| History of Taps, Page 2 |
| "Headquarters of General Butterfield, Near Harrison's Landing, James River, VA" |
The highly romantic account of how Butterfield composed the call surfaced in 1898 following a magazine article written that summer. The August, 1898
issue of Century Magazine contained an article called "The Trumpet in Camp and Battle," by Gustav Kobbe, a music historian and critic. He was writing
about the origin of bugle calls in the military and in reference to Taps, wrote:
issue of Century Magazine contained an article called "The Trumpet in Camp and Battle," by Gustav Kobbe, a music historian and critic. He was writing
about the origin of bugle calls in the military and in reference to Taps, wrote:
"In speaking of our trumpet calls I purposely omitted one with which it seemed most appropriate to close
this article, for it is the call which closes the soldier's day... Lights Out. I have not been able to trace this
call to any other service. If it seems probable, it was original with Major Seymour, he has given our army
the most beautiful of all trumpet-calls."
this article, for it is the call which closes the soldier's day... Lights Out. I have not been able to trace this
call to any other service. If it seems probable, it was original with Major Seymour, he has given our army
the most beautiful of all trumpet-calls."
First page of "The Trumpet in Camp and Battle" by Gustav Kobbe,
from the August 1898 Century magazine.
from the August 1898 Century magazine.
Kobbe was using as an authority the Army drill manual on infantry tactics prepared by Major General Emory Upton in 1867 (revised in 1874). The bugle
calls in the manual were compiled by Major (later General) Truman Seymour of the 5th U.S. Artillery. Taps was called Extinguish Lights in these manuals
since it was to replace the "Lights Out" call disliked by Butterfield. The title of the call was not changed until later, although other manuals started
calling it Taps because most soldiers knew it by that name. Since Seymour was responsible for the music in the Army manual, Kobbe assumed that he
had written the call. Kobbe's inability to find the origin of Extinguish Lights (Taps) prompted a letter from Oliver W. Norton in Chicago who claimed he
knew how the call came about and that he was the first to perform it.
calls in the manual were compiled by Major (later General) Truman Seymour of the 5th U.S. Artillery. Taps was called Extinguish Lights in these manuals
since it was to replace the "Lights Out" call disliked by Butterfield. The title of the call was not changed until later, although other manuals started
calling it Taps because most soldiers knew it by that name. Since Seymour was responsible for the music in the Army manual, Kobbe assumed that he
had written the call. Kobbe's inability to find the origin of Extinguish Lights (Taps) prompted a letter from Oliver W. Norton in Chicago who claimed he
knew how the call came about and that he was the first to perform it.
Norton wrote:
"Chicago, August 8, 1898
I was much interested in reading the article by Mr. Gustav Kobbe, on the
Trumpet and Bugle Calls, in the August Century. Mr. Kobbe says that he has
been unable to trace the origin of the call now used for Taps, or the Go to
Sleep, as it is generally called by the soldiers. As I am unable to give the
origin of this call, I think the following statement may be of interest to Mr.
Kobbe and your readers... During the early part of the Civil War I was bugler
at the Headquarters of Butterfield's Brigade, Morell's Division, Fitz-John
Porter's Corps, Army of the Potomac. Up to July, 1862, the Infantry call for
Taps was that set down in Casey's Tactics, which Mr. Kobbe says was borrowed
from the French.
"Chicago, August 8, 1898
I was much interested in reading the article by Mr. Gustav Kobbe, on the
Trumpet and Bugle Calls, in the August Century. Mr. Kobbe says that he has
been unable to trace the origin of the call now used for Taps, or the Go to
Sleep, as it is generally called by the soldiers. As I am unable to give the
origin of this call, I think the following statement may be of interest to Mr.
Kobbe and your readers... During the early part of the Civil War I was bugler
at the Headquarters of Butterfield's Brigade, Morell's Division, Fitz-John
Porter's Corps, Army of the Potomac. Up to July, 1862, the Infantry call for
Taps was that set down in Casey's Tactics, which Mr. Kobbe says was borrowed
from the French.
| Oliver Willcox Norton |
One day, soon after the seven days battles on the Peninsula, when the Army of the Potomac was lying in camp
at Harrison's Landing, General Daniel Butterfield, then commanding our Brigade, sent for me, and showing me
some notes on a staff written in pencil on the back of an envelope, asked me to sound them on my bugle. I did
this several times, playing the music as written. He changed it somewhat, lengthening some notes and
shortening others, but retaining the melody as he first gave it to me. After getting it to his satisfaction, he
directed me to sound that call for Taps thereafter in place of the regulation call. The music was beautiful on
that still summer night, and was heard far beyond the limits of our Brigade. The next day I was visited by
several buglers from neighboring Brigades, asking for copies of the music which I gladly furnished. I think no
general order was issued from army headquarters authorizing the substitution of this for the regulation call,
but as each brigade commander exercised his own discretion in such minor matters, the call was gradually taken
up through the Army of the Potomac. I have been told that it was carried to the Western Armies by the 11th
and 12th Corps, when they went to Chattanooga in the fall of 1863, and rapidly made its way through those
armies. I did not presume to question General Butterfield at the time, but from the manner in which the call
was given to me, I have no doubt he composed it in his tent at Harrison's Landing. I think General Butterfield is
living at Cold Spring, New York. If you think the matter of sufficient interest, and care to write him on the
subject, I have no doubt he will confirm my statement."
-Oliver W. Norton
at Harrison's Landing, General Daniel Butterfield, then commanding our Brigade, sent for me, and showing me
some notes on a staff written in pencil on the back of an envelope, asked me to sound them on my bugle. I did
this several times, playing the music as written. He changed it somewhat, lengthening some notes and
shortening others, but retaining the melody as he first gave it to me. After getting it to his satisfaction, he
directed me to sound that call for Taps thereafter in place of the regulation call. The music was beautiful on
that still summer night, and was heard far beyond the limits of our Brigade. The next day I was visited by
several buglers from neighboring Brigades, asking for copies of the music which I gladly furnished. I think no
general order was issued from army headquarters authorizing the substitution of this for the regulation call,
but as each brigade commander exercised his own discretion in such minor matters, the call was gradually taken
up through the Army of the Potomac. I have been told that it was carried to the Western Armies by the 11th
and 12th Corps, when they went to Chattanooga in the fall of 1863, and rapidly made its way through those
armies. I did not presume to question General Butterfield at the time, but from the manner in which the call
was given to me, I have no doubt he composed it in his tent at Harrison's Landing. I think General Butterfield is
living at Cold Spring, New York. If you think the matter of sufficient interest, and care to write him on the
subject, I have no doubt he will confirm my statement."
-Oliver W. Norton
The editor did write to Butterfield as suggested by Norton. In answer to the inquiry from the editor of the Century, General Butterfield writing from
Gragside, Cold Spring, on August 31, 1898 wrote:
Gragside, Cold Spring, on August 31, 1898 wrote:
"I recall, in my dim memory, the substantial truth of the statement made by Norton, of the 83rd Pa., about
bugle calls. His letter gives the impression that I personally wrote the notes for the call. The facts are, that at
the time I could sound calls on the bugle as a necessary part of military knowledge and instruction for an officer
commanding a regiment or brigade. I had acquired this as a regimental commander. I had composed a call for my
brigade, to precede any calls, indicating that such were calls, or orders, for my brigade alone. This was of very
great use and effect on the march and in battle. It enabled me to cause my whole command, at times, in march,
covering over a mile on the road, all to halt instantly, and lie down, and all arise and start at the same moment;
to forward in line of battle, simultaneously, in action and charge etc. It saves fatigue. The men rather liked their
call, and began to sing my name to it. It was three notes and a catch. I can not write a note of music, but have
gotten my wife to write it from my whistling it to her, and enclose it. The men would sing, "Dan, Dan, Dan,
Butterfield, Butterfield" to the notes when a call came. Later, in battle, or in some trying circumstances or an
advance of difficulties, they sometimes sang, "Damn, Damn, Damn, Butterfield, Butterfield."
The call of Taps did not seem to be as smooth, melodious and musical as it should be, and I called in some one
who could write music, and practiced a change in the call of Taps until I had it suit my ear, and then, as Norton
writes, got it to my taste without being able to write music or knowing the technical name of any note, but,
simply by ear, arranged it as Norton describes. I did not recall him in connection with it, but his story is
substantially correct. Will you do me the favor to send Norton a copy of this letter by your typewriter? I have
none."
-Daniel Butterfield
bugle calls. His letter gives the impression that I personally wrote the notes for the call. The facts are, that at
the time I could sound calls on the bugle as a necessary part of military knowledge and instruction for an officer
commanding a regiment or brigade. I had acquired this as a regimental commander. I had composed a call for my
brigade, to precede any calls, indicating that such were calls, or orders, for my brigade alone. This was of very
great use and effect on the march and in battle. It enabled me to cause my whole command, at times, in march,
covering over a mile on the road, all to halt instantly, and lie down, and all arise and start at the same moment;
to forward in line of battle, simultaneously, in action and charge etc. It saves fatigue. The men rather liked their
call, and began to sing my name to it. It was three notes and a catch. I can not write a note of music, but have
gotten my wife to write it from my whistling it to her, and enclose it. The men would sing, "Dan, Dan, Dan,
Butterfield, Butterfield" to the notes when a call came. Later, in battle, or in some trying circumstances or an
advance of difficulties, they sometimes sang, "Damn, Damn, Damn, Butterfield, Butterfield."
The call of Taps did not seem to be as smooth, melodious and musical as it should be, and I called in some one
who could write music, and practiced a change in the call of Taps until I had it suit my ear, and then, as Norton
writes, got it to my taste without being able to write music or knowing the technical name of any note, but,
simply by ear, arranged it as Norton describes. I did not recall him in connection with it, but his story is
substantially correct. Will you do me the favor to send Norton a copy of this letter by your typewriter? I have
none."
-Daniel Butterfield
On the surface, this seems to be the true history of the origin of Taps. Indeed, the many articles written about Taps cite this story as the beginning
of Butterfield's association with the call. Certainly, Butterfield never went out of his way to claim credit for its composition and it wasn't until the
Century article that the origin came to light.
There are however, significant differences in Butterfield's and Norton's stories. Norton says that the music given to him by Butterfield that night was
written down on an envelope while Butterfield wrote that he could not read or write music! Also Butterfield's words seem to suggest that he was not
composing a melody in Norton's presence, but actually arranging or revising an existing one. As a commander of a brigade, he knew of the bugle calls
needed to relay troop commands. All officers of the time were required to know the calls and were expected to be able to play the bugle. Butterfield
was no different - he could sound the bugle but could not read music. As a colonel of the 12th NY Regiment, before the war, he had ordered his men
to be thoroughly familiar with calls and drills.
of Butterfield's association with the call. Certainly, Butterfield never went out of his way to claim credit for its composition and it wasn't until the
Century article that the origin came to light.
There are however, significant differences in Butterfield's and Norton's stories. Norton says that the music given to him by Butterfield that night was
written down on an envelope while Butterfield wrote that he could not read or write music! Also Butterfield's words seem to suggest that he was not
composing a melody in Norton's presence, but actually arranging or revising an existing one. As a commander of a brigade, he knew of the bugle calls
needed to relay troop commands. All officers of the time were required to know the calls and were expected to be able to play the bugle. Butterfield
was no different - he could sound the bugle but could not read music. As a colonel of the 12th NY Regiment, before the war, he had ordered his men
to be thoroughly familiar with calls and drills.
Oliver Willcox Norton and General Butterfield at
Harrison's Landing, July 1862
Harrison's Landing, July 1862
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