This was emailed to me, and I thought it appropriate for our holiday.
In 1862 during the Civil War, Union Army Captain, Robert Ellicombe, was with
his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia.
Union and Confederate forces were in a bitter struggle for control of a narrow strip of strategic land. During the night, Captain Ellicombe could hear the moans of a soldier who lay wounded in the field between the two
battle lines. 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 line. When the captain finally reached the relative safety of his line, he discovered it was actually a confederate soldier and the soldier was dead.
The captain lit a lantern. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier, it was his own son. He was shocked and completely numb, hardly able to catch a breath while he struggled with the fact that he and his men had killed his only 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.
That morning heartbroken and overcome with grief the father requested permission of his commander to give his son a full military funeral. The captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a
funeral dirge for his son at the service. His request was only partially granted.
The request for the army band was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. Out of respect for the father, the commander allowed him one musician. Captain Ellicombe 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".
Most are surprised to learn that there are words to "TAPS", here they
are.
Day is done,
Gone the sun,
From the lakes,
From the hills,
From the sky.
All is well.
Safely rest.
God is nigh.
Dick
Want to send Bush a message? Sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/monk/petition.thml and forward the link to every gun owner you know.
In 1862 during the Civil War, Union Army Captain, Robert Ellicombe, was with
his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia.
Union and Confederate forces were in a bitter struggle for control of a narrow strip of strategic land. During the night, Captain Ellicombe could hear the moans of a soldier who lay wounded in the field between the two
battle lines. 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 line. When the captain finally reached the relative safety of his line, he discovered it was actually a confederate soldier and the soldier was dead.
The captain lit a lantern. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier, it was his own son. He was shocked and completely numb, hardly able to catch a breath while he struggled with the fact that he and his men had killed his only 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.
That morning heartbroken and overcome with grief the father requested permission of his commander to give his son a full military funeral. The captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a
funeral dirge for his son at the service. His request was only partially granted.
The request for the army band was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. Out of respect for the father, the commander allowed him one musician. Captain Ellicombe 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".
Most are surprised to learn that there are words to "TAPS", here they
are.
Day is done,
Gone the sun,
From the lakes,
From the hills,
From the sky.
All is well.
Safely rest.
God is nigh.
Dick
Want to send Bush a message? Sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/monk/petition.thml and forward the link to every gun owner you know.