ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETARY (CBS) - Sounding taps at Arlington National Cemetery is the highest honor a military musician can have.
Taps was born during the Civil War at Berkely Plantation at Harrison's Landing, Virginia. Originally, the tune was never meant for funerals.
100,000 battle-weary Union troops were camped along the James River and their commander wanted a new way to signal the end of the day.
Union brigadier general Daniel Butterfield wanted the new call, and brigade bugler Oliver Wilcox Norton helped him compose one. Lyrics followed that began, "Day is gone, gone the sun, from the hills, from the sky."