I submit the following for a little perspective on the meaning of the flag. The following article refers to the heroism of Sgt. William Carney of the 54th Massachusetts and the unsuccessful assault on Ft. Wagner during the late Rebellion. The 54th Mass was, of course, a colored regiment, which was the subject of the movie Glory. If you've never seen this movie, I highly recommend it.
Here's a URL to the whole article:http://tinyurl.com/y8xjv2qp
Here's key quote from the article:
Carney was escorted to the rear. “An officer of the day came and took my name and regiment and putting me in charge of the hospital corps told them to find my regiment,” he recalled. The corpsmen led Carney to a group of 25 to 30 of his comrades and one lieutenant, Alexander Johnston of Company F. Carney remembered, “When I reached these men they cheered me and the flag, and my reply was ‘Boys, the old flag never touched the ground,’ and I delivered it from my own hands to” Lieutenant Johnston.
Sgt. Carney's statement that "the old flag never touched the ground" was immortalized in a song that became popular around 1900. Below are the orignal lyrics of the chorus of that song:
'Twas the Blue against the Gray, Boys, And he said to all around, "I've only done my duty boys, The old Flag never touch'd the ground. "I've only done my duty boys," He said to all around, "I've only done my duty boys, It never touched the ground. And, here's the 1st verse: Again the fires of soldier-life are kindled to my view,
And I recall the bloody strife that made our nation new,
When 'Camp Fires' of the Colored man, a book with title rare,
I read with pride, with pleasure scan, to learn our helpful share.
Another quote, from Wikipedia, gives further understanding to Sgt. Carney's deeds:


The account of Sgt. Carney's action as it appeared in The United States Service Magazine, 1864: As our forces retire, Sergeant Carney, who has kept the colors of his regiment flying upon the parapet of Wagner during the entire conflict, is seen creeping along on one knee, still holding up the flag, and only yielding its sacred trust upon finding an officer of his regiment. As he enter the field-hospital, where his wounded comrades are being brought in, they cheer him and the colors. Though nearly exhausted with the loss of blood, he says, "Boys, the old flag never touched the ground."