03/04/2026
"Taps" is played at military funerals to honor the memory of service members and to signify the end of their earthly duty. It's a solemn bugle call, deeply rooted in military tradition, that expresses gratitude and respect for the deceased.
The 24-note melody first came about during the American Civil War. In 1862, General Daniel Butterfield wanted a new call to signal “lights out.” Working with his brigade’s bugler, Oliver W. Norton, the call was revised into the more melodic and haunting sequence known today.
The call quickly spread throughout the Union and Confederate Armies. It was first played at a military funeral when it was ordered to be used instead of the traditional three-volley rifle salute to avoid alerting enemy pickets. Although its original name was “Extinguish Lights,” the call was renamed “Taps” in 1891 and soon became a formal part of American military funerals.
Today, its slow, mournful notes remain one of the most iconic and moving pieces of American military tradition.
Source: Jari Villanueva, Taps Historian
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