A wonderful story on the origin of the well known military tune called “Taps” is circulating on the web and has been for some years now; the story goes something like this: 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 it was actually a Confederate soldier, but 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 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, the 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 had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for the son at the funeral. That 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 his dead son's uniform. This music was the haunting melody we now know as "Taps" that is 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."
I have provided in this blog an article with the information my research had found; the article is under the Taps label in this blog and is a companion piece to this article named The "Taps" Military Bugle Tune (The researched story). If you would like to know more of the true story this article should answer many of your questions.
Sources:
TruthOrFiction.com
Sgt. Villanueva's research
DMT-Corridors-America
was his 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, the 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 had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for the son at the funeral. That 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 his dead son's uniform. This music was the haunting melody we now know as "Taps" that is 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." After some research I’m sorry to say this very romantic and highly emotional story is in so far as my research could find is not true.
The Truth: According a researcher at West Point, there is no historical evidence that anyone named Robert Ellicombe even existed in the Union army. Master Sergeant Jari Villanueva is a part of the United States Air Force Band and is not only a historian about the tune "Taps," but is working on an exhibit for Arlington National Cemetery about bugle calls. Both he and Kathryn Shenkle, Historian for Arlington National Cemetery, agree that "Taps" came from Brig. General Daniel Butterfield at Harrison's Landing in Virginia in 1862. Sgt. Villanueva has found correspondence from both General Butterfield and a bugler which confirm the origins, although there are some minor discrepancies in their letters.
I have provided in this blog an article with the information my research had found; the article is under the Taps label in this blog and is a companion piece to this article named The "Taps" Military Bugle Tune (The researched story). If you would like to know more of the true story this article should answer many of your questions.
Sources:
TruthOrFiction.com
Sgt. Villanueva's research
DMT-Corridors-America
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