Patrick Gilmore

Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore (December 25, 1829 – September 24, 1892) was an Irish-born American composer and bandmaster who lived and worked in the United States after 1848. Whilst serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, Gilmore wrote the lyrics to the song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." This was published under the pseudonym Louis Lambert in September 1863. 2Life and career Gilmore was born in Ballygar, County Galway. He started his music career at age fifteen, and spent time in Canada with an English band. He settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1848, becoming leader of the Suffolk, Boston Brigade, and Salem bands in swift succession. He also worked in the Boston music store of John P. Ordway and founded Ordway's Aeolians, a group of blackface minstrels. With the Salem Band, Gilmore performed at the 1857 inauguration of President James Buchanan. In 1858 he founded "Gilmore's Band," and at the outset of war the band enlisted with the 24th Massachusetts Volunteers, accompanying General Burnside to North Carolina. After the temporary discharge of bands from the field, Governor Andrew of Massachusetts entrusted Gilmore with the task of re-organizing military music-making, and General Nathaniel P. Banks created him Bandmaster-general. When peace resumed, Gilmore was asked to organize a celebration, which took place at New Orlean