It is very necessary that soldiers should be instructed to know the sounds and beatings of the drum before they are dismissed from the drill; as, whether it be the general, assembly, march, reveille, troop, retreat, taptoo, to arms, parley, or chamade, &c. As they are thereby taught to march and perform their exercise, manoeuvres, &c. it is also very proper to teach them every other sound and signal.
To beat the general, is an order for the whole to make ready to march; the assembly to repair to their colours; and the march commands them to move: the reveille, at day-break, warns the soldiers to rise, and the centries to cease challenging; the troop assembles them together, to call over the roll and inspect the men for duty: the retreat is beat at sunset, for calling over the roll again to warn the men for duty, and read the orders of the day: the taptoo beats at ten o'clock every night in summer, and at nine in winter; the soldiers must then repair to their quarters or barracks, when the Non-commissioned Officers of each squad call over their rolls, and every man must remain there till reveille beating next morning. A beat to arms, is to advertise them to stand to their arms, or to repair to their alarm-posts; and a parley, or chamade, is to desire a conference with the enemy.
The Military Medley by Thomas Simes 1768
| Turn or face to the right | One single stroke and flam |
| Turn or face to the left | Two single strokes and flam |
| To the right about | Three single strokes and flam |
| To the left about | Four single strokes and flam |
| To wheel to the right | Roll, one single stroke and flam |
| To wheel to the left | Roll, two single strokes and flam |
| To wheel to the right about | Roll, three single strokes and flam |
| To wheel to the left about | Roll, four single strokes and flam |
| To front | Strong double flam |
| To make ready | Preparative |
| To cease firing | General |
| To march | March |
| Quick pace | Quick march |
| To charge bayonets | Point of war |
| To form battalion | To arms |
| To ease your arms | Tow-row-dow |
| To secure your arms | First part of the taptoo |
| To shoulder your arms | Last part of the taptoo |
| To call the Adjutant | First part of the troop |
| To call a Sjt & Cpl of each Company | Two rolls, six flams |
| To call all the Sjts & Cpls | Three rolls, nine flams |
| To assemble the Pioneers | Pioneer's march |
| To assemble the Drummers | Drummers' call |
Midi files of various drum signals