Taps
Posted by: tz8cy5 <tz8cy5@...>
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 the uniform of the soldier was actually a Confederate
one, and 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, Captain Ellicombe 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 service.
That request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.
Out of respect for the father, however, they did grant his request.
saying that 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.
The music was the haunting melody we now know as "Taps", today
used at all military funerals.
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.