Photograph used with permission.
"The Saxton's Cornet Band is a musical ensemble that re-creates the sound and appearance of brass bands popular in the era of the American Civil War."
"The band's performers are professional musicians dedicated to musical excellence and artistry as well as to historical accuracy. The band uses instruments original to the Civil War era or carefully made reproductions - down to the mouthpieces. Musical arrangements are from Civil War era sources - mainly bandbooks used by period bands."
"The band is named for the original Saxton's Cornet Band of Lexington, Kentucky. Henry Saxton formed the group during the Civil War. The original band remained a popular ensemble through the 19th century."
Notice the over the shoulder instruments which helped focus the sound to the rear where the troops were marching.
Check out the Saxton's Cornet band website for more information about the instruments and music of the civil war and some audio clips of the band.
Go to the Library of Congress site of Selected Civil War Photographs and enter "band" in the search engine and you can see pictures of actual Civil War Bands.
Text excerpted from the Saxton's Cornet Band website at http://members.aol.com/saxtonscb/saxtons.html