John Philip Sousa Baton

[1][2] Along the side of the bottom is engraved the words "John Philip Sousa—presented by members of the U.S. Marine Band as a token of their respect and esteem.

[7][8] Vice President Levi P. Morton and Speaker of the House of Representatives Charles Frederick Crisp were among the dignitaries in attendance.

[9] The next day, Sousa led the band in its final performance under his leadership at the White House for President Benjamin Harrison, following which he was officially discharged from service.

[14] The baton figures in the plot of the 2011 juvenile novel by Martha Freeman, The Case of the Rock 'n Roll Dog.

[15] According to Kirkus Reviews, the book centers on a "concert [that] is jeopardized when, among other items, the John Philip Sousa baton used by the Marine Corps Band goes missing.