The National tribune., 1888-05-03

dangers had met and SO persistently over
come. that I might once more enjoy the happi-
ness of being near her.
Remembering the Generals words, to arrange
with the signal officer about a few signals to be
exchanged over the river and report to him
when ] was ready, was anxious 10 find suit
able signal officer to whom / could conhde my
plan.
This was difficult matter TO arrange salts
faetorilv as I soon found out when l had dis
crcetly looked over the ground. There were
signal officers enough about headquarters, but
those whom ] knew seemed to be impressed
with the notion that their duties were merely
nominal while IN Winter quarters. Others Of
the corps were Of the opinion that the only
thing for them TO do was to carry on COM
mUuication between the different corps head
quarters and the general headquarters.
AT that time the Army OF the Potomac was
divided into what they called Grand Diyls-
ions" i do not now remember what these
were exactly, but ] recall very distinctly when
riding through the army, that AT 8 certain
beautiful evergreen pine grove there was
always TO be seen gorgeous banner hanging
out by the front gate Of a rustic fence which
the soldiers had built bearing the motto in big
letters Of gold Headquarters Left Grand Di-
vision Around this, almost fairly like a
Winter garden, were displayed several other
fancy banners bearing golden eagles and
numerous little guidons. with the corps insignia
in either red, white or blue, or perhaps all
three.
Back Of the fence, and almost concealed in
bower of the most artistic rustic work about
which was iutertwined evergrcens was the
gorgeous headquarters Of Gen. ". b. Frank
lin. OF course there was a telegraph signal
man here and more numerous staff chan there
was about the headquarters Of Burnside.
Old man Sumner had his headquarters in
house on the hilltop. This old General was
one Of the
NoELEsT ROMANS OF THEM ALL,
and put or less style than any Of the others.
He was quite an old uan, and seemed TO be so
kind that we ali became attached to him as we
would TO a good grandfather. / have seen and
overheard Gen. L. Y. Sumner talking with
Gen. Burnside IN a most tatherly way, con-
s0ling or eDdeav0riug 10 comfort and cheer him
up a litt3e in his great distress Of heart, very
much as an indulgeHt father would act toward
a disappointed boy. On the other hand Gen.
Hooker would charge mp to headquarters fol-
lowed by a lively slaG, and act in as belligerent
q manner as # he were the commander OF the
rebel array. Hooker and Burnside did not
seem 10 agree on anything, and when the two
were together for a consultation the staff ON
GERS who always accompanied Hooker attempt
ed to put on airs with the headquarters stat.
There was great deal Of this sort Of feel
ing that ]. as a hanger-On about headquarters
witnessed that has never been printed, officially
or otherwise, which might make interesting
reading IN the light Of the events which fol-
lowed.
All these different headquarters we're in COM
municatiCa with the general headquarters
through the Signal Corps code of field telegraph
not the military telegraph. These signal tele-
graphs were manipulated through the rubber
I'D rE.y1t h.
Of dial telegraph system, which was operated
by induction and without the aid Of a station
AIRY battery, necessary 10 the Morse system.
1t is 3 singular fact which is almost lost
sight OF now, that during our war this field
telegraph was operated On the induced cleo
trlcal current system, which is the basis Of
the great telephone patents. Instead Of the
voice vibrations causing similar vibrations
which are audible at the other end of wire,
the induction is made to defect a delicate
needle, which is noiselessly pointed 10 the let
tiers Of the alphabet on a dial In precisely the
same instant, so that it spontaneously CORE
spends with the revolutions Of the winding
disk ar the sending end. In this manner, It
viii be seen, a message can readily and quietly
be spelled ont letter by letter on the dial.
Compared with the more speedy Morse sys-
TEN, il was Of course a little tedious and slow,
as the needle could not act so quickly as the
ETmature, il having to reyolve once around the
entire face Of the dial for each letter. 1t had
the advantage over the Morse, however, that
almost any one could manipulate it with z few
hours trimming. We called these the coffee
miI telegraphs"
Since then the coffee-mill system has been
very greatly improved, and is worked on the
same principle that operates the Atlantic cables.
Instead u having the needle 10 revolve around
dial, il simply dips, as desired, either to the
right or 70 the left Of zero and IN this deli
cate way il quickly forms the two characters
which compose the Morse alphabet; the dip
70 the left being dot and that to the right
being dash. This principle has an important
bearing on the system Of signals that were IN
use in our army that enter somewhat into this
story, 50 that ] give IL more explanation than
otherwise would be necessary.
It WAS designed by myself that instead Of my
taking TIE great task and trouble Of hauling a
cable over the river to convey the Morse sig
mas, that ] should 90 over Independently, and
once saicly az home In Capt. Weiss house,
which Was barely discernible at the Lacey
House Cn this our side. ] was TO take position
81 certain window and. when alone and un-
observed, signal TO the Lacey House
WITH ny AIMS.
Those who have seen the signal flags and
torches operated VIII remember that there are
bit two simple motioDs-Oue TO the left and the
other % the right Of q perpendicular The
stroke down IN front merely signifies d stop OF
space. The stroke to the left IS called No
that % the right No 2 From these two ele-
mentg are formed Morse alphabet meaning
TIE dot. 2 the dash.
To aid the reader in unrsyeling some Of the
tangled and twisted threads Of this narrative
find taat i shall have 10 furnish a key.
4 propose 70 have little exhibition drill
ia some " the preliminaries Of the Signal
Service code as i was practiced in the
Army Of the Potomac. This class will there.
fore please come 10 attention while deliver !
preliminary lecture. The survivors Of the
Signal Corps viii be excused, as the sigma
Corps Veteran Association have for their his
tOrI4u an accomplished gentleman, Mr. J. vii
LARD Brown, who Is professor IN one Of the
Massachusetts institutions. ] shall therefore
OBly "elucidate" sufficiently 10 explain il
wonderful uses as connected with the secrei
service ii the enemy's lines.
i was by privilege 10 enjoy an agreeable per
sOnal acquaintance with Gen. Albert J. Meyer
who Is the originator Of al the practical. or
gained signal systems as applicable and adapted
70 the uses d armies IL the field There is on,
pO.lt not 70 be f0rg0tten-that we lead tht
armies o. the world ia this business
I received my GTst lessons from Gen. Meyer
and was detailed By him to accompany som,
visiting English officers 10 our signal station
to explain the modus operandi, and II was from
them that j learned this fact
Gen. Meyer was desirOus that those person
who lad been trained as felpgrersharg ehoni,