During that night Captain Ellicombe had heard the moan of Soldier who lay mortally wounded on the field. Not knowing if it were a Union or Confederate Soldier, the Captain decided to risk his own life and bring the wounded Soldier back for medical attention.

Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, The Captain reached the stricken Soldier and began to pull him toward his encampment. When the Captain reached his own lines he discovered that that the man was actually a Confederate Soldier. Unfortunately the Soldier had died as the Captain was attempting to save him. The Captain then solemnly lit a nearby lantern so that he may see the deceased soldier.

Suddenly, Captain Ellicombe caught his breath and his body went numb with shock. In the dim lantern light he finally saw the face of the fallen Confederate Soldier. The face he saw was that of his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the War had broke out. Without telling his Father, he had enlisted in the Confederate Army.

The following morning the heartbroken Father requested permission from his superiors to give his fallen son a full military burial despite his sons eney status.

Captain Ellicombe's request was only partially granted. The Captain had requested that a group of Army Band Members be allowed to play a funeral dirge to honor the fallen son at his funeral. The request was denied since his son was a Confederate Soldier.

Out of respect for the Father, he was allowed to select only one musician. Captain Ellicombe chose a Bugler. The Captain asked the Bugler to play a series of musical notes that he had found on a scrap of paper inside the pocket of his dead son's uniform. The wish was granted. Those musical notes comprise the haunting melody every American Soldier now knows as "Taps". This melody is now played at all Military Funerals to honor the fallen Soldier.