27Allentown,Pa.Feb.28LongBranch,NJMarch4Bridgeport,CTMarch5Bridgeport,CTMarch9NYCatthe44thStreetTheatre

Variety,March7,1919,p.8reportsthisappearanceasavaudevilleact.Variety,March14,1919,p.13,reportedthattheyhadbeensosuccessfulatthedownstairstheatrethatitisexpectedthattheywillmovetotheroofgardenandstayaweekorso,butthispossibilityistrumpedbytourplans.NYAge,March8,1919:SpeakingofNYSOat44thStreetTheateronSunday,March9,"AftertheperformancethecompanywillleaveonitssecondWesterntour."Andsotheydo.

March10SyracuseMarch11SyracuseMarch12AuburnMarch14WatertownMarch15Amsterdam,NYMarch16NYCWinterGardenwithothersonahugebillMarch17-23NYCaweekattheNoraBayesTheatreMarch23[NYClipper,March26,1919,p.23saysWMCandNYSOplayedinthe

ReisenweberStarCarnivallastSundaythe23rdformenofthe27thDivision,attheParkTheater]

March24ElmiraMarch25ElmiraMarch26WilkesBarre,Pa.Apr.1Olean,NYApr.4Titusville,Pa.Apr.5OilCity,Pa.Apr.6Akron,Oh.Apr.7Canton,Oh.Apr.8Canton,Oh.Apr.9Alliance,Oh.Apr.10Youngstown,Oh.

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Apr.11Sandusky,Oh.Apr.12Elyria,Oh.Apr.13Columbus,Oh.Apr.14Marion,Oh.Apr.15Lima,Oh.Apr.16Toledo,Oh.Apr.17Toledo,Oh.Apr.18FortWayne,Ind.Apr.20Chicago,Il.Apr.27Milwaukee,Wis.Apr.28Chicago,Il.thirdappearanceApr.29Cincinnati,Oh.Apr.30Pittsburgh,Pa.

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Brymnand70BlackDevilsSpring1919Tour---the350thFieldArtilleryBand---inpartforVictoryLibertyLoansSoloistsonthistourincluded:"Jazbo"Giles,comedyconductorandjazzdancerJosephineDean,sopranoandsaxophoneSergeantNikolsandCorporalHousley,saxophonesSergeantKincaidonsaxophone(presumablyNelsonKincaid;seeWilkes-BarreTimes,April

9,1919,p.20;BuffaloEveningNews,May10,1919,p.16)March19Philadelphia(USdebut;twoconcertsatAcademyofMusic)March23Trenton(twoconcertsatTrenttheater)April1AtlanticCity,NJApril2Camden,NJApril8Wilkes-Barre,PAApril9Harrisburg,PAApril10CampDixwelcome(NYAge,Saturday,April12,1919,p.2)April10Newark,NJeventthesameeveningApril11Scranton,PAApril12Wilkes-Barre,PA(return)April16Lebanon,PAApril17York,PAApril21Cumberland,MDApril28Wheeling,WVApril30Newark,OHMay1EastLiverpool,OHMay4Mansfield,OHMay5Sandusky,OH(matinee)May5Jamestown,NY(evening)May6NewCastle,PAMay7OilCity,PAMay8Jamestown,NYMay10BuffaloMay11Buffalo

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May12BuffaloMay13Utica,NYMay14Amsterdam,NYMay15AmsterdamMay16PoughkeepsieMay18(Sun)NYCattheCasinoTheatre(39thandBroadway)

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Dulfandthe370th"BlackDevils"BandonTourinSpring1919Soloistsonthe370th'sspringtour:Mme.AnitaPattiBrown,accompaniedbyMissNathaliaDoxoy[NatalieDoxey]FrankA.Dennie,tenor(andbandmember)Sergt.CharlesE.Brady,cornetvirtuoso(sometimesChas.H.orChas.A.orChas.S.)1stLieut.SamuelS.(S.S.)Gordon,narratorThebandisreportedasanensembleof56,40,and32,andappearstohavebeensheddingperformersoverthecourseofthetour.--------March14,16NewOrleans(invaudevilleasanextrafeature,sohardtotrack)March24Chicago"HomeConcert" [possiblyagapbeforetheygooutagainontheroad,althoughonenewspaper saystheywillimmediatelyboardaspecialtrainforatourofmorethanfifty Americancities]Louisville("lastweek,"inYoungstown(OH)Vindicator,April4,1919,p.23)March29ColumbusMarch30ToledoMarch31DetroitApril2ClevelandApril3Cleveland,morningparadeApril3YoungstownApril6Cleveland,returnengagementatGray'sArmoryonSundayApril8Cleveland,atDreamlandHallonTuesdayApril7PittsburghApril9Washington,PAApril12Reading,PAApril13PhiladelphiaApril14PhiladelphiaAfterPhiladelphiatheywereheadedSouth,boundforBaltimore,Washington,NewportNews,hostedbytheWarCampCommunityServiceineachcity(DulflettertoChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.9)Baltimore(aroundhere?)April15Wilmington,Del.(WilmingtonMorningNews,April14,1919,p.9)

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April26-May3ReturntoPhiladelphia:theywerebookedbythePhiladelphiaVictoryLoanCommitteeforeightdaysbeginningApril26andrunningthroughMay3;theywerefetedatScott'shotelonTuesday,April29;MmeAnitaPattiBrownsangintheorganloftatWanamaker's;theGreensboro(NC)Record,May20,1919,p.3says"RecentlythisfineorganizationwastakenoffitsconcerttourbythegovernmentandsenttoPhiladelphiawhereitplayedduringtheVictoryLoancampaigninthatcity."

April28:Theband'smanagerwasinWashingtonintheweekofApril28-May2

(guesstimatefromref.inNYAge)toarrangebookings,andwasheadedbackthroughNYCwithbandsoloiststoChicago

May8backinChicagoplayingataparadeThenoutontheroadagain:May11Washington,D.C.,attheHoward,onSundayafternoonMay11Washington,D.C.,Sundayevening,attheWarCampCommunityServiceClubNo.3May12/13NorfolkMay13/14NewportNewsMay15or16Suffolk,Va.(andparadewithex-Confederates)May17Petersburg(withconcert?)May19Richmond,Va.(acc.Richmondnewspapers; alsohereonMay20,acc.aDulflettertoChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.9)May21Raleigh(DulflettertoChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.9)May21Durham,attheAcademyofMusic(DurhamMorningHerald,May18,1919,p.8;

DurhamMorningHerald,May20,1919,p.7;whileDulflettertoChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.9,anticipatedthisconcertonMay22)

May22Greensboro,NCatMunicipalTheater(evening) (aconcertinDurhamattheColonialTheater,ratherthaninGreensboro, wasanearlierplanforthisdate,accordingtoaremarkinaDulfletter)ByMay21,AnitaPattiBrownwasbeingadvertisedasthesoloistatanupcoming

SpringfieldconcertonJune3,andsheisdescribedashaving"justcompletedatourwiththeEighthRegimentI.N.G.Band"(SpringfieldIllinoisStateRegister,May21,1919,p.3).

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JamesReeseEuropeandthe"HarlemHellfightersBand"ofthe369thTwo-MonthSpring1919TourMarch16ManhattanOperaHouse(matineeandevening)March17Easton,PAMarch18HarrisburgMarch20PhiladelphiaMarch21PhiladelphiaMarch22BrooklynMarch23NYCreturnengagementatManhattanOperaHouseMarch24NewHavenMarch26HartfordMarch28BostonMarch29BostonMarch30WorcesterMarch31SpringfieldApril2AlbanyApril3AlbanyApril4BinghamtonApril5AuburnApril6SyracuseApril7ElmiraApril8RochesterApril9RochesterApril10BuffaloApril11BuffaloApril12ClevelandApril13ClevelandApril15IndianapolisApril16IndianapolisApril17Evansville,INApril21TerreHauteApril22FortWayne

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April23KalamazooApril24FlintApril25BattleCreekApril27toMay3ChicagoMay4ToledoMay5PittsburghMay6ReadingMay7HarrisburgMay8PhiladelphiaMay9,10,11Boston

JamesReeseEuropewasmurderedinBostoninMay9,1919.Hewasstabbedbyabandsman---drummerHerbertWright---duringtheintermissionofthefirstday'seveningconcert.ThenexttwodaysofconcertswentonasadvertisedunderthebatonofFelixWeir.

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APPENDIXIV:PROGRAMSOFTHEBANDSONTOURINSPRING1919ProgramsfromtheSpring1919UStoursofCook'sNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra,andthebandsofBrymnandEurope,areprintedbelow,togetherwithaprogramofthe369thinFrance.Theseprograms,andwhatwecangleanofDulf'sspring1919repertoire,giveusourclosestviewtothematerialperformedbythesebandsduringtheiroverseasserviceasrecentlyasjustthreemonthsbefore.Afewcomments:Eachofthebandstouredwithasinglestandardprogram,andnewspaperadvertisementsandreviewsconfirmthattherewaslittledeviation,evenifthebandplayedmatineeandeveningconcertsinthesamevenue,orifthebandstayedfortwoorthreedaysandthusplayedfourtosixconcertsbeforemovingon.Thathavingbeensaid,thereviewsoccasionallymentionanon-standarditemthatwasanadditionorsubstitution.ForBrymn'sband,theseinclude"theDieulouardGlide,"afoxtrotdescriptiveofanartillerybombardment,163"TheLiveryStableBlues"andselectionsfromLucia,164andRossini'sWilliamTellOvertureandselectionsfromthePeerGyntsuite,Dvorak'sNewWorldSymphony,andWagner'sLohengrin.165ForJimEurope'sband,theadditionalorsubstituteitemsincludearagtimeversionof"Madelon"("LaMadelon"or"QuantMadelon,"aFrenchpopularsongofWWI),166CreightonThompsonsinging"RockedintheCradleoftheDeep,"plusabandversionoftheRachmaninoffpreludeinCsharpminor,whichwas"acleverbitofJazzation,"167"Ja-Da"bythebandandArthurPaynesingingabasssolo,168andfinally,ArthurPayneasbassosoloist,theRachmaninoff,Rossini'sInflammatusfromtheStabatMater,andthePeerGyntSuiteofGrieg.169Equallytothepointintryingtoestablishwhatwasbeingplayed,onereportercommentedaboutthe369thbandthat"Likemostofthegoodthingsinlife,thewonderfuljazznumbersforwhichthisbandhasaninternationalreputationwillbegivenasextras,"170and"theboysaregenerouswithencoresandwhiletheirprogramscallfornineteennumbersthey

163Scott'sOfficialHistory,p.310.164TrentonEveningTimes,March22,1919,p.16165Buffalo(NY)EveningNews,May12,1919,p.2.166NYHerald,March17,1919,p.9.167Buffalo(NY)Express,April11,1919,n.p.(illeg.),andfortheRachmaninoff,alsoKalamazooGazette,April24,1919,p.13.168Harrisburg(PA)Patriot,May8,1919,p.4.169KalamazooGazette,April24,1919,p.13.170Harrisburg(PA)Telegraph,March17,1919,p.10;Harrisburg(PA)Patriot,March18,1919,p.11.

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usuallyplayaroundfifty,"andalso,they"jazzedclassicalnumbersaswellasplayingthemstraight".171

171Firstquote,Evansville(IN)CourierandPress,April17,1919,p.12;secondquote,Evansville(IN)CourierandPress,April18,1919,p.23.

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Bridgeport(CT)TimesandEveningFarmer,March4,1919,p.9NEWYORKSYNCOPATEDORCHESTRAPartI1.ORCHESTRA--"SwingAlong"...Cook2.ORCHESTRA--"SallyTrombone"...(Characteristic)3.QUARTETTE...Spirituals

Geo.Jones,Jr.,J.B.Brown,M.P.Abbott,P.C.Colston4.ORCHESTRA--"CalloftheWoods"...Tyers5.BARITONESOLO--"SinceYouWentAway"...J.R.Johnson

GeorgeJones,Jr.6.ORCHESTRA--

(a)APlantationMelody...Lannen(b)HungarianRhapsodyNo.5...Brahms

7.FOLKSONG--"IGotaRobe"...CarrollMorgan8.ORCHESTRA--""MidthePyramids"...ClarenceJones9.SAXAPHONE[sic]SOLO--MaizieMullins

(a)"SingMetoSleep"(b)"KentuckyHome"

10.SOLO,WITHORCHESTRA--"ListentotheLambs"...NathanielDettPartII1.DRUMSOLO--BuddieGilmore2.ORCHESTRA--"Exhortation"...Cook3.CONTRALTOSOLO--Mme.ConstantiaBrownReckling;H.T.Burleigh,Accompanist4.ORCHESTRA--

(a)Humoresque...Dvorak(b)"ArabianNights"...David

5.TENORSOLO--"Mammy"...Cook MiltonAbbott6.TROMBONESOLO--"AhLib"...FrankWithers7.QUARTETTE--ModernPartSongs E.O.Harris,J.C.Payne,E.C.McKinney,C.Rosamond8.INSTRUMENTALDUET--ViolinandCello FelixWeirandLeonardJeter9.SOPRANOSOLO--Mme.FlorenceColeTalbert10.ORCHESTRA--

(a)Characteristic...JoeJordan(b)"Admiration"...Tyers

11.ORCHESTRA--"RainSong"...Cook

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Amsterdam(NY)EveningRecorder,Thursday,May15,1919,n.p.350thFieldArtillery"BlackDevils"BandProgramFIRSTEPISODE1."America."2.March."GeneralAustin"(dedicatedtofounderofband)...Brymn3."Sparklets"...Brymn4."CocoanutGroveJazz"...Brymn5."AlpineSunset"...King6.SopranoSolo--Selected MissJosephineDean7."BealStreetBlues"...Handy8.Overture--"IlGuarany"...Gomez9.Saxaphone[sic]Trio MissDean,SergeantNikols,CorporalHousley10."CavalryCharge"...Luders11."LaRhumba"...Brymn12."StarsandStripesForever"...SousaSECONDEPISODE1.SecondRegimentMarch...Hall2.InflammatusfromStabatMater...Rossini3."SallieTrombone"...Lake4.Saxaphone[sic]Solo...SergeantNikols5."Admiration"...Tyers6."EvolutionofDixie"...Lake7."ThePhiladelphiaSundayBlues"...Brymn8.SopranoSolo--Selected...MissDean9.SelectionfromFaust...Gounod10."BarnyardBlues"...LaRocco11.March--"DunlapCommandery"...Hall12.Finale...EntireCompany

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Programofaconcertgivenbythe369thinearly1918inAix-les-Bains,France(derivedfromDanVernettes,CommemorationoftheCentenaryofthearrivaloftheAfrican-AmericanmilitarybandsinFranceduringWorkWarI:Ahistoricalandmusicalapproach[Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray:Iropa,1917],p.18):FirstPart1.AmericanExpeditionaryForce,March...Mikell2.Zampa,Overture...Herold3.IndianSummer4.ArbucklenianPolka...Hartman FrankDeBroite,cornet5.Song:BabyBoy6.CampMeetingDay...MikellandSissle SergeantSissleandCompanyK'sQuartet7.Semiramis,Overture...RossiniSecondPart1.TheOldFlagNeverTouchedtheGround...J.R.Johnson2.GuillaumeTell,Overture...Rossini3.MaggieDay...Snow WardAndrews,trombone4.OurDrummerBoys...Hill StevenandHerbertWright,percussion5.StarsandStripesForever,March...Sousa6.StarSpangledBanner7.LaMarseillaise

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VarietyreviewbySimeoftheMarch16concert,publishedintheweekbeforetheMarch23returnengagementattheManhattan(Variety,n.d.[betweenMarch16-March23),p.32).

LIEUT.JAMESREESEEUROPEAndtheWorldFamous

369THU.S.INFANTRY"HELLFIGHTERS'"BANDProgram

1.FrenchNationalDefileMarch--"SambreetMeuse"...Turlet2."PlantationEchoes"...Coates3.Suite-"DwellersoftheWesternWorld"...Sousa

(a)RedMan.(b)WhiteMan.(c)BlackMan.

4.AMusicalMelange--(a)ViolinSolo--FelixWeir(b)CelloSolo--H.LeonardJeter.(c)"NegroSpirituals"--Messrs.WeirandJeter.

5.APotpourriofPopularJazzTunes...Remick6.AHighbrowDiversion--Selection--"MillontheCliff"...Reissiger7.TheMelodyMan--CreightonThompson,inaSongBarrage.

(a)"RockaByeYourBaby"...Schwartz(b)"I'llSaySheDoes"...Jolson

8.Waltz--"DjerKiss"...Ager9.TheSingingSerenaders--"Southland"...Burleigh

CreightonThompson,L.LloydGibbs,EarlBumpforn,PeteZabriskie,CloydEarl,WhitneyViney,ThomasLeeandArthurPayne.

10.Characteristic--"Panama"...Tyers11.ABiffBangBombardmentbythe"PercussionTwins" SteveandHerbertWright,withEurope'sBandIntermission12."LosBanterilles"...Sabata13.AlJonesinaPianologuewithOriginalSongs.14.Caprice--"Trocha"...Tyers15.Saxaphone[sic]Sextette[sic]--"EchoesfromBroadway."

AntoninoGonzales,VesWilliams,PercyGreen,ArturoAyala,ClarenceJones,JoshuaCarterandSeverinoHernandez[NB:sevenmen]

16.Overture--"IlGuarany"...Gomez17.Lieut.JimEuropeandLieut.NobleSissle(formerDrumMajorofBand) inOriginalSongSwabbles.18.Jazz--"ThatMoaningTrombone"...Bethel19.SelectedSongsbytheSingingSerenadersandEurope'sBand.

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Dulfandthe"BlackDevils"BandoftheOldEighth(370thInfantry):Nocompleteprogramshavebeenfound.InCleveland,programnumbersincludedanariafrom"LaTraviata"andanencore,"Ifyouneverhadabeau,"byAnitaPattiBrown.InVirginia,towardstheendofthetour,theyperformedLuders'descriptive"CavalryCharge"andpopularitemssuchas"Havanola,""LiveryStableBlues,""JaDa,"andanencoreof"MemphisBlues"(ChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.1).InYoungstown,Ohio,"IfanycriticismistobemadeitwouldbethattheprogramdidnotcontainanynegromelodiesormusicbyAmericannegrocomposers.Itispartoftheorganization'smissiontoshowwhatcoloredpeoplecando,anddistinctlynegromusicoughttobeoneofitsspecialties"(Youngstown(OH)Vindicator,April4,1919,p.23).However,inCleveland,"Jazzreignedsupreme....Selectionsfromgrandoperawereappreciatedbytheaudience,whichnearlyfilledthearmory,butwhentheboysplayedthepopularjazzmusictheaudiencebecamesoexcitedthat,haditnotbeenSunday,theremighthavebeendancing.Manyencoresweredemanded.Theywerealwaysansweredwithmorejazz"(PlainDealer,April7,1919,p.6;ClevelandGazette,April12,1919,p.3).