Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore (December 25, 1829 – September 24, 1892) was an Irish-born American composer and military bandmaster who lived and worked in the United States after 1848.

[1] While serving in the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War, Gilmore wrote the lyrics to the song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home".

After the temporary discharge of bands from the field, Governor Andrew of Massachusetts entrusted Gilmore with the task of re-organizing military music-making, and General Nathaniel P. Banks appointed him Bandmaster-general.

These featured monster orchestras of massed bands[4] with the finest singers and instrumentalists (including the only American appearance by "waltz king" Johann Strauss II) and cemented Gilmore's reputation as the leading musical figure of the age.

Grateful Bostonians presented Gilmore with medals and cash, but in 1873 he moved to New York City, as bandmaster of the 22nd Regiment.

It was back on home soil, preparing an 1892 musical celebration of the quadricentennial anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage of discovery, where Gilmore collapsed and died in St.

He was the musical director of the Nation in effect, leading the festivities for the 1876 Centennial celebrations in Philadelphia and the dedication of the Statue of Liberty in 1886.