Annotation:Ipswich Muster
X:0 X:1 % T:Ipswich Muster M:6/8 L:1/8 R:March S: Seth Johnson – Woburn Fife Manuscript (c. 1807-40?, pp. 38-39) N:The title refers to a muster held in 1800 in New Ipswich, N.H. Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:C g|g2e d2c|c2G G2e|faf a2f|(f3 e2)g| g2e e2c|c2G G2e|faf fed|c2c c2A:| |:{cd}|e2 e2c|d2e f3|fed fed|e2 f g3| gfe efg|abc' c'ba|gag fed|c2c c2:|]
IPSWICH MUSTER. American, March (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The melody is is contained in the Woburn (Mass.) Fife Manuscript, a ms. collection inscribed with the the name Seth Johnson and "Woburn. April 20th day, 1807. I Bought this Book, 5:3." Entries were made between 1807 and as late as 1840. A town history (Kidder & Gould, The History of New Ipswich, 1852, p. 135) of New Ipswich, New Hampshire, records:
In 1800, a famous military muster took place, on the level ground bordering the Souhegan, on the Hoar farm. It was on this occasion that the march "Ipswich Muster" was brought out, and enjoyed great popularity in the region, for many years. Besides the sham-fight, the speeches of “Old Boston,” the negro, &c., was the exhibition of a Bison, from the western prairies. The people became displeased at the proprietor, from some cause, tore down his shanty, and let the animal loose, and then the assembled multitude, horse and foot, amused themselves in attempting to catch him, in which they finally succeeded.
New Ispwich is in extreme southern New Hampshire, on the border with Massachusetts, fifty miles northwest of Boston.