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thedrifter
04-07-03, 07:24 AM
THE STORY OF "TAPS"
>
>
>
> We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, "Taps."
> It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually
tears
> in our eyes.
>
> But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you
> will be interested to find out about its humble beginnings.
>
> 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 decided 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 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 turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.
> But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give
> him only one musician. The Captain chose a bugler.
> He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found
> on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform.
> This wish was granted.
>
> The haunting melody, we now know as "Taps" .... used at
> military funerals was born. The words are ....
>
> Day is done...Gone the sun...From the lakes...From the hills
> From the sky...All is well...Safely rest...God is nigh
>
> Fading light...Dims the sight...And a star...Gems the sky
> Gleaming bright...From afar...Drawing nigh...Falls the night
>
> Thanks and praise...For our days...Neath the sun...Neath the stars
> Neath the sky...As we go...This we know...God is nigh
>
> I, too, have felt the chills while listening to "Taps" but I have
> never seen all the words to the song until now. I didn't even
> know there was more than one verse. I also never knew
> the story behind the song and I didn't know if you had
> either so I thought I'd pass it along. I now have an even
> deeper respect for the song than I did before.
>
> REMEMBER THOSE LOST AND HARMED WHILE
> SERVING THEIR COUNTRY.


Sempers,

Roger

DSchmitke
04-07-03, 09:44 AM
Thanks Drifter.

MAJMike
04-07-03, 10:31 AM
Although this is a very touching story, unfortunately it is a 19th Century urban legend.

As a Civil War historian, I can emphatically state that this story is not true. "TAPS" was written by MajGen Dan Butterfield and his bugler in 1862. I attach the following from Jari Villeneuvea, the recognized historical expert of CW bugle calls:

"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 music for Taps was adapted by Union General Daniel Butterfield for his brigade (Third Brigade, First Division, Fifth Army Corps, Army of the Potomac) in July, 1862.

Daniel Adams Butterfield (31 October 1831-17 July 1901) was born in Utica, New York and graduated from Union College at Schenectady. He was the eastern superintendent of the American Express Company in New York when the Civil War broke out. Despite his lack of military experience, he rose quickly in rank. A Colonel in the 12th Regiment of the New York State Militia, he was promoted to Brigadier General and given command of a brigade of the V Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The 12th served in the Shenandoah Valley during the the Bull Run Campaign. During the Peninsular Campaign Butterfield served prominently when during the Battle of Gaines Mill, despite an injury, he seized the colors of the 83rd Pennsylvania and rallied the regiment at a critical time in the battle. Years later, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for that act of heroism.

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.

The highly romantic account of how Butterfield composed the call surfaced in 1898 following a magazine article written that summer. The August, 1898 issue of Century Magazine contained an article called The Trumpet in Camp and Battle, by Gustav Kobbe, a music historian and critic. He was writing about the origin of bugle calls in the Civil War and in reference to Taps, wrote:

“In speaking of our trumpet calls I purposely omitted one with which it seemed most appropriate to close this article, for it is the call which closes the soldier's day. . . . Lights Out. I have not been able to trace this call to any other service. If it seems probable, it was original with Major Seymour, he has given our army the most beautiful of all trumpet-calls.”

Kobbe was using as an authority the Army drill manual on infantry tactics prepared by Major General Emory Upton in 1867 (revised in 1874). The bugle calls in the manual were compiled by Major (later General) Truman Seymour of the 5th U.S. Artillery. Taps was called Extinguish Lights in these manuals since it was to replace the “Lights Out” call disliked by Butterfield. The title of the call was not changed until later, although other manuals started calling it Taps because most soldiers knew it by that name. Since Seymour was responsible for the music in the Army manual, Kobbe assumed that he had written the call. Kobbe s inability to find the origin of Extinguish Lights (Taps) prompted a letter from Oliver W. Norton in Chicago who claimed he knew how the call came about and that he was the first to perform it."

Mike Ventura
MAJ USMCR
1968-75