THE STORY OF TAPS |
| Story taken from 'The Officer" Date unknown. "It
all began in 1862 during the Civil War when a Union Army Captain, Robert Elacone was with
his men near Harrisons Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of
a narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Elacone heard the moan of a soldier who
lay wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the
Captain decided at the risk of his life to bring the stricken man back for medical
attention. Crawling slowly 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 that it was actually a confederate soldier, but the
soldier was dead. The Captain lifted 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, he enlisted in the Confederate Army. The following morning, the heart broken father asked permission of his Commanding Officer to give the son a full military burial in spite of his enemy status. The request was partially granted. The Captain asked if he could have a group of Army band members to play a funeral dirge for the 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 would give him only one musician. The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he round on a piece of paper in the pocket of his dead son's uniform. This was granted. The music was played for the first time. The haunting melody we now call Taps. It has been from that day until this, still used at every military funeral." |