Historical records of the New Brunswick Regiment, Canadian Artillery

N. B. GARRISON ARTILLERY. I9ICHAPTER XVIII.The Band.The Music, of the Corps and Its Makers— Formation of the Band—What Has Been Done and Who Have Done It— Present Membership.^"^HE Artillery band has become such a leading organizationVy among the musical circles of Saint John, that in a historyof the corps it requires to be dealt with by itself.Of course, like the rest of the regiment, much of its work isof a routine character which would be very dry reading, but,nevertheless, it has been the patient performance of just suchroutine work which has enabled the band to occupy the samerelative position among other bands as the corps does amongother corps, and that is, be it modestly said, a high one forefficiency. Prior to 1885 the artillery had to depend upon hiringthe services of civilian bands or at times to rely on such afife and drum organization as could be got together. The latterwas at times very good while at other periods probably theless said about it the better. Upon the present lieutenantcolonelassuming command it was decided to bring the musicaldepartment into line with the other work of the corps, and,by great good fortune, the brigade possessed the right man todo it. He was soon put in the right place and to CaptainS. D. Crawford, for many years president of the band committee,is almost entirely due the great success with which theband has met and the steady increase in its efificiency. Norhas his task been unattended with difificulty for the selectionand maintenance of an efficient musical organization is probablyone of the most difficult tasks which can be undertaken.