The Portland daily press., 1895-03-07

Describes an Interesting Phase Of Army
Service
The quarterly meeting and banquet of
the Maine Commandery of the Loyal Le-
glon. was held at the Falmouth Hotel
Wednesday evening.
General George Varney, commander of
the Maine Commandery, was present
and presided. AT the business meeting
the following new members were ad-
mitted: Lieutenant James A bert Dole
of Bangor, of tie 18th Maine and 1st
Maine Heavy artillery; Captain Frank
Albert Garnsey of Bangor, of the 2nd
Maine Infantry; Captain Henry Edwin
Sellers of Bangor, of the 18th Maine, 1st
Heavy Artillery, and Coast Defence
Company; Lieutenant Colonel Jasper
HutchingsBof Bangor,ss ssof the 22nd Maine,
S3rd q. C. T., and 18th U.S.C.T.
DR.. Eugene f. Sanger of Bangor, sur
geon and lieutenant colonel, was admit
ted, being transferred from the Com
mandery of Massa chusetts.
Those present at the banquet were:
William Fl. Green, George E. Brown,
George W. Verrill, Charles W Roberts,
F. M. Drew, Thos.J. Little, G.E. Winaate,
William H. Anderson, Alfred Mitchell,
j. c. Rundlett. George Varney, Nelson
Howard, R. L. Howard, Henry S. Bur-
rage, S. G. Gordon, Calvin l.. Hayes. Il.
p. Leary, U.S.N., George F. French,
George L. Beal, Sidney w. Thaxter,
Charles o. Hunt, Holman S. Mrlcher,
Harry r. Virgin, Hebron Mayhem, W.
Whitmarsh, A. L. Turner, john o.
Shaw, Wainwright Gushing, Charles
Walker, Charles II. Boyd, E. Rowell, j.
H knight, Thos.. T. Beals, II B Sawyer,
Benz. J. HILL
Grace was asked by Companion Rev.
Nelson Howard, of New Hampshire.
After the dinner, DR.. Seth G. Gordon
spoke briefly in favor of making a spec
ial effort to make the annual banquet
the pleasantest social occasion possible,
and it was so voted. 1t was also voted
TO send special invitations to Compan-
ions Thomas B. Reed and Charles A.
Boutelle. Ny. Reed is to be asked to
present special paper or address.
The paper OF the evening by Compan-
ion George +. French was next in order.
His paper was on the signal corps, and
portions follow:
LIEUT.. FRENCH'S PAPER.
The system of motion telegraphy, or
| lsignalling used in the Army and Navy
of the United States, originated with
Gen, Albert j. Myer, born at Newburgh,
n y, Sept. 20, 1897. An untiring student,
a lover of science, a close observer, ever
abreast OF the times, he was quick to
discover and apply the knowledge he ac-
quired. In personal bearing he was tall,
| erect and alert, every inch soldier, and
early manifested a taste for military life.
A strict disciplinarian, he was impartial,
| just and ever ready to reward earnest
/ endeavor and real merit. With an acute
mind, firm will, an ambition to sue
ceed, he pushed on unremittingly to the
end.
| Young Myer graduated at Hobart Col
lege, Geneva, in 1s47, and four years
later, received his degree of M D. at the
Buffalo Medical College. Three Years
after, in 1857, he was commissioned AS
| oAHostne oulSCou LII tuo regular Army.
During the years 1858 and 1859 while in
service with the Army in New Mexico,
he continued and perfected more fully
his system of signalling. Recognizing
the possible advantages of the system,
experiments were made by direction of
the Secretary OF War, in which ne was
assisted by Lieuts. Walworth, Jenkins
and E. p. Alexander
The experiments proved eminently sat-
isfactory, and Secretary Floyd commend
ed Iiieut. Myers system to the attention
of Congress in his report for 1859, and as
a result. an appropriation was made for
apparatus and equipment. July 2, 1860,
the War Department issued General Or
der No. II, creating a Signal Depart
| ment and appointing Asst. Surgeon AL
bert j Myer Signal Officer with the rank
of Major.
/ Al the outbreak Of the rebellion.
Lieut.. &. ?. Alexander espoused he cause
of secession, and organized a Signal
Corps for the Confederacy. This neces-
| STATED radical changes, new codes. and
the revision and perfecuing of the whole
system, which was rapidly pushed under
Major Myers supervision. AS the War
Department recognized but one Signal
Officer, all Others were on detached SER