Of all the military bugle calls, none is so easily recognized or more apt to evoke emotion than the call Taps. The melody is both eloquent and haunting, while the history of its origin is interesting and somewhat clouded in controversy. In the British army, a similar type of signal called Last Post has been sounded over soldiers’ graves since 1885, but the use of Taps is unique to the United States military, since the call is sounded at funerals, wreath-laying ceremonies, and memorial services. A bugle call that beckons us to remember patriots who served our country with honor and valor, it is the most familiar call and one that moves all who hear it.

On any weekday at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, a military ritual occurs that is both familiar and moving. An escort of honor comes to attention and presents arms. A firing party comes to attention, then fires three volleys. After the briefest of moments, a bugler sounds the twenty-four notes of America’s most famous bugle call. The flag, held by members of the military honor guard, is then folded into a triangle reminiscent of the cocked hat from the American Revolution. That ritual is performed almost twenty times daily during the many funerals held at Arlington.

How did these twenty-four notes we know as Taps come into being? Who wrote the melody? When was it composed? Where was it first performed? What was the original use of the call and how is it used today? These questions have been asked by many over the past century. To date there has been no in-depth research published on the history of Taps.This site will answer many questions about Taps, bugling, and the history of this military tradition, as well as guide you if you are looking for a bugler to perform at a ceremony or funeral.

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