It all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain
  Robert  Ellicombe 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 Ellicombe heard the moan of a soldier who lay
  mortally 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. Suddenly, he 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, he 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 partially granted. The captain had asked if he could
  have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for the son at the
  funeral.  That request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. 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 his dead son's
  uniform.

  This wish was granted. This music was the haunting melody we now know as

  "Taps" that is used at all military funerals.