They could even tell the enemy that the rival commanders wanted a parley. Music was loud enough to be heard over the din of combat and varied enough so that American troops would be able to respond to orders given from battlefield commanders without confusing them for other orders. In those days, musicians in an army existed to expedite communications on the battlefield. It turns out it was both a tactical decision and an economic one. What did the musicians wear in the Revolution? And why was it a different uniform from their fellow colonials? None of that really matters, it’s still a painting that resonates with Americans 100 years later. But there are a few errors in the painting: The scene it depicts never happened, the flag in the background wasn’t approved by Congress until much later, and the musicians are not wearing the right uniforms. Willard was the grandson of one of the Green Mountain Boys who, led by legendary patriot Ethan Allen, invaded Canada and captured Fort Ticonderoga during the Revolution. It was, after all, painted on the eve of the United States’ centennial. Today, Civil War veteran Archibald Willard’s 1875 painting still evokes patriotism in many Americans. Another uniformed musician is wounded, but marching and playing the fife. The boy is in his Continental Army uniform, looking up to an older drummer who is not in uniform.
In it, a young Revolutionary War drummer boy is marching alongside two other musicians. We’ve all seen the famous painting, Spirit of ’76.