Tambour, Fr. See [Drum].
Marcher TAMBOURS battans et drapeaux flottans. To march with drums beating and colors flying.
Tambour, Fr. See [Drummer]. We frequently use the word Drum in the same sense that the French do, viz. to signify drummer. We likewise say fife for fifer; as, one drum and one fife to each company.
Tambour major, Fr. Drum major.
Batteries de Tambour, Fr. The different beats of the drum. The principal beats among the French are—La générale, the general; L’assemblée, the assembly; Le dernier, the last beat; Le drapeau, the troop; Aux champs, to the field; La marche, the march; La diane, the reveille; L’alarme, to arms, or the alarm; La chamade, the parley; L’appel, the roll or call; La fascine ou brelogue, the workman’s call. Le ban et la rétraite.
Aux champs, ou le premier, is beat when any particular corps of infantry is ordered to march; but if the order should extend to a whole army, it is then called La générale, the general. They do not make this distinction in the British service, but omit the premier or first beat when one regiment, detachment, or company, marches out of a camp or garrison where there are other troops.
Le second, ou l’assemblée, is to give notice that the colors are to be sent for.
La marche is beat when troops march off their parade.
Battre la charge, ou battre la guerre. To beat the charge, or the point of war. This occurs when troops advance against an enemy. This beat may be conceived by repeating in seconds of time the sound—bom! bom! bom! bom! Battre la rétraite is to beat the retreat, to cease firing, or to withdraw after the battle. It is likewise used in garrisons to warn soldiers to retire to their quarters.
Battre la fricassée. To beat the long roll. A beat which is practised to call soldiers suddenly together.