Merchantville's Historical Society invites the public to bring your beach chairs and blankets and gather at Wellwood Park on Saturday, August 16th, at 7:00 p.m. to enjoy a concert by the 28th Pennsylvania Regimental Brass Band - a Civil War Era Brass band. On August 6th in 1861, three of the Beck brothers along with other Beck Band musicians, such as James L. Warwick (band leader), Franklin Boltz, Thomas Farrington, William IL Haines, Robert W. Levan and Samuel Murray
mustered into the 28th Pennsylvania on August 30th, 1861 for three years then under the command of Col. John W. Geary. Indeed, two of Geary’s sons, Edward L Geary and William L. Geary, also joined the 28th Pennsylvania Regimental Band at that time.In 1991, Ken and Bruce Cavender with several other musicians from the 28th PVI (Mifflin Guard) re-enacting historical association and Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), Anna M. Ross, Camp #1, founded the 28th Pa regimental brass band in honor of the original 28th Pa brass band. Over the next fourteen years, the Cavender brothers with 14 members constituted a Civil War cornet saxhorn brass band with the following goals in honor of the memory of the Beck brothers, nephews and musicians of the original 28th PA Regimental Brass Band (Philadelphia Brigade Beck Band, No. 1): 1. To acquire and preserve period brass band instruments.