We have all heard the haunting song, "Taps." It's the song that gives us that lump in our
throats and tears in our eyes. It is the most beautiful bugle call. Played slowly and
softly, it has a smooth, tender and touching character. Of all the military bugle calls,
none is so easily recognized or more apt to render emotion than the call "Taps." The melody
is both eloquent and haunting and the history of its origin is interesting and somewhat
clouded in controversy. In the British Army, a similar call known as Last Post has been
sounded over soldiers' graves since 1885, but the use of "Taps" is unique with the United
States military, since the call is sounded at funerals, wreath-laying and memorial services.
"Taps" began as a revision to the signal for Extinguish Lights (Lights Out) at the end of
the day. Up until the Civil War, the infantry call for Extinguish Lights was the one set
down in Silas Casey's (1801-1882) Tactics, which had been borrowed from the French. The
bugle call was written during the Peninsula Campaign of the Civil War by General Daniel
Butterfield for his brigade (Third Brigade, First Division, Fifth Army Corps, Army of the
Potomac), with an assist from his bugler, Oliver W. Norton, in July 1862.
As the story goes, General Butterfield was not pleased with the call for Extinguish Lights
feeling that the call was too formal to signal the days end and with the help of the brigade
bugler, Oliver Willcox Norton, wrote "Taps" to honor his men while in camp at Harrison's Landing,
Virginia, following the Seven Day's battle. These battles took place during the Peninsular
Campaign of 1862. The call, sounded that night in July, 1862, soon spread to other units of
the Union Army and was even used by the Confederates. Taps was made an official bugle call
after the war.
Since the origin of "Taps" is so clouded in controversy, it must be pointed out that other
stories of the origin of "Taps" exist. One of the most popular is that of a Northern boy who
was killed fighting for the south.
Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe
was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. The confederate Army was on the other side
of the narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier
who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier,
the Captain chose to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention.
Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began
pulling him toward his encampment. When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered
it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead. The Captain lit a lantern and
suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock.
In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying
music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy had enlisted in
the Confederate Army.
The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son
a full military burial, despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted. The
Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son
at the funeral. The request was denied since the soldier was a Confederate. But, out of respect
for the father, they allowed him one musician. The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler
to play a series of musical notes that he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead
youth's uniform. That wish was granted. That series of musical notes became known as "Taps."
There is no evidence to back up the story or the existence of Captain Ellicombe.
Although General Daniel Butterfield merely revised an earlier bugle call, his role in producing
those 24 notes gives him a place in the history of music as well as the history of war.
"Taps" went on from its origin as an alternative to "Lights Out" to become not only a signal
that day was done, but also to say good-bye to a fallen comrade. It is customarily played at
funerals at Arlington national Cemetery as well as at ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
There are no official words to the music but here are some of the more popular verses:
