The Marine Band and the Presidents, Part 3: Abraham Lincoln

From its earliest days under President John Adams in 1798 through the administration of President James Buchanan in 1861, the United States Marine Band developed a tight bond with the presidents. One of the band's closest relationships was with the following president, Abraham Lincoln. This fact may surprise many people because Lincoln is widely associated only with the Civil War, not with cultural matters like music.

On the very night that Lincoln arrived in Washington as the president-elect, the Marine Band serenaded him at the National Hotel. On the evening of March 4, 1861, after President Lincoln's inauguration, he listened to the Marine Band again at the inauguration ball.

On July 25, 1861, President Lincoln signed an Act of Congress that, for the first time, officially recognized the Marine Band by law. The legislation restructured the original 1798 format of the band. From 1798 to 1855, the band had a Drum Major and a Fife Major, with the Drum Major recognized as the overall leader. In 1855, after the retirement of Drum Major Raphael Triay, the Marine Corps broke tradition by putting Fife Major Francis Scala in charge of the band. The situation remained in limbo till the 1861 legislation created the new position of "Leader of the Band/Principal Musician," abolished the rank of fife major, gave the Drum Major a distinctly separate role, and authorized thirty musicians for the Marine Band. Scala was the first to hold the official title of "Leader of the Band."

A member of the Marine Band since 1842 and its leader from 1855 to 1871, Scala became close to all the presidents during his years with the band. But he established his closest relationship with President Lincoln. "Lincoln I always remember with affection," Scala later wrote. "He was so delightfully plain and honest. 'Old Abe' liked music and was my friend. I have have personal souvenirs of him" (Scala).