![]() When he arrived, the Army assigned Edwards to Company K, 136th Infantry Regiment. ![]() Army on at Camp Cody, near Deming, New Mexico, where the 34th Infantry Division had been training and preparing for service in Northern France. Born in the nearby community of Forreston in 1896, Edwards entered the U.S. On Jin the town of Italy, Texas, a young farmer, Edwards registered for the Selective Service. One of triumph, duty and most importantly, remembrance of America’s contribution a century ago to make the world safe for democracy.Īt some point in the late 1950s to early 1960s, Edwards began to describe how he received an order straight from General Pershing on the morning of Novemto blow “Taps” at 11:00 a.m. ![]() Through the course of my research on the horn’s owner, however, a much richer story has emerged. Sadly, I was disappointed to learn that the bugle’s story must be apocryphal for the simple reason that no record can be found to show that a bugler played ‘Taps’ at Pershing’s headquarters that day at that hour. As we turn to the centennial celebrations of November 11, 1918, I became immersed in a research effort to learn more about the horn’s owner. It is an important artifact, but not for the reasons for which it has long been celebrated. It comes down to us through the decades as one of the signature artifacts of the nation’s World War I efforts. This object, like so many others in the Smithsonian, is imbued with a deep story of human interest. Fingerprints of the bugler are still visible on the surface of the bell, along with dents that the former owner, a soldier named Hartley Benson Edwards, apologized for, since the bugle “always hit the ground first.” Countless soldered repairs are visible along the assorted joints of the instrument, the plating on both the mouthpiece and horn are worn clear away. The bugle bears the marks of age and much use. on November 11, 1918, signaling the end of World War I. Within the military collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is a much-loved, well-traveled bugle that allegedly by order of General John J.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |