The Story Behind "Taps"

Recently I was reading the story of how we received “Taps” for honoring those who had died in the service of their country while in the armed forces of the United States. During the Civil War in the year 1862, Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe and his men were near Harrison’s Landing in Virginia and the Confederate army was within firing range across a narrow strip of land. During the night, the captain heard a soldier moaning out in the strip of land between the two armies. Not knowing if the soldier was one of his or was a confederate soldier, he decided to crawl out to the soldier and bring him back for medical attention, no matter which army claimed him.

Risking his own life in the dark with bullets flying past him, he grabbed the soldier and pulled him back behind the Union line. It was then he looked into the confederate soldier’s face and was shocked to recognize his own son, who now lay dead. The son had been in the South before the war, studying music. The captain had not known that his son had joined the confederates.

Heartbroken over his death, he asked his superiors if his son could have a full military burial, including a band to play a funeral dirge. They replied they could give him a burial, but because he was a confederate soldier they could not send him a band to play. His superiors did, however, grant him one musician for the burial.

Captain Ellicombe chose a trumpet player and asked him to play a series of notes found in his son’s pocket. Those notes are what we now know as Taps. Unfortunately, they were first played for their composer.

There are many such stories of sorrow and tremendous overcoming feats by our veterans. Thinking of the Thanksgiving week coming up, we have much for which to be thankful in this country. We are approaching the most important election, perhaps in the history of our country and we dare not forget our true historical and religious heritage and the lives that have been sacrificed to give us the greatest nation the world has ever witnessed. Surely, it is to a great degree because in God we trust!

Be sure to vote for life and liberty and prosperity on election day. Socialism and disrespect for life is an afront against God and our founding fathers. Be sure you know the difference between the Republican and Democratic platforms.

The Republican party has chosen life and honor for our country and a rebuilding of our national economy and national pride. The Democratic Party endorses a continuance of heavy tax burdens, some of which would continue to be used to kill babies at an alarming rate. Their platform honors sodomy and disrespects our national heritage. The Democrat’s platform dishonors and disrespects their Creator and sustainer of life. I am choosing life and have already voted by absentee ballot.