RACINE'S AMERICAN BUGLE BAND:
SOURCE: The Book "Racine, Belle City of the Lakes and Racine County,
Wisconsin. A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and
Achievement" by Fanny S. Stone, published in 1916.
In 1858 Racine's American Bugle Band was organized by its leader, a Welshman
named John P. Jones and a list of the members follows: John P. Jones, John R.
Davis, A. Kellogg, E. Pritchard, F. Gibson, J. Pribyl, C. Haas, A. Schneider, R.
Daniels, L. C. Wentworth, E. P. Lowell, D. C. Washburn, H. M. Wentworth and R.
Jones.
"Bugle" was added to the name because of the then noteworthy fact that the
instrument played by John R. Davis was a solid silver bugle which cost $150.
When the Civil War broke out this band often played at patriotic gatherings to rally
recruits and stir up enthusiasm; its services always were tendered on these
occasions without remuneration. The band was often found on hand at college
functions of various kinds.
The German Band of Racine was organized in 1865 and Charles Heyer was the
leader; other members included John and Henry Broecker, Charles Haas, Jacob
Esser, Paul Bohn, Christian Retter and others.
Competition between these two bands, the American Bugle Band and the German
Band, was very lively whenever they both happened to be out at the same time.
During one of the stirring campaigns shortly after the Civil War, the Democrats and
the Republicans were each having a procession on the same day, the American
Bugle Band heading the Republicans, and the German Band the Democratic
hosts. The German Band boasted that it would blow the American Bugle Band off
the streets if it ever had the chance, so the news was. At any rate, the
Republicans, headed by the American Bugle Band in a wagon, had been parading
over in Racine's Fourth Ward and, returning to Market Square in downtown
Racine, found the German Band installed on the court house steps, entertaining a
large crowd. Mr. Davis, leading the American Bugle band at this time, ordered the
wagon driver to stop in the middle of the square, to the accompaniment of a
quickstep, and warned the players that the tussle of their lives was on. The
question then to be decided was, which band could out-play and out-stay the
other. The personell and political partisans of each encouraged the contestants in
every way to hang on. J. I. Case was particularly anxious that the Republican band
should win, and was amused for two and a half hours before the German Band
was blown out and retired, leaving the American Bugle Band to play a final fanfare
in token of victory.
Perhaps it is not generally known that a citizen of Racine composed the music for
that ever popular gospel song, "The Sweet Bye and Bye," but such is history. J. P.
Webster, a member of the American Bugle Band, was a fine musician and
composer, and while a resident of Racine, about 1860, wrote the air to the song,
and the first time it was sung in public was at a concert by the American Bugle
Band, when Mr. Webster sang the beautiful composition as he accompanied
himself on the piano. At the time the song was written its author was in the saloon
business with a man named Gillson, another member of the American Bugle Band.