Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-06-26
WITH SUNLIGHT AND TORCH.
Soldiers Flashing signals Along the
Potomac.
THE SIGNAL CoRrS IN COMPILATIONS ALONG
THE RIVER AND AT SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN
SENDING MESSAGES THROUGH THE AIR-THE
SIGNAL MEN WITH GEN. NILES

1h6 SI9NA4 CohtS In CAMP-STAT1ONS ALONG
THE RIVER AND AT SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN
SENDING MESSAGES THROUGH THE AIR-THE
SIGNAL MEN WITH GEN. NILES.
For the frst time since the war the signal ser.
vice Is being used as auxiliary TO the army
Gen. Miles, commanding the department of Ari.
iona, has now IL men of the signal service with
Ills troops In the Indian campaign. they have
been found OF great service in sending commu.
nicatiOnS IRON one distant point TO another,
and In this way much valuable time is saved IN
Conveying Information. signaling Ivy the hell.
oxraph by day and by torches at night has been
50 thoroughly mastered That hereafter sig.
nal servics men will he in demand TO ac.
Company troops whenever they are ON the
move. Five men were first forwarded 10 Gen
Miles, aud he was so we'll pleased with their
work that ne immediately telegraphed u the
War Deparin enL requesting six more, with all
the approved instruments aud Appliances ne
cessssly ior an extensive system vi army sig.
mailing. Heretofore there have only been
enough men In the signal service for the va
rious signal service stations, aud altuuus ia the
men were of course instructed in signaling De-
forethey were sent out 10 the ations still their
duties tuere, ana their location 1T widely sep.
arated stations did not give them All oppOrtu.
nifty of continuing the practice, except at the
stations along the coast, where IT was irequent-
ly necessary 70 colnlnu nicaLe with Vessels OF
the shore.
THE MILITARY SIGNAL COMPANY.
Recently, however. Gen. Hazen has adopted
the plan Of forming . compsny at Fort Myer,
who are TO perfect themselves In all kinds Of
improved visual signaling by the Morse conti-
utal Or English code, which has lately been
adopted Tor both the army and navy. THis
company Is now composed Ut thirty men, who
are specially Instructed and drilled in signal-
Ing. both BY day and night. On the lin OF
june military telegraph iiue WIS started from
Fort Mysr and extended towards Great Fails.
The special company WAS sent out ulUn this
line, An. II has Oeen In active operation since
then. The terminus ot the line Is ut u vol Mt a
mile and arhaif from the village vi Potomac, or
md mil ast L.
There ID regular military camp at the Lerlui-
nus, which has been named Camp Bidule, in
Mysr ,un ns ssvni has S ANNA =. For;
at Great Falls called Camp Hazen, after the
Chief signal officer.
THE CAMP ON SUGAR LOAF.
detached camp Is also located on Sugar
Loaf mountain and from this point to Camp
Biddle and also 10 Fort Myer q system OF sig
mailing IL in operation. Lieut. Wright Is In com.
mand Of Camp Aazen. near Great Falls I,ieut
Weber commands Camp Biddie aud Lieut.. FL.
lis Sugar Loaf camp, Lieut. Mitchell the station
a. Fort Myer, while Lieut. Thompson has
charge Of the entire system. The deiachments
vi men are constantly being changed abouL
from one station " auol her so that they nave
AN opportunity vi participating in all the differ
ent brAnchss vi the work. or course Camp Bid.
with Fort Myer and also with the Office Of the
Chief signal officer, and the signals from Sugar
LOAF mountain u Camp Biddle can be trans.
mliled ~ once " headquarters. BY day COM
mort<Ation Is Kept up with the station ut Su-
gar Loai from Camp BiddIs aud also from Fort
AyeTs distance Ot thirty miles ia AN air line.
SIGNALING WITH TORCHES.
Communications have been sent from Camp
Biddis u Sugar LOAF vt night by means Of
torches, the men At the distant station readily
reAdinx the signals. The men At Camp Biddie
could not receive their replies, however, on ac-
count vi the haze, which usually surrounds the
mountain at night thus preventing the flames
OF tneir torch iroin being visible. The men
have recently been testing q new method of
transmitting the signals by means OF Hasi, lam
terus. lhe line viii not 10 kept In operation
longer than The t~enly-sevepth Of this mon L.
whea the company viii break camp aud return
20 Fort Mysr W be mustered and paid Off. Gen.
HaSsu ieeis particularly pleased with the work
that ~ being done, aud il confident OF being
aOie 70 place cOrps OF competeuL and thorough b.
iy trained siynai men in The field at momenl' =
notice.