| History of Taps, Page 3 |
What could account for the variation in stories? My research shows that Butterfield did not
compose Taps but actually revised an earlier bugle call. The fact is that Taps existed in an early
version of the call Tattoo. As a signal for end of the day, armies have used Tattoo to signal
troops to prepare them for bedtime roll call. The call was used to notify the soldiers to cease
the evening's drinking and return to their garrisons. It was sounded an hour before the final call
of the day to extinguish all fires and lights. This early version is found in three manuals - the
Winfield Scott (1786-1866) manual of 1835, the Samuel Cooper (1798-1876) manual of 1836 and
the William Gilham (1819?-1872) manual of 1861. This call, referred to as the Scott Tattoo, was in
use from 1835-1860. A second version of Tattoo came into use just before the Civil War and was
in use throughout the war replacing the Scott Tattoo.
compose Taps but actually revised an earlier bugle call. The fact is that Taps existed in an early
version of the call Tattoo. As a signal for end of the day, armies have used Tattoo to signal
troops to prepare them for bedtime roll call. The call was used to notify the soldiers to cease
the evening's drinking and return to their garrisons. It was sounded an hour before the final call
of the day to extinguish all fires and lights. This early version is found in three manuals - the
Winfield Scott (1786-1866) manual of 1835, the Samuel Cooper (1798-1876) manual of 1836 and
the William Gilham (1819?-1872) manual of 1861. This call, referred to as the Scott Tattoo, was in
use from 1835-1860. A second version of Tattoo came into use just before the Civil War and was
in use throughout the war replacing the Scott Tattoo.
Butterfield as a Colonel in the 12th New York
Militia Regiment
Militia Regiment
| The 1835 (Scott) Tattoo |
The fact that Norton says that Butterfield composed Taps cannot be questioned. He was relaying the facts as he remembered them. His conclusion
that Butterfield wrote Taps can be explained by the presence of the second Tattoo. It was most likely that the second Tattoo, followed by Extinguish
Lights (the first eight measures of today's Tattoo), was sounded by Norton during the course of the war.
It seems possible that these two calls were sounded to end the soldier's day on both sides during the war. It must therefore be evident that Norton
did not know the early Tattoo or he would have immediately recognized it that evening in Butterfield's tent. If you review the events of that
evening, Norton came into Butterfield's tent and played notes that were already written down on an envelope. Then Butterfield, "changed it
somewhat, lengthening some notes and shortening others, but retaining the melody as he first gave it to me." If you compare that statement while
looking at the present day Taps, you will see that this is exactly what happened to turn the early (Scott) Tattoo into Taps.
Butterfield, as stated above, was a Colonel before the War and in General Order No. 1 issued by him on December 7, 1859 had the order: "The Officers
and non-commissioned Officers are expected to be thoroughly familiar with the first thirty pages, Vol. 1, Scott's Tactics, and ready to answer any
questions in regard to the same previous to the drill above ordered." Scott's Tactics include the bugle calls that Butterfield must have known and
used. If Butterfield was using Scott's Tactics for drills, then it is feasible that he would have used the calls as set in the manual.
Lastly, it is hard to believe that Butterfield could have composed anything that July in the aftermath of the Seven Days battles which saw the Union
Army of the Potomac mangled by Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Over twenty six thousand casualties were suffered on both sides. Butterfield had
lost over 600 of his men on June 27th at the battle of Gaines Mill and had himself been wounded. In the midst of the heat, humidity, mud,
mosquitoes, dysentery, typhoid and general wretchedness of camp life in that early July, it is hard to imagine being able to write anything.
that Butterfield wrote Taps can be explained by the presence of the second Tattoo. It was most likely that the second Tattoo, followed by Extinguish
Lights (the first eight measures of today's Tattoo), was sounded by Norton during the course of the war.
It seems possible that these two calls were sounded to end the soldier's day on both sides during the war. It must therefore be evident that Norton
did not know the early Tattoo or he would have immediately recognized it that evening in Butterfield's tent. If you review the events of that
evening, Norton came into Butterfield's tent and played notes that were already written down on an envelope. Then Butterfield, "changed it
somewhat, lengthening some notes and shortening others, but retaining the melody as he first gave it to me." If you compare that statement while
looking at the present day Taps, you will see that this is exactly what happened to turn the early (Scott) Tattoo into Taps.
Butterfield, as stated above, was a Colonel before the War and in General Order No. 1 issued by him on December 7, 1859 had the order: "The Officers
and non-commissioned Officers are expected to be thoroughly familiar with the first thirty pages, Vol. 1, Scott's Tactics, and ready to answer any
questions in regard to the same previous to the drill above ordered." Scott's Tactics include the bugle calls that Butterfield must have known and
used. If Butterfield was using Scott's Tactics for drills, then it is feasible that he would have used the calls as set in the manual.
Lastly, it is hard to believe that Butterfield could have composed anything that July in the aftermath of the Seven Days battles which saw the Union
Army of the Potomac mangled by Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Over twenty six thousand casualties were suffered on both sides. Butterfield had
lost over 600 of his men on June 27th at the battle of Gaines Mill and had himself been wounded. In the midst of the heat, humidity, mud,
mosquitoes, dysentery, typhoid and general wretchedness of camp life in that early July, it is hard to imagine being able to write anything.
| Butterfield and Norton, as depicted by Sidney King |
In the interest of historical accuracy, it should be noted that General Butterfield did not compose Taps, rather that he revised an earlier call into the
present day bugle call we know as Taps. This is not meant to take credit away from him.
present day bugle call we know as Taps. This is not meant to take credit away from him.
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