Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-08-09
CAUGHT BY suN-FLAsHEs.
How the Heliograph Aided in the Capture
of Geronimo's Apaches.


signal service, and to this end request
ed the Chief Signal Officer to provide
him with detail of men from the corps
TO report to the commanding General
OF the Department OF Arizona for mill
tary signal duty in the field. Signal
stations were located on the highest
peaks along the line of communication.
Each station was equipped with from
two to four operators, according to the
amount of business which passed
through it. In addition to these oper-
stors there were lookout men who
swept the surrounding country and
neighboring peaks with powerful field
glasses. While on duty, operators and
lookout men were guarded by q de-
tachment OF infantry, the numerical
strength of which depended upon the
location of the station, having refer
ence to its liability to attack by hos
tiles.
Messages were transmitted from peak
to peak and down in the valleys by
what is known as the photographic
system Of signals. The heliograph, or
sun-writer, consists OF an arrangement
OF mirrors mounted on tripod, and so
adjusted as to enable the operator to
throw a fash of reflected sunlight on
distant point with mathematical exact
ness. In making signals long and short
sun-hashes take the places of the IDIOTS
and clashes" of the magnetic sounder,
the same call being used for both in
struments. In clear atmosphere sig
mails made by this instrument can be
easily read by the naked eye at dis
lance OF eighty miles, and by an expert
operator at the rate of fifteen words
por minute.
To and fro across the valleys and
lower mountain ranges fitted the mes
sages which told of the recent where
abouts of the hostiles, and close upon
the heels Of those messages came others
ordering the troops in pursuit.
Ipresume it would be difficult task
to try to imagine the surprise that the
Indians felt when they suddenly saw
that they could not move without find
ing that almost Immediately their trail
would be cut by scouting cavalry. They
saw the light of the photographs flash
ing across the valleys, but they did not
at first comprehend its true signif-
canoe. At last they began to associate
those flashes with the fact that they
were constantly being pressed and har-
assed, and within two weeks from the
date OF the establishment of the hello
graph they fled southwark across the
Sonora border, there to remain until
chased back again by Captain Lawton
to the place of surrender.
For nearly two months following the
fight of the hostiles into Mexico not a
sound came back from the shadows Of
the Sierra Madres, into whose depths
pursued and pursuer had disappeared.
At last, on a scorching hot morning
near the close of August, a Mexican
courier galloped into Bisbee-a mining
town near the border-with the intel.
ligence that Geronimo and band were
in the mountains about twelve miles
from Fronteras, Mex, wishing to treat
with the authorities of Sonora.
There was heliograph station al
Bisbee, and the information furnished
by the "Greaser" was flashed promptly
to Fort Bowie, seventy-tive miles away,
Within two hours from the time of the
arrival of the Mexican courier at Bis.
bee five troops of cavalry were making
forced marches on Fronteras. Wher
Geronimo had escaped from the net
that the United States troops sought t.
weave around him at Fronteras ant
was flying eastward, pursued by all tn,
cavalry in the field, a whisper passed
along the line that negotiations hat
been opened looking to the surrender
of the hostiles. Consequently all sig
nal-men were on the tip-toe of expect
ancy.
One evening about the last of Angus
the operators at a station in the Swiss
helm mountains were nodding lazil,
under the shelter of their tent-hy, wher
suddenly from the highest peak in thu
Chiricahua range came the flash of ,
heliograph, and the following messag,
was received:
"Send a blackboard to meet me at Scot
Whites ranch. l shall be in Bowl,
tonight and shall bring some Indians
with me"
This is the modest manner in which
General Miles announced the surrende
Of Geronimo. That the employment o
the heliugraph was a most importan
factor in bringing the campaign to
speedy and successful issue is general,
conceded.-Sergt. Whitney, in Louis
Utlle Courier-Journdl