Origin of Taps is Courtesy of: Sons of Confederate Veterans - R.E.Lee Camp 587. another site gives credit to: Staff Sergeant Stephen A. Burnley, of the 82nd Airborne in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, researched and provided this tale of the "Taps.") [email protected] wrote: > > Hi, > Someone not involved in genealogy sent this to me, I haven't researched it > to see if it's actually true or not....but I found it to be an interesting > and touching story. Deb > > THE STORY BEHIND "TAPS" > > 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 moan of a soldier who lay > mortally > 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. Suddenly, he 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, > he 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 > partially granted. The captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band > members play a funeral dirge for the son at the funeral. That request was > turned > down since the soldier was a Confederate. 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 his dead son's > uniform. > This wish was granted. This music was the haunting melody we now know as > "Taps" > that is used at all military funerals. > In case you are interested, these are the words to "TAPS": > > Day is done, > Gone the sun, > From the lakes, > From the hills, > From the sky. > All is well. > Safely rest. > God is nigh. > > ============================== > Search ALL of RootsWeb's mailing lists in real time. > RootsWeb's Personalized Mailing Lists: > http://pml.rootsweb.com/