Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-12-12
CAUGHT BY SUN !,
Use Of the Heiiograph In
Apache Gutnuat Nh

Use OF INC hetiOgraph n a.
Apache Campaign. - hlw
At this stage OF the can,.
Miles decided TO make use ~ agA Ca
service, and to this end rea :, we sigd
chief signal officer to provide iha 'a W
detail OF men from the corps 3 n viii,
the commanding general 81 ,h.poth
ment OF Arizona for military H., uepat
In the field Signal stations ,s s'snai da,
on the highest peaks along II. nv iaocaisd
communication. Each static, .se lne d
ped with from two TO four o,s.a. equip
cording to the amount Of b,,sin.ss 's &c
passed through it In addi,ion Which
operators there were lool,on, !. y laeA
swept the surrounding cn,,. ',eh WHO
neighboring peaks with novay and
glasses. While on duty opera, 'a deld
lookout men were guarded bv ! =. ald
ment OF infantry, the numerical ~, ssu'ci'
of which depended upon tho Ioo strength
the station. having reference IL l i. p, q
ity to attack by hostiles. 10 Ia1dl
Messages were transm;ttaa =
to peak and down into the ssl1a e's
what is known as the heliogranh;"a' ~ y
of signals. The heliograpI :, s,s'ea
writer, consists Of an arrsnn aln
mirrors mounted on trinod s'a ~" q
adjusted ms to enable tho o,ro anu
throw fash of reflected suni;., .a0f %
distant point with mathematical %
ness. In making signals L,ag ana 1 4
sun flashes take the place of ,ba .. suol
and CLASHES of the magnetic s. uoe
the same call being lsed for ho,h . Jug"
ments. In a clear atmosphere s p,s''g
made by this instrument can IL ', sga
read by the naked eye at a d;Stan .a'sl
eighty miles, and by an expert o s,ss Z
at the rate of fifteen words Der npn ,a1
To and fro. across the yallevs
lower mountain ranges fitted III ,a ~
sages which told of the recent ,ha' w
abouts of the hostiles, and close unon ny a,
heels of those messages came Other = !
oering the troops in pursuit.
| presume 1t would be n diff,cp,, j
to try to imagine the surprise ths, y. 4
Indians felt when they suddenly sa,v H.,
they could not move without findine NV Nv
almost Immediately their trail womb :
cut by scouting cavalry. They saw 4.
light of the heliograph flashing across ~
valleys. but they did not at first comn-a !
bend its true significance. AT last IS.
began to associate those flashes with Il,
fact that they were constantly beir,
| pressed and harassed, and within ,rs
weeks from the date Of the establisbmo.,
of the Photograph they fed soutbwssl
across the Sonora border, there to renal,
until chased back again by CAPT Iav,r
to the place of surrender.
For nearly two months FOLLOWING Il.
flight of the hosties into Mexico M, !,
sound came back from the shadows d
the Sierra Madres, into whose deptbsmr.
sued and pursuers had disappeared Al
last, on a scorching hot morning near M
close of August, Mexican courier mi.
loped into Bisbee-a mining town nea,
the border-with the intelligence M,
Geronimo and band were in the noun.
aims about twelve miles from Frontiers
Mex, wishing to treat with the author.
ties of Sonora.
There was a heliograph station at Bis
bee, and the information furnished !,
the "Greaser' was flashed promptly III
Fort Bowie. seventy-tive miles awoy
Within two hours from the time Of liz
arrival of the Mexican courier at Bste
five troops of cavalry were makhs
forced marches on Fronteras Wln
Geronimo had escaped from the net that
the United States troops sought to weave
around him at Fronteras, and was hyag
eastward, pursued by all the cavalry ID
the field, whisper passed along the lus
that negotiations had been opened lob
ing to the surrender of the hosie
Consequently all signal men were On tie
tiptoe of expectancy.
One evening. about the LIST Of August
the operators at a station in the SwBs
helm mountains were nodding la1lI
under the shelter of their tent fly, vlrs
suddenly from the highest peak in The
Chiricahua range came the flash u a
heliograph, and the following message
was received:
Send a blackboard to meet me ii
Scott Whites ranch. shall be in
Bowe tonight. and shall bring somelR
dams with me.
This is the modest manner in which
Gen. Miles announced the surrender d
Geronimo. That the employment Of ts
Photograph was most important lacla
in bringing the campaign to speedy ADD
successful issue is generally conceded
Sergt. Whitney in Louisville CoursF