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according to legend

It happened during the Civil War, when a Union Army captain, Robert Elliscombe, was with his men near Harrison's Landing, Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of this narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Elliscombe heard the moan of a soldier who lay mortally wounded on the field of battle. 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 Confederate gunfire, the captain reached the soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered he was actually a Confederate soldier, and the soldier had died.

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 had enlisted in the Confederate Army.

The following morning, the heartbroken 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 asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the service. The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. Out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him 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 the dead youth's uniform.

This was granted. The music was the haunting melody we know as "TAPS", used at all military funerals.

TAPS: "Day is done. Gone the rain. From the lake. From the hill. From the sky. All is well. Safely rest. God is nigh."

Note: The above was copied from a United States Navy newsletter via Northeast Alabama Settlers, Vol. 35, Number Three.