The stirring sounds of the Civil War

SPRINGFIELD - Cannon and musket fire may have been louder, but regimental band music was the sound that stirred the Union soldier during the Civil War. Those same notes will fill Union Square Park in downtown Springfield during a free concert by the 33rd Illinois Volunteer Regiment Band on Saturday, September 15 beginning at 11 a.m.

The 33rd Illinois Volunteer Regiment Band is an authentic re-creation of the actual Civil War era band that was mustered out of McLean County in 1861. Musicians have been recruited from the same geographical area in Illinois and from all walks of life just like the members of the original band. The 33rd's first performance eleven years ago was presented as part of a re-enactment of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates at the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site in Bloomington, and since then the group has performed for historic programs, school events, and town festivals throughout the Midwest as well as at band festivals, Civil War re-enactments, and the Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C. The group traveled to Vicksburg, Mississippi in 2006 to participate in the centennial re-dedication of the Illinois Monument at the Vicksburg National Military Park. Other tours have taken band members to Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, and Ohio as well as through much of the state of Illinois.

The band's uniforms are sewn from natural wool fibers and are authentic in every detail, being patterned from actual specimens worn by Civil War soldiers. Except for the percussion instruments, which are reproductions to the specific design of the period, the instruments are true antiques. This allows the band to re-create music as close as possible to what Civil War soldiers would have heard.

Charles E. Hovey, President of State Normal University, became the first Colonel of the 33rd Illinois Volunteers when the unit was organized in McLean County, Illinois. The regiment became known as the "Normal" or "Teachers' Regiment" and attracted teachers and students from across the state to its ranks. The 33rd fought throughout the Mississippi Valley and distinguished itself at Vicksburg, losing 11 of 32 men, all the rest wounded save one.

The regimental band was a major part of the soldier's life during the Civil War. The band played music that reminded him of home, kept his spirits high, and added to his emotional well-being.

The 33rd has three CDs available for purchase: "Hardtack and Coffee," "A Tribute to Our Leader" and "Rally ‘Round the Flag." The songs included in each are as close as possible to sounds of the 1860's and include popular tunes of the time along with songs that have stood the test of time. More information is available at http://33rdband.org.

Union Square Park is part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum complex. It features a 100-foot-diameter brick paved performance area in the center that is ideal for outdoor band concerts. The park also features a limestone gazebo, flower garden, benches, and two Abraham Lincoln statues.