The weekly sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1851-1869, 1864-10-01
The signal Cora IN sise Army.

Psonmr no clssr Of men employed in the srm>
are more useful than thoss engaged In the duty a.
sending army dispatches fross Que point to another
by means Of siensl Hags. These flags arc Of dfcr
ant COLOR. white, tlacs or red. to suit different
circumstance They are either four tcc' ar six iect
square. fastened to 'csnied poles the length ~
which can te increased or diminished a. rcqt'r~i.
Tho Officers In change NJ station ave
furnished with held.g,spes sud powerful
telescopes, by means OF which thcy can read
the signals from twelve u Eighteen. or
twenty miles distant. For night work torches arc
used. The operation Of tra1sW'ttns '''nr'' Is
performed In this manner Tho ris,.a~c +, scn' {"
the signal station, which Ia generally >-N'd . NE
highest treaL upon The lonicst noun = a. h'u iop
The O. nicer In charge ariangcs HIS KEY olon
circular pastctoord Instrument, markell "i'p WI
mcrals. when MI Ia ready, by tie snTning o. tNls
dsc, the proper numbers aypesr ard are called III
" he AsSmsn. This Gngmaa, Oh bca1ins the nuin-
Ter, Immediately places the Tag NJ the rpeuNn
indicated rais, waving toe Nag according 10 TO-.
number requiring j. Ia move from righs W iel' WIN
mean ace.lin word. Tho flag ID thon Straight
cnel ny, and sno'icr number called, which may
raise tee Tag alo,e the hearers head, or dr"p "
towards tie ground. Ags.u. some number called
ont, cnrs"s tho nngman To- make motion win inc
fae, that conveysa whole ~n'cn1s OF information.
to diGiaut STALLION where another signal ofihcW has
been reading oa, through his telescope. the mum
patch, nts looi.ins through his glass, calling on
thc numbers to his ,stani, who notce thcm down
upon the 'riol,i hook" When the entire message
has bcrn rce.vcd. The numbers sro iransmiucd 70
| the next stsacn, and On until rcsches
| the general to whom 10 rnt. Ihc
whole ti,nc occupied IN ~nd,ne ds-
patch Of thirty lines IL generally Len than a.
| many minutes. The fagmlu, Ay l,rnstant praeneo.
works rapidly, and the rca ,c, cal.s the numbers
with equal speed; and whore tfcrr arc two or more
othcers or tagmeu, n . station the 'r'essaee y
g,ssod on to the next =, is't as Ieo"'Sa 81:
| When the numbers reach Tie lNt station, she
| Key" ngnal Is sent over, and icing properly cd
juscj, the ohscr =, the receiving s.asAon can 'nen
write OF, fon or read the measagc 20, his COMMAND. .
A combination q. keys" 10 arranged betwccn two
commanding generals In Q manner that iusuIes
their dispatches against any chance o.
being road by even the officers makihs the o ynx ~
and ~ course II the rebcs saw them they would oe
unable " dcdpbcr han. For instances Gcnefs,
Sherman has arranged with General Howard
that IL. "key" to his dispatches shall DO sent un-
| der coscr Of particular word. Accordingly, when
that word Ia received, General Howard has the
'key" that unlocks the remainder Of the dispatch.
| On Monday morning Den. sherman may make use
o. key" that he dlscards in ,bc .nsineor; he
afternoon key" Ia known 70 General Howard
by the worn" that accompanies the mrs.
sage. II General Sherman desires to 'spesk
with" Goncral Logan, who may be sssuon.
words" may DO totally diGercut from those
used in communicating with Howard. Signal
officers by long practice Omen ab'o " abore
messages, caI-cis.y when they know that the ~
tion beyond IL comInandcd Us gu officer familiar
with the sbhrcv siions. A bysiandsr looking on
when = uessagc "a being sent, will see The naes 70
the hand o. Ms man near him waving rapidly. end
strain hH eyes Ia every direction W eco who're M
| persons are who are taking ''utses." He VIII ~
NO one, unlcss iavorcd by sight through the tese
scoJe of tho station. The great merit Of THIS Ye
lem 81 signalling consists In the secrecy with whct
messages may ic sent. and answers returned. o.
though II In equally advantageous In an enGe9e
ment when Hs;rci messages nrc n6 rcquroo, eeo
orders are rapidly saycd from one part a. IN
field ~ another. IL IL 81 tLis time thas tho sigma
= officers and men iu the grustost danger. Int
rubels have Nil offensive way 81 ntcrccTsing dis,
some sharpshoo.cr detailed 10 pick OF the flag -en
aud orsers engaged At the signsl station.