"Down the River" is a reel or breakdown known in southwestern PA where it was collected from Thomas Hoge by Samuel Bayard in 1944. Bayard describes Hoge as "an expert fifer and noter of fife tunes. Elderly when first encountered in 1944." He was born in Greene County but was living in Pittsburgh. He was one of the founding members of the Pittsburgh Pioneers Martial Band. The melody of the A part is similar to "Old Dan Tucker" It was recorded by Tamsula and Withers on Behind the Door (2016). The banjo arrangement is by John Letscher from that recording. The standard notation is the fife version from Hoge's manuscript where it is in 2/4 time with some dotted rhythms. The banjo version is in 4/4 with more even rhythm but follows the melody accurately. The tune was printed in Bayard's Dance to the Fiddle (1981).