Why Did Armies Carry Flags in Battle?

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~~Video Description~~

In an era when armies had evolved to using firearms, many soldiers would stand in their formations not carrying weapons at all! In this case, why would you ever want to bring a flag to a gun fight? And what made “the colours” such an important part of 18th and 19th century warfare? Finally, what purpose do these devices serve even today?

~~Sources & Further Reading On This Topic~~

A good article from the National Army Museum:
https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/save-co...

“Laying Up the Colours” in Salisbury:
https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/ne...

The Referenced Books:

https://amzn.to/48ySyCR

https://amzn.to/3TxXCD9

Some more reading:
https://stories.durham.ac.uk/understa...

https://stories.durham.ac.uk/life-of-...

https://www.theroyalscots.co.uk/colou...

The videos I used in this one:
   • The Royal Gibraltar Regiment are presented...  

   • Turkish brass band "Mehter" at the militar...  

   • Napoleonic Bugle Calls for Light Infantry  

   • Why Did Soldiers Fight in Lines?  

   • Officer Ranks of the British Army in the A...  

~~Other Links & Contact Info~~

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~~Timestamps~~
Intro 00:00
Sponsorship 01:15
What Are "The Colours"? 03:10
Their Practical Purpose 05:53
Defending the Colours 11:10
When Were They Used? 19:14
The Morale Factor 22:11