In 1862 during the Civil War, Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his  men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia.  The Confederate Army was on the other side of a narrow strip of land.  During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely 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 and suddenly 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, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army. 

The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked his superiors for permission to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status.  His request was only partially granted. 

The Captain asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral.  The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.  But, out of respect for the father, they said that he could have only one musician.  The Captain chose a bugler. 

  

He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes that he had found written on a piece of paper in the pocket of his dead son's uniform.  The bugler obliged and that was the beginning of what we know as, "Taps," which is solomly played at every military funeral.

On that piece of paper was written the following words:

Fading light .. Dims the sight . And a star ... Gems the sky.

Gleaming bright ... From afar ... Drawing nigh .. Falls the night.