Military Stars
The story behind Taps

Reportedly, it al began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men
near
Harrison's Landing Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.
During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay serverly 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 ot 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 permission of his superiors to give his
son a full
military buriel, despite his enemies status. His request was only partially granted. The Captain had 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 did say they could give him only one musician. The Captain chose a
bugle. He
asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes with some words that he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of
the dead
youth's uniform. This wish was granted. The haunting melody, we now know as "Taps" used at military funerals was
born.
The words are:
Day is Done Gone the sun From the lakes From the hills From the sky. All is well. Safely rest. God is nigh. Fading
Light dims the
sight. Gems the sky. Gleaming bright. From afar. Drawing nigh. Falls the night. Thanks and praise. For our days. Neath
the sun.
Neath the stars. Neath the sky. As we go. This we know. God is nigh.
Christopher Williams our HERO
a true survivor of the Iraq war
Shawntee Hill,  our HERO a true
survivor of the Iraq war served with
the Virginia National Guards 2006