Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-08-02
CAUGHT BY suN.FL ASHES.

OAOSHl BY SUN-Fl ASHES.
How tho HeiIorraph Aided in tho Capture
Of Gcronlmo's Apaches.
AT this stage of the campaign Gem
eral Miles decided TO make use Of the
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 tho highest
peaks along the line OF Communication.
Bach station was equipped with from
TWO TO four operators, according to the
amount Of business which passed
through it. In addition TO these oper.
ators 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 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 Hash Of reflected sunlight on a
distan. point with mathematical exact
ness. In making signals long and short
sun-hashes take the places Of the dots
and "dashes' OF the magnetic sounder,
the same call being used for both in
struments. In clear atmosphere sig
nails made by this instrument can be
easily read by the naked eye at a dis
tance ofeighty miles. and by an expert
operator at the rate OF fifteen words
per 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.
presume IL would be a 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
lt first comprehend its true signif-
,ances AT last they began TO associate
hose flashes with the fact that they
we're constantly being pressed and har-
lssed, and within two weeks from the
late OF the establishment OF the hello
graph they fed southwark across the
sonora border, there 70 remain until
,hased back again by Captain Lawton
o the place Of surrender.
For nearly two months following the
light Of the hostiles into Mexico not a
iound came back from the shadows Of
he Sierra Madres, into whose depths
and pursuer had disappeared.
At last, on scorching hot morning
lear the close Of August, a Mexican
courier galloped into Bisbee-a mining
own near the border-with the intel.
igence that Geronimo and band were
n the mountains about twelve miles
rom Fronteras, Mex, wishing to treat
With the authorities OF Sonora.
There was a heliOgraph station al
Bisbee, and the information furnished
~ the "Greaser' was flashed promptly
o Fort Bowie, seventy-fve miles away.
Within two hours from the time Of the
lrrival I the Mexican courier at Bis
zee five troops Of cavalry were making
orced marches on Fronteras. When
Geronimo had escaped from the net
hat the United States troops sought TO ,
weave around him at Fronteras and
vas flying eastward, pursued by all the /
avalry in the field, a whisper passed
long the line that negotiations had (,
'een opened looking TO the surrender !
4 the hostiles. Consequently all sig. ;
al-men were on the tip-toe OF expect a
ncy.
One evening about the last OF August '
he operators at a station In the Swiss.
elm mountains were nodding lazlly d
nder the shelter OF their tent-Ay, when n
uddenly from the highest peak in the 4
'hiricahua range came the fash OF @
eliograph, and the following messag,
'as received: u
"Send blackboard 10 meet me at Scott /,
Yhites ranch. | shall be in Bowie il
,-night and shall bring some Indians =
ith me-" y
This IS the modest manner in which r,
eneral Miles announced the surrender h
Geronimo. That the employment Of d
le heliograph was most important =
.ctor in bringing the campaign 10 a =
,eedy and successful issue is generally b
,nceded.-Sergt. Whitney. IN Louis b.
ne COHrier-JOurHdL q