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 Taps
is a special GirlGuiding song that we sing at the end of meetings, and other special
Guiding events.
If it’s after sunset, we sing:
Day
is done, gone the sun
From the sea, from the hills, from the sky
All is
well, safely rest
God is nigh
If it’s still daylight, we sing Daylight
Taps:
Thanks and praise for our days
‘Neath the sun, ‘neath
the stars, ‘neath the sky
As we go, this we know: God is nigh
Sometimes we sing Taps in Maori: Haere Ra, e tea o,
E te
tai, te puke, te rangi
Kei te pai, piri mai
Te Atua The origin of the bugle call Taps in its present
form is generally attributed to Major General Daniel Butterfield who commanded
a brigade in the US Army of the Potomac during the Peninsular Campaign of 1862,
in the American Civil War. After a particularly hard fighting day as the weary
troops settled down for the night along the James River near Richmond Virginia,
the bugler sounded "Extinguish Lights" or what is more commonly called
"Lights Out". On this night Butterfield felt that this bugle call was
not as smooth, melodious, and musical as it should be. He felt that the day's
final call should bring comfort and peace to tired troubled men. With the help
of his bugler, Oliver W. Norton, Butterfield composed the music to what we know
today as Taps. Later in the Peninsular Campaign a funeral
was being held during a lull in the fighting. The bugler was ordered to play Taps
in place of the three volleys usually used to render the final honors to a deceased
comrade. This was done because it was feared that rifle fire might cause the enemy
to renew their attack. The playing of Taps was eventually written into Army regulations
as a part of the honours to be paid at a military funeral. While
there are no official words to the bugle call itself, the commonly used lyrics
are derived from the following verses: Fading light dims the
sight,
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh
Falls the night.
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from
the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.
Then good night, peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright;
God is near, do not fear
Friend, good night 
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