The National tribune., 1883-09-13
THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
Sequel TO Lieutenant Fish's Story-How Nc.
PhersOn Fell.


A Sequel TO Lieutenant Fish's Story-H0w Me-
PhersOn Fell.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
was member of the United States signal
corps and attached to the headquarters of the
Army Of the Tennessee and was therefore very
much interested in the letters of Lieutenant
C. II. Fish describing the operations of the
signal corps up TO the close of the campaign of
atlanta. Lieutenant Fish is very correct, so
far as l know, in his record of events trans
piring at that time. If ] remember right, he
was on detached service with the signal corps,
and after the capture Of Atlanta returned TO
his misunderstanding now to be regretted,
for had lie accompanied us 10 Savannah and up
through the Carolinas, TO the surrender of
Johnston at Raleigh, he could, being so able
writer. have continued the story TO the end,
and made il doubly interesting I viii not at
tempt that work in detail, lest l tax your pa
thence. 1 will say, however, that after the
Alabama trip leaving Hood TO be attended TO
by " Pap Thomas, we started on the march to
the sea, ana our legitimate duties as a signal
detachment ceased until we reached the coast
when we assisted, by signal, in the capture of
Fort McAlIister, on the 0geechee River, and in
opening communication with the gunbaats and
feet OF transports of 0ssabaw Sound, and the
writer had the honor of signaling the first
message direct from General Sherman to Ad-
D14T14 DaIlETGD ana AEEffSfdl G0SIET, VINO came
up the river on the first gunboat, our station
being on the roof of a rice barn on the bank Of
the river.
Through Georgia and the Carolinas our de-
tachments did scouting, orderly and staff duty,
and We're, IN fact, everywhere, anywhere and
anything. Our boys were well mounted and
armed with the Spencer carbine, and being a
brave and intelligent lot, were not afraid of
anything. and Il time and space would allow,
uf -s.l
and incidents they were connected with, that,
for daring, dash and bravery, would rank with
the best We were always at the front and,
among the infantry, gained the name of the
Smoke-h0ase Cavalry"
M'PHERsoN's DEATH.
have. at several different dates, read letters
/ in THE TRIBUNE IN regard 10 the death of
/ General Mcpherson on Juiy p, 1864. 10 front
! OF Atlanta and a number Of writers have held
! TO the opinion and tried 70 prove that he was
/ entirely alone, or accompanied only by his
private orderly. L thought when Lieuten-
/ ant Fish told the story that that would settle
/ IT. but il seems not; Tor IN your issue of august
/ Both, John = B9sT0Tth, company *, Fifteenth
/ Iowa, says he saw him with but single
orderly riding from the right and rear of our
! line and pass on to the left about five minutes
before he was killed" In as few words Is pos
slble, VIII you give the true facts OF the case
Tor I asas there, and not the only one either, as
/ Lieutenant Fish has told
About / o'clock p. IN. of that day, Capt O.
! II. Howard, chief signal officer, Army of the
1 Tennessee, together with Lieutenants Sampson
/ Fish, NeirTIck, Sherry, Allen, and Sergeant
4 Thompson, and six or seven men, were riding
towards the front along the railroad, and neal
the deep cut met the general who stopped
| and spoke TO Captain Howard. | think at thai
time none of the generals personal staff OF
3, Ans,
credence to the story that he was alone when
killed; they had al been ont in different direc
/ TONS with orders from the general as TO tht
forming Of the lines. While talking there
heavy firing suddenly opened on the left and
the general requested Captain Howard TO ac
company him and ascertain the cause. Accord
mgiy oiIr wAole party turned and followed hin
through woods for perhaps half mile, wher
we reached open high ground, and were i'm
nediately in the rear Of the Fifteenth Corps lin.
hotiy engaged with the enemy, who had charged
npon them while they were forming theil
lines. We stopped directly in rear of our mair
infantry line on the top of the hin, and from
there could see the lines for half mile or more
We staid there perhaps ten minutes long enough
TO see the Johnnies faII back from Logsn's from
with great many less in number than the,
came with, when the general made the re
mark Well, it's all right here; we will Sc
how it is farther TO the right"
Wetnrned and rode to the right mot the left
the general leading; entered piece of wood
, with thick underbrush by a barrow read, caus
ing US TO ride single fie and had not passed int.
the woods more than twenty rods, when shout
of " Halt Surrender" were heard, volle-
was fired, and General Mcpherson fell mortali,
| wounded. In the formation of the lines sher
I gap between the right of the Fifteenth and lef
of the Sixteenth Corps had been left, and it wa
through this gap that the rehs had advance,
, into the woods We rode upon them obliquely
and the general, being in advance, was th
, nearest them and the only one in the part,