Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-16


corps during the war. lie was detailed by an
order issued by General George B. Mcclellan,
August l6, 1861, which provided for detail of
Two officers and four enlisted men from each
regiment: Of the Pennsylvania reserve corps
and from few regiments from other states.
then In camp near Tenleytown, ID. c. The
writer was detailed from company 1. tenth reg
iment, Pennsylvania reserve corps, and has now
oeen connected with the service over twenty
eight years
r. Inc detail went into camp just beyond the
Ienieytown toll gate. off to the right of il
ABOUT half mile. We remained there until
august 81, when We moved our camp to Red
NH, near Georgetown. ID. c., and there estab-
ilsned what became the noted signal camp OF
instruction" and where about one hundred
commissioned officers and two hundred en-
listed men received instruction in aerial sig-
nsllng during that fall and winter The Off
GERS used. IN practice, a short wand or stick
ABOUT feet long. and the enlisted men a white
nag ABOUT feet square. with black or red
center, attached to a staff II or l6 feet long
The enlisted men were required simply to in
dictate certain numbers by certain motions of
the nag. These numbers we're announced to
them oy an ofhcer or an enlisted man who had
acquired knowledge OF the various combina-
tons OF numbers used 10 represent the differ
ent letters OF the alphabet. The officers how
ever, were required not only TO read the num-
bers indicated by the motions of the flag but
also to translate these numbers into words and
sentences.
WHERE THE CAMP WAS LOCATED.
Our camp was situated on a beautiful green
sward to the left of the road leading out of
Georgetown toward Tenleytown. rising to quite
an eminence on the west side and from which
is one OF the most magnificent views OF the Po-
tomac river and Washington CITY that can be
nao from any point near the capital Every
day there could have been seen groups of Of
ncers sitting under the trees and in the open
neid swinging the mystic wand from side to
sue, while others, ew rods distant, en-
deavored to decipher the various motions made
and In their turn send back an answer to the
message. This practice. so far as the enlisted
men especially were concerned. soon became
very monotonous. as the motions of the flag
were soon learned by any man of ordinary in-
telllgence. But constant practice was required
ana sometimes man would become stubborn
and refuse to drill any longer The guard
mousse, however, was near at hand and such
nagmen were promptly incarcerated (or at
least threatened with confinement and given
ample time TO reflect upon the proprsety OF in
suDordlnatlon In refusing to swing the flag.
HoBoKEN's LITTLE REBELLION.
There was one man from Hobosen, NJ.
Che was nick-named "Hoboken"). who verv-
frequently failed to see the necessity for so
much flag practice and would simply inform
the instructor that he was tired and did not
propose to swing his flag any longer and would
deliberately lay down his staff and flag while
he reciined at full length upon the grass. The
instructor was q man who had a slight lmpedi-
ment IN his speech. and when Hoboken refused
to practice he would say, "Ho-ho-bok- bok-en
1. L, I'll re-re-po-port You o-to-tO Ma-ma-maior
My-my- myer. Where upon Hobokon would
declare IN very strong terms that he cared but
very little for Maj Myer or any other major
and that If he (Maj. Myer) would just come out
to the drill grounds he would show him some
OF the best tagging he ever saw and would
convince him in short notice that he (Hoboken)
had no further need of drilling.
THE FORCE IN CAMP
When the camp was first organized there
were only about twenty-five officers and fftv
enlisted men in camp, but in December of that
year the officers and men under instruction
numbered some three hundred The camp
was under the general command of Mai Albert
j. Myer, signal officer CT the army and author
OF the system Of signals used by the federal
forces during the rebellion. But in his absence
FIRST Lieut.. Samuel I. Gushing of the second
United States infantry had command. He was
quite young man at that time, West Point
graduate who had acquired a knowledge of
Maj. Myers system of military signaling in
New Mexico during the Navajo Indian expe-
dition the year before the war. He was
very strict and withal very kind to
IL
tober a number of horses were procured
and nothing delighted Lieut.. Cushing more
than to take his position in the center of a
ring, around which the men we're required to
ride single double file, as the command
might be. He had whip with a long LASH
which he used quite freely, and often to the
discontinue Of man who had no experience
IN horsemanship. 1t not infrequently hap
pended that under a stroke OF this whip a horse
would start on bee line from the ring and
t1Ar - Il
ground, while the horse would make his way
to the corral or stable. Many laughable scenes
of this character occurred. but in a short time
the men generally became fair horsemen and
throughout the war were never more at home
than when on horseback bearing dispatches TO
their officers in the field, thanks to Lieut.
Cushing. who is today a valuable and efficient
officer of high rank in the commissary DEPART
ment of the army. The corps was a mounted
one, and from the nature of some of its duties
required its members to be at home In the sad
die.
HE HAD HIS HANDS IN HIS POCKETS.
Major Myer had opened an Office in Wash
ington where he could spend the day to better
advantage than in camp in perfecting his plans
for the organization of his corps and in secur-
ing and testing signal apparatus. He would
ride out, however, to camp nearly every even
ing and sometimes late at night. and would
often come to the writer's tent and make special
inquiry as 10 what udO Deen gong on during
the day. He seemed to make a confdant of
me. On one occasion, after had been talking
to him for some time, put my hands into my
pockets, when he imme diately spoke in a COM
handing voice and, naming me. said, ''lou
should never talk to an officer with your hands
in your pockets" He then laughed and re-
marked that the evening was cold and that
had been standing in the open air long enough
and babe me good night.
TOO MECH SWEARING.
The writer was detailed for clerical duty
few days after the camp was organized and
spent the winter in a wall tent that had a good
floor and was furnished with a stove, a cot and |
a pair of blankets, also with a field desk and
the record books usually kept at a compsny's
Headquarters. This tent being more comfort |
able than many others in camp l had many |
visitors, some Of whom were more ANNOYING |
than entertaining. On one occasion an officer |
who was somewhat noted for his use OF pro- |
fame language came in and, having laid him. |
self down on the cot with a view to pleasant |
lounge, began to swear most vigorously about |
something which had just occurred outside. |
Lieutenant" said /, there is entirely too |
much swearing done in this camp, and have |
made UP my mind that the practice shall not |
be INDUCED in in this tent" He looked Up in |
amazement, and, rising to his feet said: BY |
c. you are right" and left the tent as if |
convinced that my purpose could not be car |
ried out while he remained
THE CLOCK NEVER STOPPED.
In February, 1862, q heavy storm OF wind |