RSS
Home
Taps, a tribute
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
As the week to honor our Veterans comes to a close, the military bugle call, ‘Taps’, seems a fitting tribute. Most Americans will correlate this tune with a military funeral, and rightly so, but Taps, did not begin as a funeral call. The original tune was a signal to Extinguish Lights or Lights Out, and during the Civil War was adapted to the tune we recognize today.
Silas Casey’s, ‘Tactics’, which had been borrowed from the French, was the first lights out bugle call, but this tune was not a favorite of Union General Daniel Butterfield. Tactics, he thought, was too formal a sound to signal the day’s end. The General, with the help of his brigade bugler, Oliver Norton, wrote Taps to honor his men, following the Seven Days Battle, during the Peninsular Campaign of 1862. Though many rumors have surfaced concerning the story behind the composition of Taps, the truth is well documented by the leading authority on the history of bugle calls, historian and bugler, Jari Villanueva. According to his website, Taps Bugler, the tune was made an official bugle call after the war.
As soon as Taps was sounded that night in July 1862, words were put with the
music. The first were, "Go To Sleep, Go to Sleep." As the years went on many
more versions were created. There are no official words to the music but these
are some of the more popular verses:
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.
Fades the light; And afar
Goeth day, And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well; Day has gone,
Night is on.
Thanks and praise, For our days,
'Neath the sun, Neath the stars,
'Neath the sky,
As we go, This we know,
God is nigh.
Originally, the sentiment behind this bugle cry, was to honor General Butterfields brigade of brave soldiers. So, in keeping with that sentiment we close this week of tribute, and once again offer Taps, as a song of honor and gratitude. Your service, bravery, courage, and sacrifice , are a debt we can never repay. We thank you, our American Soldiers, past, present and future.
For the history of Taps; The Buglar's Cry-The Origin of Sounding Taps, by Jari Villanueva
Special thanks to Mr. Villanueva for his assistance in writing this article.
And Thanks to my Uncle Tal for sending the e-mail that prompted this article.
For more Veteran's articles by other examiner's
Veteran's Day: Gene Simmons of KISS salutes the troops
Related Articles:
Comments
Hey, my name is Snuggles, cause I LOVE to cuddle and snuggle!! What is wrong with you? You look funny, it’s almost like you are standing on …
Hi, I’m Snooky, and I live in Odenville, Alabama! I have been entered in a contest, by my Mama, to win a whole lot of cash. My problem is that I …
- K & B Custom Cycle & Equipment Repair
- Elmore County Humane Society
- ECHS weekly newsletter
- ECHS pet adoption information
- Earthly Adornments, antique and vintage jewelry
- The Carolina Sauce Company
- Operation Sauce Drop
- Alabama Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs
- New Media Alliance Television
- Bob Parks Black & Right
- Indian Hills Motorcycle Resort
- American Cycle Accessories
- Josh Bearden, The
- News Talk 107.9
- Gun Rights Examiner
- D C Dog Examiner
- Pet Photo Examiner
- Longmont Examiner
- Boston Conservative Examiner
- Conservative Politics Examiner
- Right Side Politics Examiner
- Birmingham Libertarian Examiner
- Birmingham Music Examiner
- Conservative Libertarian Examiner
- Libertarian Examiner
- Independent Examiner
- International Political Satire Examiner
- Raleigh Top News Examiner
- Would you say Bobby Bright was a yellow-bellied coward?
- What on earth is that?
- Dingbat, Dunce, Dummy and DoDo Brain awards show
- Alabama Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs to hold February meeting
- Ring in 2009 with a MoonPie over Mobile
- Operation Sauce Drop fires up the Troops
- EPA propses livestock tax-Farmers fear going under
- Have you ever seen my breed? I'm a Mystery breed
- Mr. Obama, I'm the perfect dog for you
- Political correctness and a New School Prayer
- Bill O'Reilly, you are a Pinhead, Sir
