Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-05-25
From the Army of the Cum
herIaHd.

SIGNAL DEPARTMENT,
CAToosA SPRINGS, May 5th, 1864
EDS. CHRoNIcLE:-On Tuesday the 18th
inst, at an early hour, the Grand Army
of the Cumberland, numbering men,
was set in motion. The 4th Corps had
been stationed at Cleveland, Tennessee,
for few weeks, or rather, Gen. Howard's s
Headquarters were there, while the troops
were scattered along the R. R., on either
side of the town. This was truly beau
tiful place, and the majority of the inhab-
itants were Union people. For some rea-
son, the scourge of war had not produced
such a desolating effect here, as else
where. True, business was suspended,
and nearly all the men and boys were in
the army; but the natural beauty of the
place remained the same The roads are
inexcellent condition, and the army seems
in fine spirits, and confident of SUCCESS
There appears to be nothing wanting to
make this campaign a decisive one The
baggage Of officers has been cut down to
less than half what it was one year ago
The six mule wagons which numbered
the roads for miles last year, and could
almost be numbered by thousands, have
now been reduced TO hundreds. A regi-
ment which eighteen months ago, had
twelve wagons, and three ambulances,
with seventy-two mules and six houses,
now has three wagons and eighteen mules
and no ambulance. True, we have sup
ply train, ammunition train, and ambu-
lance train; but our transportation has
been reduced to more perfect system
than ever before. The soldiers have
learned to do with less luggage the officers
take nothing but light valises. leaving
what is not actually needed, behind, un-
til the campaign is ended. Thus the
army moves rapidly, and you may expect
TO hear that it will strike harder, oftener,
and more together than ever before
Gen. Howard and staff, in advance of the
Corps, reached the enemies pickets at IL
NJ, yesterday, one mile beyond Catoosa
Springs. The signal party always accom-.
panies the General, and during cam
paign compose part of his staff and body
guard. A light reconnaissance was made
which resulted in driving in the rebel
pickets by a portion of our party, while
another succeeded in opening communi
cation with Ringgold, some four OF five
miles distant. And for some of our friends
at home, who do not understand the op
erations of war in detail, will describe
the business and duties of the sigma
Corps, as briefly as possible. A code o.
signals, with flags in day time, and torch
es at night, has been established, by
which, messages are sent distance, vary
ing from one TO twenty miles. This il
done from the summit of high hills OF
mountain ranges by the aid of powerful
glasses, when the distance is great. The
motions of the flag to right or left, o.
front, is easily seen and read by the off
Ger at the opposite station. YESTERDAY
we cleared the brush from the top of {
hill near by, and commenced calling
the station at Ringgold. Calling cosist
in moving the flag back and forth unit
attention is attracted. This we done fol
two hours without success, until we hi
upon the plan of making smoke sowt
gathered a huge pile of pine boughi
which soon sent up smoke SO black tha
in less than Eve minutes we had their at
tention and sent message telling where
the 4th Corps was, and asking where Gems
4 Thomas and Hooker were. Since then
messages have been sent quite often
Our duties are light, and very pleasant
and we consider ourselves fortunate sol
diers in being assigned to this branch o
the service still we are not anxious tha
the war should be prolonged on our &C
count, for even to US, ''there is no plac,
like home"
! But l must not close this letter withou
speaking of this famous watering place
for famous it no doubt was, though l con
fess that | was ignorant of its existence
until yesterday. In the center of an en-
closure of some sixty acres, pleasantly in
terspersed with forest trees and ever
greens, standing on slight eminenc'
may be seen the principal building of tn
premises, surrounded by a great numbe
of small ones, making in all quite vii
Iage. The large building was the Hotel
and is two hundred feet in length by on
hundred and fifty in width, and fou
..-:o, L;ob p,,t What Is most wonder