| We have heard the moving selection, "Taps."
It gives a lump in throats and tears in eyes. The background behind "Taps"
follows. Reportedly it began in 1862 during the Civil
War when Union Capain 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 was
severely wounded on the field. Not knowing whether it was a Confederate or Union
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 towards his encampment. When
the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered the stricken soldier
was actually Confederate, but the soldier was dead. The
Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath, going 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 funeral, 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
he was a Confederate but, out or respect for the father, they did say they would
provide 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. The request was granted. The
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 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. Note: West Point
archives indicate the composer of Taps to have been Civil War General Dan Butterfield.
For a version of the origin of Taps, go to:
Taps: The Bugler's Cry; The Origin
of Sounding Taps http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Nhtr5J00ntA
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