The Retreat is one of the Major Daily Duty Calls.
What Does the Retreat Mean
In camp or garrison, it signals for the men to assemble for roll call under arms. The sergeant calls the rolls of his company, after which the officers read orders of the day. This also signaled to the sentry to begin challenging until Reveille (Military Guide, 1772, I:231).
When is the Retreat Beaten
The drummers beat the Retreat around sunset, approximately 5pm.
Simes explains that the “Warning-Piece is the gun which fires every evening at sun set, to give notice to the drums and trumpets of the army or garrison, to beat and sound the retreat” (Military Medley, 1767,entry: “Warning-Piece”).
Who Beats the Retreat
The drummers of the guard perform the major duty calls. This would include the Quarter Guard musicians of each regiment, the Orderly Drummers and Fifers of each regiment, and the corps of musicians from the regiment that provided the Main Guard.
When there is a Port Guard, the drummer of this guard should mount the ramparts while playing to ensure that those outside the garrison or town could hear the beating and get within the gates in time (Bland, 1727, 170; Windham, 1759, 192; Military Guide, 1772, I:137-8).
How to Perform The Retreat
For this reason, both Simes and Bland state that the drummers should beat the Retreat for no less than 15 minutes. This gives enough time to notify a town that the gates will be closing.
All major duty calls commence with The Signal Strokes and Three Rolls and close with the Three Rolls and 1 Full Drag (Potter, 1817, 19).
When the beating begins, the musicians should march from the center of their respective parade ground to the right, then to the left, and then back to the center. For more information, see the section The Troop: Mounting the Guard.
To learn more about the Fife music for the major duty call The Retreat, continue to “The Retreat: Fife Music”.
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