Retreat/ To the Colors

[Sheltowee]

Just sharing a favorite video. I love to hear "Retreat" and "To the Colors". Chills me up every time.

Anyone know if the CW armies performed a similar "honor to the colors" ceremony? Did field armies conduct- or just garrisons?

 

[Claude Bauer]

According to my "go to" authority on bugling, the earliest notation of the modern call of To the Color is found in the 1874 U.S. Army Infantry manual (Upton Manual). "To the Colour" is the bugle call for the companies to march to the parade ground to form as a full regiment. In other words, "march to the flag or color." See the Taps Bugler site for a full history of the call: https://www.tapsbugler.com/to-the-color/

For Retreat, the earliest reference is from an 1841 Cavalry manual. This page of the Taps Bugler site discusses both calls: https://www.tapsbugler.com/retreat-and-to-the-color/