Fife

Object/Artifact

-

Vermont Historical Society

Name/Title

Fife

Entry/Object ID

1982.37.25a-b

Description

Fife and case. The instrument has six key holes and a one-piece body of dark boxwood or fruitwood. It has brass ferrules with two engraved lines along the inside end and single lines at the opposite end and the center. There is wear around the embouchure from a clip-on mouthpiece. One end is inscribed with the label, "1860 T. B. Walter Burke Vt/Company C", and the other is inscribed with "T. B. Walter/TRW. T.W." The rectangular wooden case is lined in quilted silk and labeled on the inner lid, "B.E.W." It is decorated all around with brass rivets.

Context

Owned by True Blake Walter during the Civil War. Walter served as a musician in Company E, 15th Regiment Vermont.

Acquisition

Accession

1982.37

Source or Donor

Gibavic, Annette N.

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Estate of Elizabeth Nelson

Made/Created

Date made

circa 1860

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Tertiary Object Term

Fife

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Flute

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Instrument, Woodwind

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Musical Instruments

Nomenclature Class

Musical T&E

Nomenclature Category

Category 06: Tools & Equipment for Communication

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Fife

Length

14-5/8 in

Diameter

1/2 in

Dimension Description

Case

Height

2-1/4 in

Width

1-7/8 in

Length

16-1/4 in

Material

Boxwood, Brass

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Walker, True Blake (1841-1863)

Related Places

Place

Town

Burke

County

Caledonia County

State/Province

Vermont

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Related Events

Event

Civil War

Interpretative Labels

Label

Fife and Case, circa 1860 Wood and Brass Estate of Elizabeth Nelson True Blake Walter from Burke was a musician. Like many twenty-year-olds he eagerly did his duty when called to service. He enlisted with Company E, Vermont 15th Regiment with some of his friends. He was a fifer. He mustered in at Brattleboro on October 22, 1862 and the regiment was soon shipped off to Washington as part of the Second Vermont Brigade. Camp life was unhealthy and many Vermonters came down with malaria. Walter died in camp on January 2, 1863 from disease. His family always claimed that he died from homesickness.