Mary, I asked my friend about buglers in the Civil War and here is his reply... Cousin Marilyn Marilyn, The bugler played at pardes, funerals, dreess reviews and played in a band to entertain the troops. He also was the clock of the camp and people did things according to what tune was played. In a cavalry battle, a bugle was played by a soldier on a horse and was used to give the oders that the commnader gave by voice but could not be heard in battle. If the question is " would the bugle player always have the rank of muscian, I don't know. You could and you still can enlist as a muscian.