During the Civil War, in July 1862 when the Army of the
Potomac was in camp, Brig. Gen. Daniel Butterfield
summoned Pvt. Oliver Wilcox Norton, his brigade bugler, to
his tent. Butterfield, who disliked the colorless "extinguish
lights" call then in use, whistled a new tune and asked the
bugler to sound it for him. After repeated trials and
changing the time of some notes which were scribbled on
the back of an envelope, the call was finally arranged to suit
Gen. Butterfield and used for the first time that night. Pvt.
Norton, who on several occasions, had sounded numerous
new calls composed by his commander, recalled his
experience of the origin of "Taps" years later:
"One day in July 1862 when the Army of the Potomac was in
camp at Harrison's Landing on the James River, Virginia,
resting and recruiting from its losses in the seven days of
battle before Richmond, Gen. Butterfield summoned the
writer to his tent, and whistling some new tune, asked the
bugler to sound it for him. This was done, not quite to his
satisfaction at first, but after repeated trials, changing the
time of some of the notes, which were scribbled on the back
of an envelope, the call was finally arranged to suit the
general. "He then ordered that it should be substituted in his
brigade for the regulation "Taps" (extinguish lights) which
was printed in the Tactics and used by the whole army. This
was done for the first time that night. The next day buglers
from nearby brigades came over to the camp of Butterfield's
brigade to ask the meaning of this new call. They liked it,
and copying the music, returned to their camps, but it was
not until some time later, when generals of other commands
had heard its melodious notes, that orders were issued, or
permission given, to substitute it throughout the Army of the
Potomac for the time-honored call which came down from
West Point.
In the western armies the regulation call was in use until the
autumn of 1863. At that time the XI and XII Corps were
detached from the Army of the Potomac and sent under
command of Gen. Hooker to reinforce the Union Army at
Chattanooga, Tenn. Through its use in these corps it became
known in the western armies and was adopted by them.
From that time, it became and remains to this day the
official call for "Taps." It is printed in the present Tactics and
is used throughout the U.S. Army, the National Guard, and
all organizations of veteran soldiers.
Gen. Butterfield, in composing this call and directing that it
be used for "Taps" in his brigade, could not have foreseen its
popularity and the use for another purpose into which it
would grow. Today, whenever a man is buried with military
honors anywhere in the United States, the ceremony is
concluded by firing three volleys of musketry over the grave,
and sounding with the trumpet or bugle "Put out the lights.
Go to sleep"...There is something singularly beautiful and
appropriate in the music of this wonderful call. Its strains are
melancholy, yet full of rest and peace. Its echoes linger in
the heart long after its tones have ceased to vibrate in the
air." History of taps is from www.tapsbugler.com
Potomac was in camp, Brig. Gen. Daniel Butterfield
summoned Pvt. Oliver Wilcox Norton, his brigade bugler, to
his tent. Butterfield, who disliked the colorless "extinguish
lights" call then in use, whistled a new tune and asked the
bugler to sound it for him. After repeated trials and
changing the time of some notes which were scribbled on
the back of an envelope, the call was finally arranged to suit
Gen. Butterfield and used for the first time that night. Pvt.
Norton, who on several occasions, had sounded numerous
new calls composed by his commander, recalled his
experience of the origin of "Taps" years later:
"One day in July 1862 when the Army of the Potomac was in
camp at Harrison's Landing on the James River, Virginia,
resting and recruiting from its losses in the seven days of
battle before Richmond, Gen. Butterfield summoned the
writer to his tent, and whistling some new tune, asked the
bugler to sound it for him. This was done, not quite to his
satisfaction at first, but after repeated trials, changing the
time of some of the notes, which were scribbled on the back
of an envelope, the call was finally arranged to suit the
general. "He then ordered that it should be substituted in his
brigade for the regulation "Taps" (extinguish lights) which
was printed in the Tactics and used by the whole army. This
was done for the first time that night. The next day buglers
from nearby brigades came over to the camp of Butterfield's
brigade to ask the meaning of this new call. They liked it,
and copying the music, returned to their camps, but it was
not until some time later, when generals of other commands
had heard its melodious notes, that orders were issued, or
permission given, to substitute it throughout the Army of the
Potomac for the time-honored call which came down from
West Point.
In the western armies the regulation call was in use until the
autumn of 1863. At that time the XI and XII Corps were
detached from the Army of the Potomac and sent under
command of Gen. Hooker to reinforce the Union Army at
Chattanooga, Tenn. Through its use in these corps it became
known in the western armies and was adopted by them.
From that time, it became and remains to this day the
official call for "Taps." It is printed in the present Tactics and
is used throughout the U.S. Army, the National Guard, and
all organizations of veteran soldiers.
Gen. Butterfield, in composing this call and directing that it
be used for "Taps" in his brigade, could not have foreseen its
popularity and the use for another purpose into which it
would grow. Today, whenever a man is buried with military
honors anywhere in the United States, the ceremony is
concluded by firing three volleys of musketry over the grave,
and sounding with the trumpet or bugle "Put out the lights.
Go to sleep"...There is something singularly beautiful and
appropriate in the music of this wonderful call. Its strains are
melancholy, yet full of rest and peace. Its echoes linger in
the heart long after its tones have ceased to vibrate in the
air." History of taps is from www.tapsbugler.com
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