From: Dave Loomis (dloomis@NH.ULTRANET.COM)
Date: Thu Aug 31 2000 - 19:39:22 CDT
On the Scout Camps and Military Bases I have been, "To the Colors" is
played in the morning while the flag is raised briskly. In the evening
first "Retreat" is sounded, while the troops stand at a rest position,
and then either "To the Colors" or "The Star Spangled Banner" is played,
at which time the troops salute as the colors are slowly and reverently
lowered.
Army Posts have the quaint custom of firing a "retreat cannon",
frequently a 105mm howitzer, as a gain attention step, just before
"retreat" is sounded. If you happen to be 50 odd yards down range of
that gun at that particular time it DOES get your attention!
Dave
Jonathan Dixon wrote:
>
> On Wed, 30 Aug 2000, CHUCK BRAMLET wrote:
>
> > The way I remember it, "To The Colors" is a fast, upbeat piece that
> > is used (and we used it) for posting the colors in the morning.
> > However, I never heard it used to lower the flag. That was what
> > "Retreat" was used for.
>
> Although the MB book is vague on this, this is the way I learned it. In
> fact, the Navy calls "To the Colors" "Morning Colors", and "Retreat" is
> "Evening Colors." At least that's how it was on their tapes of the 100+
> bugle calls that I once had.
>
> Jon
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