How Did Soldiers Hear Commands on a Noisy 17th Century Battlefield?

In this video, a reenactor from the The Marquess of Winchester’s Regiment, part of the English Civil War Society, explains the critical role of the drummer on a 17th century battlefield. During the English Civil War, drummers were junior officers who took part in the parley before a battle, but their main role was to convey commands from senior officers to the troops via recognisable drum beats.