Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-06-02
THE RAMBLER
Things Seen
And Heard

ANU de6TQ
At the Memorial Day services at
the monument someone was heard
t. ask about the origin OF this Gus
tom OF firing three volleys and the
sounding OF TAPS by the bugler. in
salute to the departed soldiers. The
Rambler presents this explanation:
The number THREE has ever
been held to have symbolicaI and
mystical significance. There were
the THREE Graces, the Holy Trim
ity, and the frequent recurrence of
THREE in the Masonic ritual. A
ship before leaving her berth sounds
THREE blasts from her whistle, the
same number of whistles is the sa-
Lutte of one ship to another in pass
ing. We have always had the
THREE huzzahs or cheers. And.
bringing 1t down to date, the boy
starts his race with a lone, two,
THREE-go." and in baseball it is
THREE strikes and out"
In the funeral rites of the Ro-
mans the casting of earth THREE
times upon the coffin constituted the
burial. It was customary among
the Romans to call the dead THREE
times by name, which ended the flu
neral ceremony, after which the
friends and relatives of the deceased
pronounced the word "Vale' (fare-
well) THREE times as they depart
ed from the tomb. So today, when
a squad of soldiers fires THREE
volleys over a grave. they are, in
accordance with this old Roman GUS
tom, bidding their dead comrade
"Farewelr' THREE times.
The sounding of Taps" at mill
tary funerals involves deeply felt
sentiment-"rest in peace" In the
daily life Of the soldier Taps, signi-
flying flights out" announces the
end of day, implying that the cares
and labors of the soldier are ended
for that day. So does the sounding
of Taps at his funeral signify the
end of his day-the flights OUT of
his life-his "rest in peace"
There is no other call so beauti-
full, so significant, so replete with
associations of comrades dead and
gone, there is no other call that
arouses so much sentiment, SO many
emotions in the soul of the soldier,
as the sounding of Taps.
! Though most Of the bugle calls
| used in our army are of foreign
origin, being adaptations of French
| or British calls in most instances,
| Taps is a real American call. Our
soldiers in later wars and In times
OF peace have set words to it's plain
tive melody. The Rambler has seen
| many a hardened and calloused SOL
der stand silent with suspicious
| mist in his eyes. as the clear notes
| of the flights out" sounded across
the camp and died away in the calm
| night. There is a certain beauty IN
the words by themselves, which the
| soldier has provided for this, the
favorite call. but when one recalls
the strain, they carry their full ell
| fectiveness. Here's one:
Fades the light;
| And afar
| GOeth day,
| Cometh night;
And star
Leadeth all,
Speedeth all
To their rest.
One of the older versions, holding
a promise for the soldier:
| When your last
| Day is past
| From afar
| Some bright star
| Der your grave
| Watch will keep,
While you sleep
| With the brave
| The version most popular with the
younger army, and most often quot
ed in France:
Love, good night.
Must thou e.
| And the night
| Leave me so?
! Fare thee well;
Day IS done,
| Night is on.
| The custom of sounding Taps
over the grave of soldier did not
become general until after the Civil
war, the regimental history of the
old End Artillery shows:
During the Peninsular campaign
| in 1862, a soldier of Tidbalrs Bat
tery-"A" of the End Artillery-was
| buried at a time when the battery
occupied an advanced position, con-
cealed in the woods. 1t was UNSAFE
to fire the customary three rounds
| .. +bo ,r,xa On account of the