The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-09-05
THE ART OF WAR nGPRovN,

THE ART OF WAR INPROvNr
TIE Use Of Signals in the Army-Dsscrit
tfon Of the New system - InsroAuo<&
IN the United states Army. ok
Congress has recently added, by the sppointmsnt o.
signal officer, charged with tslegraphc duty 70 our
tary means for offence or defence land thu Of
communication The step worthy Of noss and rsoo}
nrt thus formally taken by in preosdenos Of
Powers Of Europe There points Of interest, too
the general reader rs In view that no. u ssandi
army only but the State forces Of the dinursns aas
slai by and by have their drilled and pracsiosd sgr
officers ana there Is not now able bodied an ssar
citizen in the republic whose life may nos IN GO q VI
some day hang upon the transmission Of signAlsd ord
We have never used signals In Land service In Z
wars through which our army has bstted and h ths h
tiites Of the frontier we have had rsaAy OK
nun ication than in the Revolution We have nos bcE
able tn send one word Of any order, or Of any inbv
,'cn unless man could carry IL. We may have tr.
twice the plans used In Europeshe porabss ~
phore Of the French post will arms like thas q sal
Island, only Iighter-or the English mast, With Uos
yard and balls. These thing hxsd In ~ plaos,
practically useless 70 army In motion. rhs slso4
wires were laid before Sebsslopoi, and wire sSsechs
short poesnot spun ou At this place from horssba
rs many believe-b acx of Solierino. they Wspst
OF use from established positions. d
II is not OF record up 10 this time that any army b
world has gone into the H. Id with equipment sm
10 be readily ~ hand and 10 be put in u am
any time anywhere, by any practiced ocsr, FOR svss
purposes Of conversation In service nrst have b.
devised and put practice such methods Of signAlxf
ar render this feasible.
The proposed results Of this American army PIN
ned signAlizing curious and interesting. sin,
officer and one enough for any station fhsy
ride up at the gailop, or come up on foot - Il
run. The officer carries glass; the man wet
slung hts shoulder slender package about Soor 4
long; At his side hangs . canteen and canvass poo
The equipment 10 simple and light enough, certainly II
carries everything that be needed for use IN dAy
or darkness the order y given the apparatus ~
ed and ready for In the hands of the IN - u
three minutes. The cfAcer u down with hs ga0 swef
ping the country fixed the next signal slAti6
There no other delay Thsre Is point in visw VIII
ten miles but 70 which any signal OF agreed meaning
any message 90 at once Tho answer oomas bank |,
similar signals II y talking BY signal n there ha n
take IL % noticed. II the message n mot Understood \
repeated. can 70 from station 70 station fbg my nj
almost soon IL leaves the nrst II can b back 4
correction In . couple Of seconds assr the signals VII
sent il are finished II dies over mountains md b.
between stations not In view Of each sshsn |.
signal 10 made 1t the NOT instantly know. - II
other There few chances for A. night COD
the signals working far into the dusk mail gf
VIII show; there ID . moments pauss; single joins
the stat y altered couple Of lights placsd, aAd
messages 30 on taking up where the Ast signal IN 81
I'll morning. In tho dawn, when the lights ere fAdiE
there another STOP the Joint 10 adjusted, and h
mute from the time Of tho last night signal Tbs staion
again in working day order without losing word. N
not easy 70 stop these signals the station O. - q
at ell They were speeding over New York harbw an
last and fall through the stnvms and gass Of
season. Mary . skipper viii remember tbs sssang
acting nasr and the lights he saw. 1t night 10 MI
and wondered. Musketry Ore cannot chsok thsm, o.
hail Of grape and canister fhs chances ass nmstyn
in hundred that not ball touches slaves q Ss-|
mot Of much ooosedusnce IL IL docs, unless sanihh
thcm-apd when night comes, there ere neisAss gas
nor renecsors 70 bs broken. When ths ground y b.
field signals show we'll upon 70; equally veil WIN 10
covered with snow. they ON Be ussd On houssssps
stsspiss, from hills in valleys, IRON sny orag
peak 70 which . man can climb. tree top 4 BY
means bed signsi station. An officer cAn keep up
. marching column, integibIy signalxing al ~ tir
He can send word 70 the shore from passing steam
sence he pleases Reconnaissance he reportsA n
the spot IL 10 made and the position Of the ensmy m
known ~ soon IL 10 detected TrooOs en-
nan@uvred By signals. Reserves can bs ordersd
In q moment The engineers running tho linss q . q
vey; the ofnoers with exploring parties scattered o.
the country, the indivda whom inclination o. ID
have separated, oan, In view a each oshsy, tsl "
wishes wants with ease that hes harxy b
dynn mai NJ Thava n -hw N-sa~
regiment On the longest siege line should mot b
pentary Communication With The oonmasdsr. nsss
not city OF fort In The Cnissd sasss bus 70 winch
nom which messages oould come, shoueh - hvssA
by she ooabissd foross n Europe. Adaits.e even y
sbls objscsioa and obstacle M power - sv passA
accomplish hes results 10 . military sdvssss e |
tsrsss V the service and 70 the nation.
me signal package ID osrrisd thas sv<yshhg nay
~ hand compact and perfect for work u NE aaesa a
tAnOs not he intention hat oosvs should - In,
ted 10 its psculiv ussa nsy vii NE ssnals bsssd
every principle Of sgnaisins. rhs raags y minHsb1
Tue messsses vil 60 Hsssrs y shs sssssisy, b susk
like has Of the indians. with seus frou = inp
vised apparatus of shirt and nusksA waitne -
and kerchsf ON do good sarviss; nssneo I've ~
sent Sin miles BY such msans; or . nas VITA hb osss
makas good ss@sphors fov reasonable dh>ansm q.
the night, thers signal lishss, post aru vm
swer; o. ihs brands nom cAsp ars win - aay ss<
sion. ana farnisA every signal fs ths rsspssss ~ q
denssss of logs, there ase sigssb ~ seusA M s1au
ncatsoa can hardly b permAseatly latsruy4sd. Nor
We believe . nss>gs carefully ssns O. b dssssasd
Eshtsen miles IRON Napo,son - waassloo NJ n
foross undss Grcuchy. signailsd order miekt b.
ohanes1 ths destiny n nusops. could havs euns
aay stns Aat day, ed Ne answering signals have
kpowlsdgsd ~ reoepsson n - sAaa - ninuSss
ne nslsA bsscrs sseassopsi ssas ns1nesn ev
their linz, six miles IN isassh, 6n supssmbsr u.sn
n February. ney were building ssmaphorss a bsaX
The seet, thy ~ Prom their headquarters "a M D.
Of thcss lines communicating might have be. ops.
nom ths time The troops were nxsd In position.
me Ausirians lost solfssino, shey think, bsosuss
orders could net enough reach ths reserve q cAv
ana me points are In rsv, end four a. Eve nils
tAnt Ths reserves could have been called N nsss
they needed Fos L. surrssssrsd bsfsrs NJ "
u wsshingsoa, standing rsaAy 70 rsIssve H. bsosuss ~
word could NOT BE- busns svvs ~ Hsdssa n co..
have bsea ssat win hAndserchisf.
For three long hoars The fAss a Lucknow sremss~d