Gettysburg will recreate Lincoln’s visit to the borough in 1863 November 17-19, 2026
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Music accompanied nearly every stage of Abraham Lincoln’s visit to Gettysburg on November 18 and 19, 1863, but its character changed markedly over those two days. Patriotic songs and late-night serenades enlivened the town on the eve of the cemetery dedication. The next morning, funeral marches, hymns, and dirges set a solemn tone as Edward Everett delivered his long oration and Lincoln spoke the brief words known as the Gettysburg Address.
That musical contrast was more than a change in repertoire. It reflected the complex meaning of Gettysburg in late 1863: a Union victory, a scene of enormous loss, and a place formally set apart for the dead. Bands and singers helped the assembled crowd move from celebration to mourning, religious reflection, and national commemoration.
Abraham Lincoln’s visit to the borough of Gettysburg on November 18-19 has been covered in many books. Historians have examined his time there (about 24 hours), focusing on his final preparations and his dedicatory remarks at the ceremony that consecrated the new National Cemetery.
Lincoln’s contribution, labeled “remarks,” was intended to make the dedication formal (somewhat like ribbon-cutting at modern openings). That Lincoln was invited almost at the last minute, almost as an afterthought, as some are taught today, seemed strange. He was invited 17 days in advance to “formally set apart these grounds” with “a few appropriate remarks,” and David Wills (the event planner) had told many that the president would join Edward Everett (the main orator) onstage.
Lincoln spent time writing the short speech he would deliver. Persistent but unsupported myths still exist that he wrote it on the train (on the back of an envelope) to Gettysburg, that he wrote it that evening while staying at the Wills home on the square, or that he composed it in his head while Everett delivered his two-hour oration.
Lincoln knew what he wanted to say, and after receiving the invitation, he spent time crafting those words. He made sure to attend the dedication, moving his schedule to accommodate the trip even though his child was sick and it was so soon after the death of another son. (Lincoln wore a mourning band on his hat) Despite his wife Mary’s pleas not to go, Lincoln was determined to attend.
Lincoln’s train arrived in Gettysburg toward dusk on November 18th. Ward Hill Lamon (who served as the parade marshal), David Wills (his host for the evening), and Edward Everett (the principal speaker for the next day’s dedication) met Lincoln and escorted him two blocks to the Wills home, where dinner was waiting, along with almost two dozen other distinguished guests. After dinner, Lincoln worked on his speech and met with several VIPs, including Everett and Secretary of State William Seward. He responded to the serenade with brief remarks to the crowds gathered in the square.
President Abraham Lincoln’s arrival in Gettysburg on the 18th was met with a festive yet increasingly solemn mood. The entire town was decorated with vibrant flags and bunting to welcome thousands of visitors from across the country. The day’s events included a military review and lively serenades, with music playing a prominent role. Lincoln arrived in the late afternoon. Notably, no music accompanied his arrival or the short escort to the Wills House, where officials and invited guests awaited him for supper.
After supper, the celebration’s high energy continued with music in the square, performed by bands and singers. Lincoln was persuaded to address the crowd. He did so with brief “off-the-cuff” remarks. His interactions with the serenaders reflected his natural modesty and his deep focus on the occasion’s gravity. Music continued into the early hours of the 19th with bands and singers performing patriotic and upbeat selections.
The next morning, Lincoln toured the battlefield by carriage, then joined the procession forming in the square. A formal, solemn parade proceeded to the National Cemetery, where Lincoln took part in the dedicatory ceremonies. After listening to Everett’s oration and a musical selection, he rose and delivered the words that would forever be known as the Gettysburg Address.
As the Dedication Day progressed, the mood grew increasingly solemn and respectful. Music reflected the day’s solemn tone, from funeral dirges during the procession to the hymns and special music at the ceremony.
Despite some initial disappointment at how brief his appearance was, the crowds deeply appreciated the event’s solemnity and immense significance. Lincoln focused entirely on honoring the fallen soldiers and highlighting the occasion’s historical importance, rather than providing simple public entertainment.
After the cemetery ceremony, the procession reformed and escorted the president back to the square, where he dined at Will’s house. President Lincoln and his party then attended another event at the Presbyterian Church. Lincoln and his Secretary of State, William Seward, walked arm-in-arm with local hero John Burns.
The musicians continued to perform well into the late afternoon, serenading the lingering crowds. The memorable day finally ended with Lincoln’s departure from Gettysburg, set against a beautiful backdrop of patriotic music and singing. Lincoln left Gettysburg around 6:30 p.m. and arrived back in Washington around 1 a.m.Shortly after he left, the town gradually returned to normal, though the powerful memory of the day’s solemn, musical moments lingered in the hearts of everyone who attended.
THE MUSIC AT GETTYSBURG
Music played an important role during Lincoln’s visit to Gettysburg and throughout the Civil War. It provided entertainment, strengthened morale, and expressed the nation’s shifting emotions. Lincoln knew many hymns and patriotic songs and frequently attended or participated in musical events. At Gettysburg, music helped communicate feelings of victory, loss, mourning, and solemn remembrance.
Lincoln’s connection to Civil War music was therefore both personal and presidential. He understood its emotional power and its ability to unite people during moments of national crisis. By accompanying significant events of his presidency – especially the dedication at Gettysburg – music helped establish an atmosphere that balanced patriotic celebration with reflection on the human cost of war.
Lincoln hosted musical artists at the White House, attended the opera at local theaters, and enjoyed hearing the Marine Band’s weekly concerts on the White House lawn. Although not musically inclined, he still enjoyed hearing music performed by bands and singers. His bodyguard, Ward Hill Lamon, often sang songs for the president in private. Lincoln understood music’s power to unite, comfort, and inspire people during the hardships of war. He often attended musical events and knew popular songs of the era, including “We Are Coming, Father Abraham” and “John Brown’s Body.” He was known to request certain songs or ask for an encore of a particular piece that he appreciated.
During the Gettysburg dedication, music played a central role in expressing the nation’s grief and hope. Bands and singers performed patriotic and solemn selections, including dirges and hymns, before and after Lincoln’s famous address. The Marine Band, along with the other bands, played martial airs during the journey and ceremonies, while vocal groups like the National Union Musical Association of Baltimore sang both on the train and at the event.
Music reflected and shaped the public’s shifting moods—from the celebratory atmosphere upon Lincoln’s arrival to the somber tone of the dedication ceremony. Songs and performances helped the crowd process both the victory and the war’s losses. Lincoln’s engagement with music during the Civil War highlighted its importance as a tool for national expression, healing, and commemoration.
Lincoln was often serenaded by bands and singers, though he sometimes felt uneasy in such settings. He responded to the crowds, sometimes with brief remarks, and attended many musical tributes during his travels and public appearances.
While the music on November 18 was celebratory, it took a more solemn turn on the day of the dedication. All four bands present for the occasion (The Marine Band, 2nd U.S. Artillery Band, 5th New York Heavy Artillery Band, and Birgfeld’s Band) played dirges during the procession from the square to the cemetery. The contrast between the jubilant music of the night before and the solemn hymns and dirges of the dedication day mirrored the nation’s journey from victory to remembrance. Music allowed the crowd to process both the triumph and the tragedy of war.
The program’s order of exercises shows how important music was to the ceremony that day. Music opens the program, and a selection appears between each part of the ceremony.
The official dedication program featured specially composed pieces, though not listed by name, including Adolph Birgfeld’s dirge “Homage d’un Heros,” performed by the Birgfeld Band, and B. B. French’s “National Consecration Chant or Hymn,” sung by singers from Baltimore, both delivered with great effect. The Franklin Repository of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania (Wednesday, Nov. 25, 1863 edition) said Birgfeld’s dirge was “a composition of exquisite pathos and executed in a superb manner.” These selections elevated the ceremony, providing moments of reflection and reverence. The music and lyrics added a religious dimension to the ceremony. After Lincoln’s address, a choir composed of members of Gettysburg church choirs sang a dirge (titled “Dirge”), accompanied by Birgfeld’s Band, further deepening the sense of loss and commemoration. The Marine Band contributed a single selection to the program, the “Old Hundredth.”
Edward Everett
Edward Everett, an American politician, Unitarian pastor, educator, diplomat, and orator from Massachusetts, was the main speaker for the day. His oration focused mainly on the battle. He began by invoking ancient Greek traditions of honoring fallen soldiers (such as Athenian funeral orations) before pivoting to a meticulous, chronological breakdown of the Battle of Gettysburg, detailing troop movements and military strategy. Everett argued for the Union’s constitutional legitimacy, vehemently condemned the Confederacy and secession, and linked the preservation of the American republic to the sacred sacrifice of the fallen soldiers.
Lincoln’s short address evoked religious ideals through language and theological themes. He drew on themes of life, death, and resurrection. “A New Birth of Freedom” evokes the New Testament’s themes of rebirth and redemption. His addition of “Under God” may have been a spontaneous addition to his remarks. Although he did not quote directly from the Bible, as he would in the Second Inaugural Address, he helped set the tone for the ceremony.
The music reflected this religious tone. The opening musical selection set the solemn mood for the ceremony that followed. The selection, “Homage d’un Heros,” was a funeral dirge composed in the style of such works of the time. Dirges written during the mid-19th century were usually divided into three or four sections. The first two sections are set in a minor key (considered somber or sad), and then the music moves to the parallel major key (considered cheerful and upbeat), accompanied by a steady beat of muffled drums.
The second musical selection on the program (before Everett’s oration) by the Marine Band was “Old Hundredth.” The tune is usually attributed to the French composer Louis Bourgeois (c. 1510 – c. 1560). This hymn, commonly called the Doxology, is a compact expression of Christian worship.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
There is no record of this short hymn being sung or of whether it was repeated. This arrangement appears in many brass band books from the Civil War including the Band Books of the Marine Band.
The musical selection before Lincoln’s remarks was “National Consecration Chant or Hymn,” sung by the National Union Musical Association of Baltimore (AKA Baltimore Glee Club), with music arranged (most likely written) and conducted by their director, Wilson G. Horner. The lyrics were written by Benjamin Brown French, Washington Commissioner of Public Buildings. This music again resounds in religious overtones. It offers consecration of the ground where those who fought for freedom were buried. It ties in with Lincoln’s remark, “But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate-we cannot consecrate-we cannot hallow-this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.”
This selection (published later in Baltimore by Henry McCafferty) is interesting because it is more of a chant than a hymn. A chant is the rhythmic, repetitive speaking or singing of words or sounds, usually centered on a single pitch or a very limited range of notes. In this case, the harmonic structure is basic.
‘Tis holy ground,
This spot, where in their graves,
We place our country’s braves,
Who fell in Freedom’s holy cause,
Fighting for liberties and laws:
Let tears abound.
It will not be! We trust, O God!
Thy gracious power To aid in our darkest hour.
This be our prayer:
“O Father, save A people’s Freedom from its grave:
All praise to Thee!”
After Lincoln’s address, one more selection remained on the program. A quartet from Gettysburg churches, accompanied by Birgfeld’s Band, sang a dirge composed by James G. Percival and Alfred Delaney. It is titled simply “Dirge.” It is in a single section, repeated (a departure from standard dirges), and remains in a minor key. The music was dedicated to the Governor of Pennsylvania, Andrew Curtin.
The printed sheet music (published later in Philadelphia by Lee & Walker) lists the singers as Matilda Gillespie, Soprano, Martha Martin, Alto, Robert Little, Tenor, and Samuel Witherow, Bass. These individuals formed a vocal quartet of local Gettysburg residents representing their church choirs. Matilda Gillespie (1819-1899) is buried in Evergreen Cemetery adjacent to the National Cemetery.
The first verse is:
O! It is great for our Country to die, whose ranks are contending
Bright is our fame; glory waits us for aye;
Glory, that never is dim, shining on with a light never ending,
Glory, that never shall fade, never O! never away!
The poem was written in 1843 as the opening epigraph for Chapter VI of James Fenimore Cooper’s 1843 historical novel, Wyandotté.
The opening line, “It is great for our Country to die,” appears in three of the four verses and echoes the sentiment of the Latin phrase “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori,” (translates to “It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country”), a famous line by the ancient Roman poet Horace. That phrase is engraved over the west portico of the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.
All in all, music played a profound and multifaceted role during Lincoln’s visit to Gettysburg, shaping the emotional atmosphere and reflecting the nation’s collective experience at a pivotal moment in the Civil War. It was far more than entertainment-it was a vital expression of the nation’s soul, helping people celebrate, mourn, and find meaning in a time of profound change.
TIMELINE OF MUSIC IN GETTYSBURG DURING LINCOLN’S VISIT
This timeline shows how key musical performances wove through the Gettysburg dedication, marking moments of celebration, solemnity, and national unity.
November 18, 1863 (Day and Evening Before the Dedication)
- President Lincoln’s Arrival in GettysburgNo music greeted Lincoln at the station, although two bands were present on the train.The United States Marine Band (which traveled with the President from Washington) and the 2nd United States Artillery Band from Fort McHenry (which boarded in Baltimore) played martial airs during the journey, especially at Baltimore and en route to Gettysburg. Leader Francis Scala led the Marine Band and its 27-man roster, which at the time included trombonist Antonio Sousa, the father of future director John Philip Sousa. A car attached to the Presidential train carried officials from Maryland and Baltimore. Included were singers from the National Union Musical Association of Baltimore. The singers serenaded the passengers and crowds along the way. This car was coupled either in Baltimore or at Hanover Junction.No music was played on the short walk to the Wills HouseThe 5th New York Heavy Artillery Band had been in Gettysburg earlier and provided a dress parade and flag raising for the citizens in the town square.The Birgfeld Band, under the direction of Adolph Birgfeld, arrived late (after 11 p.m.) on the “Governor’s Special” train with Pennsylvania Governor Curtin.
- Evening Serenades in the Town SquareAfter supper, the 5th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment Band led a patriotic serenade outside the Wills’ house, where Lincoln was staying.Songs included “We Are Coming, Father Abraham,” “Star-Spangled Banner”, and “John Brown’s Body.”Lincoln briefly addressed the crowd but declined to make a formal speech.Other bands and singing groups, including the 12-member National Union Musical Association of Baltimore (AKA Baltimore Glee Club), joined in performing patriotic songs. Newspaper accounts note their rendition of “We Are Coming, Father Abraham.”After Lincoln gave a few remarks, the 5th New York Heavy Artillery Band went to the Harper house in the square, where Secretary of State William Seward was staying, and played a serenade for him. Seward then delivered a speech.Late-night serenades continued, with the Baltimore singers performing “Our Army Is Marching On,” “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Hail Columbia,” “Yankee Doodle,” and the band offering more renditions of “We Are Coming, Father Abraham,” along with other martial and patriotic airs.Lincoln visited Seward at the Harper House late in the evening and was met by the singers for an impromptu serenade. Lincoln declined to give remarks and bid them a goodnight.
November 19, 1863 (Dedication Day)
- Morning of Dedication DayA bugle call sounded from Cemetery Hill (where the statue of General Oliver Otis Howard is located today) at 7 a.m., accompanied by a cannon salute rendered by Battery E of the 5th United States Artillery
- Morning Procession to the CemeteryFour bands (The Marine Band, 2nd United States Artillery Regiment Band, 5th New York Heavy Artillery Band, Birgfeld’s Band of Philadelphia) played as the procession marched to the cemetery.It is not known for sure where each band was located in the procession, but it seems reasonable that they were spaced out so the selections would not overlap. Musical selections performed were funeral dirges (probably Dead March in Saul, Webster’s Funeral March, Chopin Funeral March)
- Dedication Ceremony Musical ProgramOpening Number: “Homage d’un Heros” (dirge) by Birgfeld’s Band of Philadelphia, composed for the occasion. (This selection has been lost to history)After the Opening Prayer: The Marine Band played the hymn “Old Hundredth.”After Edward Everett’s Oration: The National Union Musical Association of Baltimore sang “National Consecration Chant or Hymn,” with music composed and conducted by their director, Wilson G. Horner. Lyrics were written by Benjamin B. French, Washington Commissioner of Public Buildings.After Lincoln’s Address: A volunteer choir from Gettysburg churches, accompanied by Birgfeld’s Band, sang a dirge composed by James G. Percival and Alfred Delaney.After the ceremony, the crowd gave three cheers, and a battery fired an eight-gun salute.
- Post-Ceremony and DepartureThe parade reformed for a procession back into townBands continued to play in the town square until sunset.The Marine Band escorted Lincoln and the VIPs back to the square, where Lincoln had dinner (a late lunch) at David Wills’ home. He then walked arm-in-arm with local hero John Burns to the Presbyterian Church for a patriotic, pro-Union meeting that included a speech by Charles Anderson, Ohio’s lieutenant governor-elect.At the railroad station, the Baltimore singers performed a succession of patriotic and popular songs for the departing crowds.Lincoln departed Gettysburg at around 6:30 p.m. with the Marine Band and the 2nd U.S. Artillery Band. He arrived back in Washington around 1 a.m.
THE BANDS AND SINGERS AT GETTYSBURG
The United States Marine Band
The United States Marine Band was stationed at the Marine Barracks, Washington. Formed in 1798, it is the oldest continuously active professional musical organization in the United States. It has played at every presidential inauguration since Thomas Jefferson and is known as “The President’s Own.” The band was requested by the event’s grounds agents and was officially cleared for travel by Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles. Secretary Welles approved a request by an “agent of the grounds” to have the Marine Band present at the ceremony. “The [Navy] Department has no objection to the Band being sent to Gettysburg, Pa., to take part in the ceremonies to this sacred purpose,” Secretary Welles wrote in a letter to the officers of the Marine Corps dated November 3, 1863.
On November 19, 1863, the Philadelphia Inquirer, reported:
“This afternoon the celebrated Marine Band left the city in charge of Lieutenant U. C. COCHRAN, United States Marine Corps, to participate in the consecration ceremonies of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.”
They traveled on the same special train as President Lincoln, routing through Baltimore and Hanover Junction.
Author John Bienarz found the names of the Marine Band of November 1863.
These 27 musicians are probably the ones who traveled to Gettysburg on November 18th
George Arth
Jacob Arth
Philip Bigler
John Bonini
Paul Boll
Antonio Baptista
Louis Desimond
Henry Douch
Scipious Grillo
Francis Hilton
Julius Krause
John Maggiolo
Angelo Noziglio
Joseph Novo
Frederick Prosperi
Charles Prosperi
Nicolas Pistori
Salvador Petrola
Antonio Paul
Henry Poller
Antonio Paul
Pasquel Raffa
August Schroeder
Antonio Sousa
Frederick Wagner
Casper Windus
Louis Weber
One of the musicians was trombonist Antonio Sousa. He was the father of future Marine Band director John Philip Sousa.
Although not listed on the rolls, the band was led by Leader Francis M. Scala. Scala directed the 27 members during the trip, led them in a lunchtime train performance, and later conducted the hymn “Old Hundredth” during the formal consecration ceremony on November 19. The list also omits Drum Major John Roach, who led the band in the parade and marched alongside Scala at the head of the musical procession through Gettysburg.
Francis Scala
Francesco (Francis) Maria Scala (c. 1819 – April 18, 1903) was an Italian-born musician who was the leader of the United States Marine Band, serving from 1855 to 1871. He is widely credited with transforming the ensemble from a small, informal fife-and-drum group into a world-class premier military concert band. Born in Naples, Scala came to America as a young musician, joining the Marine Band in 1842 and eventually rising to become its first official “Leader of the Band” from 1855 to 1871. Scala’s lasting legacy includes enlisting a 13-year-old apprentice, John Philip Sousa, in 1868 and passing the torch to the next generation. Today, Scala’s massive collection of over 600 musical arrangements resides in the Library of Congress, cementing his role as the architect of America’s premier military band. He is buried in Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC.
Henry Clay Cochrane
21-year-old Second Lieutenant Henry Clay Cochrane (November 7, 1842-April 27, 1913), the Marine officer assigned to the Marine Barracks, oversaw the contingent and documented the historic train ride in letters to his parents. He documented the entire journey in an extensive collection of diary entries and letters to his parents, later publishing his recollections in an account titled “With Lincoln to Gettysburg.”
Cochrane’s personal letters provide some of the most descriptive, intimate, and humanizing details of the historic November 18, 1863, train ride: Cochrane wrote home about Lincoln’s physical presence and mood, describing him as looking “weary, careworn, and deeply troubled.” He observed that the President’s mind seemed weighed down—not only by the immense burden of the ongoing war, but also by intense personal anxiety over his son, Tad, who was dangerously ill with a fever back at the White House.
During the Spanish-American War, he served as executive officer of the 1st Marine Battalion during the 1898 landing at Guantanamo Bay, as well as the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, where he was involved with the China Relief Expedition, commanding the 1st Regiment of Marines. At the time of his death in 1913, he was on the retired list, holding the rank of a brigadier general.
The 2nd United States Artillery Band
The 2nd U.S. Artillery Band arrived in Gettysburg on the same train that carried President Lincoln, boarding at Baltimore. The band was part of the artillery unit stationed at Fort McHenry. The band provided music for dress parades and guard mountings at the fort, performed concerts to benefit wounded soldiers, and played at patriotic rallies in Baltimore.
As noted in the Baltimore American and Commercial Advertiser, October 28, 1863:
“The assemblage last night in Monument Square, of the Unconditional Union men of Baltimore, was a grand demonstration of enthusiasm, patriotism and strength….The celebrated band of the 2d United States Regular Artillery, Conductor Smith, from Fort McHenry, were upon the stand. Their performance of the National airs and other choice music added greatly to the spirit of the gathering, and justly merited the praise accorded to them on all sides.”
The Band Leader (named “Smith” in the Baltimore American and Commercial Advertiser and “Schmidt” elsewhere) was possibly Musician Charles Schmidt, who enlisted on June 3, 1862. He was 21 years old and born in Saxony, Germany. He was discharged as a musician at Fort McHenry on June 14, 1865. He was more than likely the leader of the 2nd U.S. Artillery Band when it traveled to Gettysburg in November 1863.
The 2nd U.S. Artillery has a direct, historic connection to the bugle call of Taps because Captain John C. Tidball of Battery A, 2nd U.S. Artillery ordered the melody played at a military funeral for the first time in July 1862. Shortly after Taps was written, a cannoneer in Tidball’s artillery unit was killed in action. Captain Tidball did not want to fire the traditional three rifle volleys over the grave because enemy forces were stationed extremely close by. Fearing the rifle shots would provoke an accidental skirmish or reveal their exact position, Tidball instructed his bugler to play Butterfield’s new, quiet lights-out call instead.
The 5th New York Heavy Artillery Band
Companies and Battalions of the 5th New York Heavy Artillery were stationed in forts and batteries from Fort Marshall, Baltimore, to the Defenses of Washington, and Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. The men served as both artillery and later as infantry.
Fort Marshall was located in east Baltimore on Brewers Hill, where Sacred Heart of Jesus Church is located today. (the 600 block of S. Conkling Street to be exact)
The 5th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment Band was an 18-member brass band attached to the Union Army’s 5th New York Heavy Artillery. Organized in April 1862 at Fort Carroll, D.C., their instruments were privately purchased by voluntary subscriptions from the officers and men.
The Band of the 5th New York Heavy Artillery played at various locations in Gettysburg the day and evening before the Dedication, but the songs they played are unknown. The newspaper Franklin Repository reports that the band played quite well for the President.
According to The Gettysburg Gospel: The Lincoln Speech That Nobody Knows, by Gabor Boritt, “Earlier in the day, a flag-raising ceremony around the long pole in the center of the Diamond whipped up the crowds, and a New York military band gave an hour-long concert. By the evening, three different bands vied for the crowd’s favor.”
The Band of the 5th New York Heavy Artillery had a prior connection with President Lincoln. A significant number of songs in the band books were written or arranged by William Withers, former Band Leader of the 12th New York State Militia, and Withers’ Band of Washington, D.C. As such, Withers played for the President many times, and Lincoln likely heard many of the arrangements before. Withers also played at Lincoln’s second inauguration and was the band leader at Ford’s Theater the night he was assassinated.
The Birgfeld Band
Adolph Martin Wilhelm Birgfeld (July 10, 1828-January 30, 1874) was a prominent 19th-century composer, arranger, and bandleader based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is best known for leading Birgfeld’s Band (also known as Birgfeld’s Brigade Band), a celebrated German-American ensemble that played a central role in the dedication ceremonies of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery.
Birgfeld was born in Hamburg, Germany, to Jacob Christoph Franz Birgfeld and Louise Sophie Elisabeth Friederike Sievers. He immigrated to the United States and married Pauline Caroline Willcock on May 5, 1850, in Philadelphia. Beyond his fame as a martial brass bandmaster during the Civil War, Birgfeld transitioned into major theatrical leadership. He worked as the Impresario of the German Opera and Opera Bouffe, directing and managing traveling companies that brought European opera styles to audiences in Philadelphia and neighboring East Coast cities. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, PA, 9 Nov 1870), Birgfeld stepped back from the grueling demands of running metropolitan opera houses and retired to Montgomery County, Maryland. He died on January 30, 1874, in Maryland and was buried at the Grace Episcopal Church Cemetery in Silver Spring, Maryland.
The Birgfeld Band had been invited to perform at the dedication ceremonies by Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin and rode with the governor’s contingent on the special train from Harrisburg. Birgfeld covered the band’s expenses. Because they were on the “Governor’s special,” they arrived late (around 11 pm) due to delays caused by an overtaxed train schedule and may not have played much in the square, as they must have been hungry, like the rest of the passengers, who had not eaten since noon.
The composition played by the Birgfeld’s Band (Homage d’un Hero”) is unfortunately lost to history. This is a sad and disappointing part of the Gettysburg story. The other two selections (The National Consecration Chant or Hymn and Dirge) were both published following the ceremony. Many pieces of music from the time (especially those written for important occasions) were subsequently published. It is unfortunate that this music has been lost, for whatever reason.
The National Union Musical Association of Baltimore (Baltimore Glee Club)
The National Union Musical Association of Baltimore (also known as the Baltimore Glee Club or the Maryland Musical Association) played a central, unforgettable role in the musical events surrounding the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg in November 1863. They performed the “National Consecration Chant or Hymn” and sang in the square the night before. These 12 singers left Baltimore by train in a special car that also carried Maryland dignitaries and VIPs.
Waiting at Hanover Junction
Their train car was scheduled to be coupled to the Governor’s train at Hanover Junction. Because the Governor’s locomotive faced severe delays in Harrisburg, the plan had to change on the fly to keep the Baltimore delegation and musicians from being stranded at the junction. Instead of waiting hours for the Governor, they moved their car over and coupled it to the Lincoln train, allowing them to reach Gettysburg on time.
Benjamin Brown French
“The National Consecration Chant or Hymn” was written by Benjamin Brown French. French (September 4, 1800-August 12, 1870) was a prominent Washington, D.C. official and the Commissioner of Public Buildings. As Commissioner of Public Buildings, French took charge of President Lincoln’s funeral arrangements in April 1865. He notably directed the White House preparations, oversaw the procession, and constructed the black-draped pine catafalque in the Capitol Rotunda where Lincoln lay in state. French had previously organized the funeral arrangements for Lincoln’s young son, Willie, in 1862. Prior to the funeral, he also served as the Chief Marshal of the March 1861 Lincoln inaugural parade.
While Benjamin Brown French penned the lyrics for the “National Consecration Chant or Hymn,” Wilson G. Horner composed and arranged the musical score. It was published in Baltimore in 1864 by prominent music publisher Henry McCaffrey.
Wilson G. Horner
Wilson G. Horner (1834–1864) was a highly influential Baltimore musician, choral conductor, and civic leader whose brief life left an indelible mark on American history. Horner was born on 2 September 1834, in Fayetteville, Greene Township, Franklin, Pennsylvania. He married Annie Marie Bowers on 7 December 1858, in Maryland, and had three daughters. Horner was a central figure in Baltimore’s wartime musical culture during the Civil War. Horner’s influence in Baltimore extended beyond the concert hall and into municipal government. As a staunch Unionist, he ran for public office and served as a councilman representing Ward 13 on the First Branch of the Baltimore City Council in 1864, the same year he died. He passed away on 28 October 1864, in Baltimore, Maryland, at the age of 30, and was buried in Loudon Park Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland.
James G. Percival
James Gates Percival (September 15, 1795 – May 2, 1856) was an American poet, surgeon, and geologist. Percival wrote poetry on various subjects and in a wide variety of meters. His sentimentalism and diction appealed to a wide audience, earning him a reputation as the foremost poet in the United States during the 1820s. Some of his most famous poems include “Prometheus”, “The Coral Grove”, and “The Graves of the Patriots”. Percival’s poem, ‘Elegiac’, on which Dirge is composed, laments the tragedy of war, but pays homage to those who died in battle defending American freedoms.
Alfred Delaney
Alfred Delaney was a 19th-century American Civil War composer and arranger best known for composing the music for the “Dirge,” performed at the consecration of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg.
He spent much of his professional life based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which was one of the premier centers of music publishing and education in 19th-century America. He worked primarily as a music teacher, vocal instructor, and choral director, a background that shaped his compositions, which favored vocal arrangements, quartets, and choral pieces. Beyond the famous Gettysburg piece, Delaney was a frequent collaborator with lyricist Robert Morris. The duo published numerous patriotic and sentimental wartime pieces through the Philadelphia-based music publisher Lee & Walker, including:
“My Love is on the Battle-Field”, “The Nation Shall Not Die!”, “The Son Who Was His Mother’s Pride” (dedicated to a soldier killed at the Battle of Murfreesboro), and “The Young Volunteer”
SOURCES
Books
Bernard, Kenneth A. Lincoln and the Music of the Civil War. Caldwell, ID: Caxton Printers, 1966.
Boritt, Gabor The Gettysburg Gospel: The Lincoln Speech That Nobody Knows. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005
Hoch, Bradley R. The Lincoln Trail in Pennsylvania: History and Guide. University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2001
Lincoln, John B., and Abraham Horner. Lincoln’s Songbird: Wilson G. Horner (1834–1864), A Brief Life of Melody and Harmony. Gettysburg Personalities of the Civil War Series. Gettysburg, PA: Horner Enterprises, 1998
Olson, Kenneth E. Music and Musket: Bands and Bandsmen of the American Civil War. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1981.
Wills, Garry. Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992.
Articles
Pierce, Ed. “Lincoln and the Marine Band at Gettysburg.” The Instrumentalist, January 2014, 36-40.
LaFantasie, Glenn. “Lincoln and the Gettysburg Awakening.” Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association 16, no. 1 (Winter 1995): 73-89.
Simmons, Edwin. With Lincoln at Gettysburg.” Fortitudine, 18, No. 2 (Fall 1988): 3-6
On-line articles
Villanueva, Jari. 2024. “Sousa at Gettysburg.” John Philip Sousa, November 19, 2024. https://sousamusic.com/sousa-at-gettysburg/
Jari Villanueva, November 4, 2026 Catonsville MD
https://www.newspapers.com/image/551817905/?match=1&terms=National%20Cemetery%20Gettysburg
A special thanks to:
Mr. John Bieniarz wrote the comprehensive historical reference “I Was Detailed to the Regimental Band, Vols. I and II,” which explores the roles, experiences, and structures of military musicians during the Civil War era. His research serves as a valuable resource for historians, musicians, and historical re-enactors seeking authentic details about regimental bands and the daily lives of service musicians.
November 16–19, 2026, Gettysburg will become the setting for “Lincoln at Gettysburg: Shall Not Perish,” a once-in-a-generation event bringing together an extraordinary cast of actors, historians, musicians, and dedicated civilian re-enactors to re-create the spirit of Abraham Lincoln’s historic visit in November 1863.
Produced by the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania and Gettysburg National Military Park, this free, four-day public event will offer visitors a rare opportunity to experience Lincoln’s Gettysburg in the very streets and historic places where the story unfolded.
Admission is free. Tickets are required for select portions of the event. Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead for parking, and shuttles.
Event information and link to tickets: www.lincolnatgettysburg.org
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