Which Civil War bugler first performed the melody that became “Taps”?

Oliver Willcox Norton first performed the melody that became “Taps.”

Norton was a Union Army bugler serving under Brigadier General Daniel Butterfield. In July 1862, Butterfield developed the new melody at Harrison’s Landing in Virginia and asked Norton to play it for the brigade. Norton’s performance helped introduce the call to other units.

The melody was an adaptation of an earlier signal used to mark the end of the military day. Its gentler sound appealed to commanders, and it spread through the Union Army during the Civil War. After the war, it became increasingly associated with funerals and memorial ceremonies.

The distinction between composer and first performer matters. Butterfield is credited with composing Taps, while Norton is credited with first playing it. The call later became standard at military funerals and is now strongly associated with Memorial Day and other national remembrance occasions.