Vigo County Historical Society

Historical Treasure Article

Historic Treasure of the Week - May 27, 1984
By Don Layton
Vigo County Historical Society

Military bugles date to 1750

The bugle is a simple horn which was probably used in medieval times as a hunting and signaling instrument. Its use as a modern military signaling instrument dates to around 1750 when Hanoverian (German) light infantry battalions adopted the semicircular copper horn used by the flugelmeister, an official of the hunt. England's light infantry also adopted the bugle about the same time.

Around 1800 the bugle was once-looped in trumpet shape, while the British design, twice coiled with a narrow bell, became official in 1858. This was the ty0e of bugle which came into use in America around the time of the Civil War.

Unlike the trumpet, the bugle has no valves or keys and can play only a few tones of the harmonic series within a limited range. Joseph Halliday did patent a key bugle or Royal Kent bugle with six brass keys to give it a complete diatonic scale in 1810. The ophicleide, a large-sized, keyed bugle, was also developed in the early 19th century and was widely used in bands and orchestras until it was replaced by the tuba.

The first official list of bugle calls was issued in 1798. These can be grouped as regimental calls, field calls and routine calls. Some of the most familiar, including the reveille and the last post, remain virtually unchanged since 1815, if not earlier.

Although the origin of the word bugle is uncertain, it was probably derived from the old French word bugle, which in turn came from the Latin, buculus, meaning bullock.

The two bugles in the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley are brass infantry bugles. One is of World War I vintage; the other is thought to be from the time of the Spanish-American War.

The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday.