A NEW, USEFUL AND COMPLETE SYSTEM OF DRUM BEATING

By
Charles Stewart Ashworth.
(Drum Major, the United States Marine Corps Band.)
January, 16th, 1812.

I got a lot of the information from Will Ott, Drummer 1st US Regiment 2008

RULES
TO BE OBSERVED BY YOUNG DRUMMERS.
The first thing to be attended to by the Young Leaner is to hold the Sticks properly: _ the upper, or left hand stick is the most difficult to be managed at first: it must be firmly held between the Thumb and two middle fingers, to rest on the third finger a little above the middle joint. The lower, or right hand stick must be held fast with the little finger, and be allowed to play with ease through the others, as a man may use a stick in fencing. The next to leant is to close a Roll: begin with two heavy strokes with the upper, or left hand, then two with the right, and so on, quicking the time till the roll is closed. _

District of C O L U M B I A to wit:
BE IT REMEMBERED, That on this fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Load one thousand eight hundred and twelve, and of the Independence of the United States the thirty__sixth, CHARLES STEWART ASHWORTH, deposited in this office the Title of a Book, the right whereof he clams as Author and Proprietor in the following words, to wit: _
“A new, useful, and complete System of Drum__beating, including the Reveille, Troop, Retreat, Tattoo, Officers’ Calls, Signals, Salutes, and the whole of the Camp Duty as practice at Head__Quarters, Washington City; intended particularly for the use of the United States Army and Navy.” _ In conformity to the act of Congress of the United States, entitled “An act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies, during the time therein mentioned” _
And also to an act entitled “An act supplementary to an act entitled an act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies during the time therein mentioned, and extending the herefits thereof to the acts of designing, engravings and itching historical other Prints.”
G. DENEALE, CLERK
District Court District Columbia.
January 16 1812.

R U D I M E N T S
FOR
Drum Beating in General.
It is necessary that the learner should first practice the long Roll until he can close it handsomely: then go on with the Lessons, one by one, as they are here placed, and by no means undertake the Second ‘till he can with ease close the first. _ He will find that getting these Lessons perfect, every beat he undertakes will become easy and familiar to him. _

The Tattoo.
The Tattoo from the twenty-second of March, to the twenty-second of September, is beat at nine O’clock from the twenty-second of September to the twenty-second of March at eight O’clock; provided the Commander in Chief has not appointed other hours for the performance of that Duty.
Begins with the three Rolls, the singling of the Tattoo are then beat by all the Drums.
_ Some favorite Air is then played by the Drums and Fifes: at the end of each part of the Tune the Drums Beat the Singlings. When through the Tune the Signal is given from the Right to begin the Doublings, which are beat but once through, after which the Singlings as at first, and so on alternately ‘till the Signal is given for Rolling off; End with three Rolls and the Doublings once through. _

The General.
The General is a Signal for Striking tents, and for a March; begins with three Rolls. Ends with three Rolls, and the General once through.

THE REVEILLE.
The Reveille begins with the three Camps, omitting the three Rolls, between the first, second, third, and fourth, parts, on Roll, _ between the fourth and fifth parts, eight Rolls that is two long ones like those between the first parts, and six short Roll; let the last stroke of the Scotch repeat be the first of the three Camps. _ The three parts of the three Camps is considered but one part of the Reveille, therefore the first Roll is not till the three Camps are beat through.

Note _ The Point of War, or the first part of the three Camps, is Compliment which a Guard pays a Governor of a State and to no other person: 􀃏Is also Beat when the Regiment Colors are returned, uncased to the Commandants Quarters; if the Colors be cased, the Drum pays the Compliment; also when the Colors are received from the Commanders Quarters. 􀃏It is understood that the President of the U.S. is also entitled to this Compliment in any State. The Grenadiers March. The first part of the Grenadiers March on the Roll is used when Guards Present Arms to each other: that on the Drag when a Reigiment presents arms to a General. If more Drums than one, part must Roll while the others Beat on the Drag. _

The first line is for the Loud Drums the second for the Muffled. __ The Rests in the Loud Parts are for the muffled Drums by themselves, thase marked Unison are not intended to be silent but both muffled and Loud Drums beat together.