History of
Taps
Of all the military bugle
calls, none is so easily recognized or more
apt to render emotion than Taps. Up to the
Civil War, the traditional call at day's end
was a tune, borrowed from the French, called
Lights Out. In July of 1862, in the
aftermath of the bloody Seven Days battles,
hard on the loss of 600 men and wounded
himself, Union General Daniel Adams
Butterfield called the brigade bugler to his
tent. He thought "Lights Out" was too formal
and he wished to honor his men. Oliver
Wilcox Norton, the bugler, tells the story,
"...showing me some notes on a staff written
in pencil on the back of an envelope, (he)
asked me to sound them on my bugle. I did
this several times, playing the music as
written. He changed it somewhat, lengthening
some notes and shortening others, but
retaining the melody as he first gave it to
me. After getting it to his satisfaction, he
directed me to sound that call for Taps
thereafter in place of the regulation call.
The music was beautiful on that still summer
night and was heard far beyond the limits of
our Brigade. The next day I was visited by
several buglers from neighboring Brigades,
asking for copies of the music which I
gladly furnished. The call was gradually
taken up through the Army of the
Potomac."
This more emotive and
powerful Taps was soon adopted throughout
the military. In 1874 It was officially
recognized by the U.S. Army. It became
standard at military funeral ceremonies in
1891. There is something singularly
beautiful and appropriate in the music of
this wonderful call. Its strains are
melancholy, yet full of rest and peace. Its
echoes linger in the heart long after its
tones have ceased to vibrate in the air.
—from an article by Master
Sergeant Jari A Villanueva, USAF.
