Charles Stewart Ashworth

Charles Stewart Ashworth was Drum Major of the United States Marine Band in the early 1800s and the author of an influential rudimental drum manual.

Charles Stewart Ashworth
Born	1777 England
Occupation	U.S. Marine, Drummer, Drum Major, Author
Nationality	American
Period	1802-1816

Bio

Charles Stewart Ashworth was born in England but had emigrated to the United States by December 13, 1802 when he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in Boston.[1] He had been a Marine for just 2 years when, based on his previous drumming experience in England, he was promoted to drum major at the Washington Barracks.[2]

January 14, 1812 Ashworth published his book A New, Useful and Complete System of Drum Beating. [3] Though not the first American drum manual detailing short rudimental exercises, it was the first to use the term Rudiments in a drumming context, [4] calling them "Rudiments for Beating in General." This book standardized the teaching of military drumming in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. It also preserved the camp duty practices, or standard drum signals for military units, from the time of the American Revolutionary War be reiterating the calls and signals utilized by Baron von Steuben at Valley Forge.[5] The book would be utilized through the War of 1812. It was also used as the basis for many other later drum manuals, including those by George Klinehanse,[6] William Nevins,[7] and George Bruce and Dan Emmitt.[8] The rudimental system used was very similar to that of the British Army, owing to Ashworth's birth in England and the relative youth of the United States as an independent country. Many similarities can be seen with Samuel Potter's 1815 book Art of Beating the Drum, a standard of British drumming published in London, though there are also some marked differences.[5] Elias Howe later called Ashworth's rudiments "the old English style used in 1812."[9]

Ashworth left his post on October 16, 1816 prompting this quote from Commandant Lieutenant Colonel Franklin Wharton: “The late Drum Major, Ashworth, having declined longer service in the Corps, I shall have to obtain some other person. I wish you therefore to Advertise for one and after receiving all the recommendations of the Applicants report them—but make no agreement with anyone—I must, having required enquiry to be made at other places, reserve to myself the right of selecting. The pay is $12 per month and $2 per [Music ] Boy taught.”[1]

Publications

A New, Useful and Complete System of Drum Beating Including The Reveille, The Troop, Retreat, Officers Calls, Signals, Salutes and the whole of the Camp Duty as practiced at Head Quarters, Washington City, intended particularly for the United States Army and Navy by Charles Stewart Ashworth Director of the Marine Band of music, Washington City. To which are added tunes for the fife - adapted to the drum.[10]

References

1. "Charles S. Ashworth". www.marineband.marines.mil. Retrieved Sep 10, 2019.
2. Beck, John N. Encyclopedia of Percussion.Taylor & Francis, 1995.
3. "Who is Charles Stewart Ashworth". Aug 22, 2019. Retrieved Sep 10, 2019.
4. Chandler, Eric Alan, "A History of Rudimental Drumming in America From the Revolutionary War to the Present." (1990). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 4901.
5. Beck, John N. Encyclopedia of Percussion.Taylor & Francis, 1995.
6. Klinehanse, George. Manual for the Instruction of Drummers. Washington D.C., 1853.
7. Nevins, William.Army Regulations for Drum, Fife, and Bugle. Chicago: Root and Cady, 1864.
8. Bruce, G. and Emmitt, D. Drummers' and Fifers' Guide. 1862.
9. Howe, Elias. United States Regulation Drum and Fife Instructor. Boston, 1861.
10. Ashworth, Charles Stewart. A New, Useful and Complete System of Drum Beating Including The Reveille, The Troop, Retreat, Officers Calls, Signals, Salutes and the whole of the Camp Duty as practiced at Head Quarters, Washington City, intended particularly for the United States Army and Navy. Boston: Graupner and Price, 1812.