The "Boston Commandery March," by T. M. Carter (Feb. 23, 1892), is
a superb march, and I don't think there was good reason to remove it
from the jumbo Duo-Art roll described in the 091205 MMD. Although that
march does admittedly incorporate a bit of the old hymn melody, "Onward
Christian Soldiers," it was not written as a religious polemic.
The Boston Commandery memorialized in the march's title is a chapter
of the Masonic order. The Boston Commandery is the oldest of all
Masonic/Knights Templar commanderies, dating to 1802.
There are other Commandery marches: Dunlap Commandery March, Bay State
Commandery March, St. Bernard Commandery March, Cyrene Commandery
March, etc. I'd venture to say that every Masonic or Knights Templar
commandery has its own march. But I am not a Freemason and so am out
of my depth here.
Matthew Caulfield
Irondequoit, New York
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