Taps

[DREDIOCK]

The first time the haunting, sad Taps was played

It all began in 1862 during the Civil War when Union 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 or Army band members play a funeral hymn 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 only 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 on his dead son's uniform. This wish was granted.

This music was the haunting melody we now know as "Taps" that is used at all military funerals.

[ra]

http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/taps.htm

[DREDIOCK]

Now that you have hada chance to hee and haw over te story.


Too bad its not true

Damn shame too. Its the kinda story that "oughta be"

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by ra
http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/taps.htm

I know, discovered that right after I posted it

[Hawklore]

I belive it was during the Civil War, but was actually a fluke..

[Vulcan]

The original Last Post is far better imho.

[Bluedog]

The piece of music or the story behind it Vulcan?

What is the story behind the Last Post?


IMHO they are both very stirring pieces of music.

[Vulcan]

Origin of "The Last Post"
The Last Post is one of a number of bugle calls in military tradition which mark the phases of the day. Where "Reveille" signaled the start of a soldier's day, the "Last Post" signaled its end. It is believed originally to have been part of a more elaborate routine, known in the British Army as "tattoo", that had its origins in the 17th century. During the evening, a duty officer had to do the rounds of his unit's position, checking that the sentry posts were manned and rounding up the off-duty soldiers and packing them off to their beds or billets. He would be accompanied by one or more musicians. The "first post" was sounded when the duty officer started his rounds and, as the party proceeded from post to post, a drum was played. The drum beats told off-duty soldiers it was time to rest - if the soldiers were billeted in a town, the beats told them it was time to quit the pubs. "Tattoo" is a derivation of doe den tap toe, Dutch for "turn off the taps", a call which is said to have followed the drum beats in many a Dutch pub while English armies were campaigning through Holland and Flanders in the 1690s. (It is also from this routine that American practice of "taps" or "drum taps" originated.) Another bugle call was sounded when the party completed their rounds, when they reached the "last post": this signaled the night sentries were alert at their posts and gave one last warning to any soldiers still at large that it was time to retire for the evening. "Last Post" was incorporated into funeral and memorial services as a final farewell and symbolises that the duty of the dead is over and that they can rest in peace.

THE WORDS TO THE LAST POST

Come home! Come home! The last post is sounding
for you to hear. All good soldiers know very well there
is nothing to fear while they do what is right, and forget
all the worries they have met in their duties through the
year. A soldier cannot always be great, but he can be a
gentleman and he can be a right good pal to his comrades in
his squad. So all you soldiers listen to this – Deal fair by all
and you’ll never be amiss.


Be Brave! Be Just! Be Honest and True Men!
 

[Bluedog]

Thanks, interesting stuff.

[Furball]

http://www.greatwar.co.uk/westfront/ypsalient/meningate/lastpost.htm

check this out, can hear them, pretty cool what happens too.