New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-27
AboutA Amy Signals.
A correspondent writes from Sherman'S army

A correspondent writes from Sherman'S army
T. The Cincinnati CommereiaIs
This most interesting and useful arm Of tie military
eryice il, perhaps, less heard OF by the public than
sny other and its invaluable lohors well fire.
suent imminent perils, are alike unrecorded. and
therefore unappTccated. The signal officer who would
bring late and full news ~ tie Commanding General
t.ust undergo no. 4 little fatigue and hardship
lie must climb high trees 70 watch the eaemy;' he
must penetrate through tangled hcGets and forests in
search Of eligible stations; BIO must climb the sac "a
steep aud ragged mountains. and his bright and snowy
Gag fails Ia attract the Rebel sharpshooier me
when ne Il in TcGch which he must often be 10 seouIo
good post. or observe the enemy. o.
Whes once station is Established. his flag must
never drOOp by day nor h.s torch grow am ol .iE
ill be has orders from his CHIEF 10 abandon lis pos' oi
new one. &C..
sud vet 50 great is the mystery with which he must
sr.hroed his an 40 profoundly Sc, ret must ne Keep the
veirhtv messages and orders conded 10 him. and so
silent al operations. that the Woid ana even the
ermy know htte about him ne oi9Ae Is PROOF tEAilat
kle wilcs Of these universal, waking Interrogation
ponts the correspondents tbOUgh he above all Others
Is the raa whom they would delSht to BE- per
mttod TO fuse" But no has bis reward for all this.
Ia the clear upper air where he dwels he sees. rs
with hawks eye, the whole great drama played on,
bcacath him; he the long lines Of men CeplOycd
through the valleys and knows where they go ana why;
HI ewes fest upon the fed Of bate where the columns
o. attack Iish impetU0usy down wooded slope, GcIos
open tcd, ana up into another piece Of woods aud
al Is clear TO him and integi5c, while, to others WHO
must grove on The ground, there nothing bnt an eA
ssNcratilg mudlle.
sigma. stations arc of two knds-refccting stations
d patches. the latter for watching the enemy ana com
muuicatirg tho results to the commanded BON a.e
constructed on the same prnciiles ana onP'3 t''
same instruments. The latter are lew anu slhla,
Tie flag is made Of different colOrS 10 contrast w
the line OF the background white, black or red ne
one usually employed is but four iert square, oE Wv
largest II is made six feet square and mounted
Oh S third Joint Of staff to give II wider range;
The maine glass is used for scanning the horizon
RAPIDLY and making general observations; thc tciH
&c % Tor Cadiug signals az agieat distance ana Cd
serving fixed points infinitely Beside these there Il
certain nv SteTious pasoboard disc. stamped WIN
circle Of figures and sliding interior one OF l....s
corresponding each. This Is the Key and cine o. NE
whole matter, and to the uninsaied is Of course III
pcnetrah.c /. .ou. ,,a eoor.n
takes his station upon some elevated object ana CALI
the station with which he desires 10 communicate ~
waving tie flag or torch slowly TO and no. Inc Vp.i'
tor seated the glass watches closely the distant as
and rs responds by dipping, ne is retai 70
send lis Dispatch Holding the written message before
him he calls ont 10 the flagman certain numbers, oach
f-ure OF combination of figures standing for letter
The hagman indicates each separate heure oy an III
CegiOus combination Of a few very simple motions.
For instance one stroke of thctiag from perpen-
di,tlar TO q tight horizontal indicates one nsure
stroke to the ft horizontal indicates another; stroke
executing half circle another &c. AMER each motion
indicating figure, the flag returns always 10 peIHh
dicrar. There few syllables which are inde3!ed
b, single stroke Of the flag; Otherwise the "oIG must
be spelled ont letter by letter Experienced sgnid ON
cci.. however employ many abbIc, ations by emitting
VoN els &C., that scarcely single word unless
Vcry unused one. is spelled Ont IA full
y hen message is being received the operator SITS
at Tie glass with the fagman near 10 record H. Ihis
fhc operator then interpret for not even the General
himself 10 the secret and by supplying the omitted
vowcs &C.. makes out ineligible piece OF the hlnes
me rGn-dtv with which ell this is executed by expe
ricnoed 0pcrnlOrs is astonishing.
TIE flag IS kept in such rapd motion that the eye o!
She ncNpeIt scarcely follow. and his wonder Is IN
creased by being told that the reader Of whom lie can
not the slightest indication with ms naked eye ~
IL or II miles away. An ordinary message OF few [
lines Is DISPATCHED In ten minutes; whole page OF
Sooscap occupies about thirty minutes In its transmits
eiou Officers who have long worked together, and are
sut uatey acquainted with each others Authorizations
and peculiar expressions can improve upon even lhis
sped.
Tho distance also through which signals can be trans
Tnitt,d. without intermediate station, Is SUPPLYING
Hast Spring Capt Leonard, Chief signal Officer II the
4ih Corps sent dispatches regularly from Ringgoid q
SnmmeiYile on Lookout Mountain, "a distance of
eighteen miles Lieut.. VIM Rey noids formerly 81 The
10th Corps sgnaled from the deck Of guubOat twenty
miles into Porn Royal haibor.
" Daniels was sent by the Secretary OF W.r to /
heryland Nights to give Information Of the cueu!'s /
movements and lie succeeded ~ sending messages rap
idly over tie extraordinary distance of tNeniyi0ur
%. lcs-fFom the Nights 20 Sugar Loaf Mouniain-our
snles from Frederick. But these inetances require
markedly favorable conditions OF the atmosphere local
sty. Ordinarily messages ore lot sent greater
distance than six OF eight miles.
Last night dispatch was received from Gen. Scho-
&clds headquarters 10 Lost Mountain distance OF six
miles, and returned 10 Gen. HOOkcYs quarters directly
over which il had passed going ont and message re-
srrted to Gen. SchOIeld in twenty minutes from tie
time the inquiry left him. Gen. Hooker Is one mile
from General SchOfeld and directly between bin ana
tie mountain but intervening forest prevents direct
communication.
You need not hesitate 10 publish the above for fear Of
& Wing AID and comfort to the Rebels. Not even tie
1agmen themselves have the slightest knowledge Of the
import of the message they sending not general
in the army is let into the secret, unless he comes
bumbly as a student the signal officers them.
selves rcad the message sent 10 them unless they have
trs; had the cOuatersign or key given out daily
l.