Myth about origins of 'Taps' has existed for decades

An old copied-and-pasted rumor, primarily circulating for years on Facebook, appeared prominently yet again in August 2025. The rumor claimed the famous "Taps" bugle call — a solemn melody played at U.S. military funerals and memorials and to signal the end of the day in remembrance of service members who died in the line of duty — originated in 1862 from the pocket of a deceased Confederate Army soldier fighting in the Civil War. 

According to the tale, a Union Army captain named Robert Elli ("Ellicombe" in some retellings) discovered the melody for "Taps" on a piece of paper found in the pocket of his deceased son who, unbeknownst to him, had enlisted to fight for the Confederacy after moving to the South to study music. Snopes received reader searches asking for the truth regarding this matter.

For example, on Aug. 8, a Facebook user shared the copypasta rumor in a post (archived) receiving over 118,000 shares, as of this writing. The post began with the question, "I never knew ... DID YOU?" Other Facebook users shared the rumor as well. The posts also featured alleged lyrics for "Taps," reading in part, "Day is done. Gone the sun. From the lakes. From the hills. From the sky. All is well. Safely rest. God is nigh."

(Paul W. Badding/Facebook)

However, searches of the literary and newspaper archives hosted by Google Books and Newspapers.com located no credible records confirming this tale as the "Taps" origin story. Rather, we first reported on this fabricated story as a false rumor in 2008. Further searches located no official lyrics for "Taps." Even so, Newspapers.com hosts some old articles pairing the Facebook posts' "Day is done" lyrics with the tune as far back as at least 1916.

A popular Facebook post (archived) from 2014, to date receiving over 837,000 shares, also helped to popularize the rumor on the social media platform. The full text for the made-up origin story appears later in this article.

The real origins of 'Taps'

Jari Villanueva, a former bugler at Arlington National Cemetery with the U.S. Air Force Band — and a man the Department of Veteran Affairs dubbed as a "'Taps' historian" — told USA Today in 2020 that the fabricated father-son story originated during a 1949 episode of cartoonist Robert L. Ripley's short-lived TV show, "Ripley's Believe it or Not." On May 28, 1949, The Atlanta Journal reported Ripley's death at age 55. The article featured a mention of the "Taps" episode, airing only days prior to his passing, but did not describe the fabricated story.

In a document published by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Villaneuva described the tale of the Union Army father and Confederate Army son as a "popular myth." Even so, he said the genuine "Taps" origin story still involved the Civil War:

Of all the military bugle calls, none is so easily recognized or more apt to evoke emotion than "Taps." The melody is both eloquent and haunting and the history of its origin is interesting and somewhat clouded in controversy and myth.

The use of "Taps" is unique to the United States military, as the call is sounded at funerals, wreath-laying ceremonies and memorial services. "Taps" originally began as a signal to extinguish lights. Up until the Civil War, the infantry call for "Extinguish Lights" was the one set down in the Infantry manuals which had been borrowed from the French. The music for "Taps" was changed by Major General Daniel Adams Butterfield for his brigade in July, 1862. Butterfield was not pleased with the call for "Extinguish Lights" feeling that it was too formal to signal the day's end. With the help of the brigade bugler, Oliver Willcox Norton, he created "Taps" to honor his men while in camp at Harrison's Landing, Virginia following the Seven Days' battles during the Peninsular Campaign.

Butterfield did not compose "Taps" but actually revised an earlier bugle call. The call we know today as "Taps" existed in an early version of the call "Tattoo" which had gone out of use by the Civil War. Butterfield knew this early call from his days before the war as a colonel in the 12th New York Militia. As a signal at the end of the day, armies have used "Tattoo" to alert troops to prepare for the evening roll call. Butterfield took the last 5 and a half measures of the "Tattoo" and revised them into the 24 notes we know today. The new call soon spread to other units of the Union Army.

Oliver Willcox Norton wrote about the experience later in his life:
"During the early part of the Civil War I was bugler at the Headquarters of Butterfield's Brigade,... One day, soon after the seven days' battles on the Peninsular, when the Army of the Potomac was lying in camp at Harrison's Landing, General Daniel Butterfield 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."

Villanueva further noted the potential ties between the word "Taps" and "Tattoo," or "Taptoe," but said, "More than likely, 'Taps' comes from the three drum taps that were beat as a signal for 'Extinguish Lights' when a bugle was not used." He hosts more information about his work on tapsbugler.com.

'I never knew ... DID YOU?'

The Facebook users who shared the fabricated story about the Union Army father and Confederate Army son copied and pasted a large block of text. That full, and completely unsupported, story read as follows:

I never knew ... DID YOU?

If any of you have ever been to a military funeral in which taps was played; this brings out a new meaning of it.

Here is something Every American should know. Until I read this, I didn't know, but I checked it out and it's true:

We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, 'Taps...' It's the song that gives us the lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes.

But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you will be interested to find out about its humble beginnings.

Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Elli was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.

During the night, Captain Elli heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely 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 it 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 burial, despite his enemy 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 bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes 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.

And a star.

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

I too have felt the chills while listening to 'Taps' but I have never seen all the words to the song until now. I didn't even know there was more than one verse . I also never knew the story behind the song and I didn't know if you had either so I thought I'd pass it along.

I now have an even deeper respect for the song than I did before.

Remember Those Lost and Harmed While Serving Their Country.

Also Remember Those Who Have Served And Returned; and for those presently serving in the Armed Forces.

Please send this on for our soldiers ... please don't break it.

I didn't!

For further reading, another fact-check article examined a true story claiming German and British front-line soldiers sang carols, exchanged gifts, and played soccer during a World War I Christmas truce.