The history of 'Taps,' played at countless American military ceremonies, has Utica ties

1862, 161 years ago

A haunting 24 notes

(In the southeast corner of the 2,000-acre Sakura Park in New York City stands a bronze statue of Maj. Gen. Daniel Butterfield, a Civil War hero born and raised in Utica. It was sculpted by Gutzon Borglum, designer of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota. There also is a monument honoring Butterfield at the Berkeley Plantation on Route 5 in Charles City, Virginia. It's unusual for a Confederate state, Virginia, to pay tribute to Butterfield, a Union Army officer. Here is why he is so honored.)

It was a sultry summer night in July 1862 at a Union Army camp in Virginia during the Civil War, when suddenly the stillness was shattered by a lonely bugle call. The sad, haunting melody had never been heard before, but the troops nearby knew that it was telling them that their day's work was done. It was time for them to extinguish lights and retire for the night.

That historic event — a new bugle call being played for the first time — took place on July 2, 1862 (161 years ago last Sunday) near Harrison's Landing on the James River as it flows through the Berkeley Plantation. Today, that bugle call is called "Taps," and is played countless times daily throughout the world — at military funerals, memorial ceremonies, and at the end of the day at military bases at American flag-lowering and "lights-out" ceremonies. The bugle call's 24 notes were composed by a man from Utica — then 31-year-old Brigadier Gen. Daniel Adams Butterfield, with an assist from his bugler, 23-year-old Pvt. Oliver Norton.

At the time, Butterfield commanded the Army of the Potomac's 3rd Brigade, consisting of the 12th New York Regiment, the 44th New York, the 16th Michigan and the 83rd Pennsylvania. Maj. Gen. George McClellan, the Potomac's commander, had ordered a retreat to the Berkeley Plantation after having faced a fierce Confederate army in the Seven Days' Battle.

Butterfield was not in a very good mood that first night at Berkeley. He had been wounded on June 27 at the Battle of Gaines Mills (and later was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery there), he had lost many men in the fighting and he did not agree with McClellan's order to retreat. At the end of the day, he called Norton to his tent and told him that he did not want him to play the current bugle call for "lights out." Butterfield never did like it. It was too lively, he had said. It was not soothing. He wanted a bugle call that was more comforting.

He could not read or write music. Months earlier, though, he had whistled a tune to his wife who had written the notes in pencil on the back of an envelope. Now, that first night at Berkeley, he handed the envelope to Norton, who played the tune on his bugle. The two men made some changes until Butterfield got the exact melody he wanted. He then ordered Norton to play the new "lights out" for his brigade that night. Norton later wrote: "The music was beautiful 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." And so was born "Taps."

1923, 100 years ago

Statue unveiled

A statue of former U.S. Vice President James Schoolcraft Sherman (1909-1912) — a native of Utica and graduate of Hamilton College — is unveiled at the Parkway and Genesee Street. His grandson and namesake, James S. Sherman, pulls the cord that unveils the statue, which was designed by George Brewster and paid for by donations from Uticans. Elihu Root, of Clinton, is the main speaker.

1948, 75 years ago

Brown appointed

Arthur W. Brown, of Sheshequin, Pennsylvania, is the new head of the English Department at Utica College (today Utica University). He replaces John A. Tallmadge, who has been acting department head since the college opened in September 1946.

More: 'Let us then proceed' with building the Erie Canal: This week in Mohawk Valley history

1973, 50 years ago

Spartano named

Jim Spartano is named baseball coach and assistant to the director of athletics at Utica College.

A new Seneca Plaza Shopping Center opens on Seneca Turnpike (Route 5) in New Hartford. It features a Grant City department store, a Chicago Market and a Carl's Drug Store.

1998, 25 years ago

Boilermaker winners

Khalid Khannouchi of Morocco wins the 21st Boilermaker Road Race. The 26-year-old finishes in 42:57. Lornah Kiplagat, of Kenya, defends the women's title in 50:06.

Other winners include: Peter Koech of Kenya, men's masters in 47:16; Jane Weizel of Fort Collins, Colorado, women's masters in 53:21; Tony Nogueira of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, men's wheelchair in 36:41, and Jessica Galli of Belle Mead, New Jersey, women's wheelchair in 52:06. Top local men's finisher is Chris Getman, a native of Ilion, in 48:29. Top women's finisher is Christine Sisting of Holland Patent, in 54:24. Race Director Earle Reed says the race attracted 8,629 runners and 7,340 finished.

Jennifer Buehler of Oriskany Central High is named "player of the year" on the All-Mohawk Valley Softball Team. She pitches the team to a Section III, Class D championship. Oriskany's John Egresits is named "coach of the year."

More: A memorable lunch on the White House lawn: This week in Mohawk Valley history

Boonville soon will have a new village and town building. Supervisor Harlan Bellinger says the 7,700-square-foot building on Route 5 will cost $400,000 to $500,000. Village Mayor David Ernst says that it is no secret that more office space is needed.

Jerry Dawes of Clinton is elected president of the Land of the Oneidas Council, Boy Scouts of America. Other officers include: John McMonagle of Rome, commissioner; the Rev. Raymond Roberts of Holland Patent, commissioner emeritus; Eugene Quadraro of Utica, executive vice president; Michael Buckley of New Hartford, treasurer, and vice presidents Ricardo Rosero of Sauquoit, Dave May of New Hartford, Peter Tamburro of Oneida, Gary Scalzo of New Hartford, Robert Hanna of Sauquoit and Susie W. Brown of Clinton. Peter DiGiorgio is legal counsel.

2013, 10 years ago

Rome celebration

Carl Eilenberg, former mayor of Rome, is named grand marshal of the city's Honor America Days celebration. Actually, he is the man who started it all by planting the seed that grew into the event it is today by wanting to expand the Fort Stanwix Days celebration.

The Mohawk Valley American Red Cross has two new members on its board of directors: Vicki Brown, an administrator at Herkimer County Community College, and Air Force Master Sgt. John Mills, with the Eastern Air Defense Sector at the Griffiss Business and Technology Park in Rome.

The Presbyterian Home of Central New York honors its volunteers. Arline Kelly is named "volunteer of the year." Virginia Emmert and Ken Dickson receive the Emlyn Griffith Award. Jack Kernan is "volunteer of the year" for the Presbyterian Residential Community. And Jeanne Jones is honored for 22 years of service.

Trivia quiz

Who was the first U.S. president to use an iPod? (a) Ronald Reagan, (b) Bill Clinton, (c) George W. Bush or (d) Barack Obama. (Answer will appear here next week.)

Answer to last week's question: Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States from 1801-1809, could read, speak and write four foreign languages: French, Greek, Latin and Spanish.

This Week in History is researched and written by Frank Tomaino. E-mail him at ftomaino221@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Bugle call 'Taps' has a Utica connection. Mohawk Valley history