The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-02-06
"UNCLE BiLLY's" PRAISE.
Signal Corps Invaluable in many Ways on
Sherman's Raid.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I have
| followed the pen Of Gen. Howard closely
since he began to trace the history of Sher-
mans army from Dalton to the present
writing. He did not mention the service Of
the Signal Corps during those 1877 days oil
peril and hard labor, ending with Lovejoy
Station, for the reason perhaps that we were
not considered of much account by the Gen.
eral commanding, and perhaps he conceived
the same feelings.
hope he has not forgotten that at ALA
toona Pass the Signal Corps, by their being
able to read rebel signals, were able to give
information of premeditated night charge
on our line, for the express purpose of cover
ing their retreat, and that their retreat and
destination was learned and reported the
following morning by Lieuts. Edge and
Sample, occupying a deserted rebel signal
station and conversing by signal with the
Headquarters of Gen. Johnston.
| hope he has not forgotten that Signal
officers, with their squads, were foremost in
the advance and the first to give accurate
| information as to the new position of the
rebels at Aekworth that they lost the first
blood at Big Shanty; of the trying labors
around old battle-scarred Kennesaw of the
Signal officer and two men who accompanied
the charging column of the Seventeenth
Corps June %, 1S64-that charge that cost
our army so fearful loss in both officers
and men.
At Nickaiack Creek Signal detachment
was placed on the line of Notifications be-
tween two batteries-the 18th and 18th
Ohio, / believe-to direct their firing over
and on to the pontoOn-bridge used by john
stOn in crossing the Chattahoochee River.
Lieut. Edge, occupying a station on the
mountain-range behind us, could watch the
effect of the firing, and signal the change
needful in direction to the officer at the bat
teries. This enabled them to SO effectually
concentrate their fire On the bridge that
crossing it was very dangerous affair.
1t was an immense labor performed by
the Signal Corps around Atlanta from the
crossing of the Chattahoochee to the Goth of
August; of the station on the brick house on
the line of the Second Division on. l.. Smith),
Fifteenth Corps Uogan's), from the roof of
which Lieut.. Fish watched the preparations
made on July % to assault Logan's line,
and from same position, in the evening of
the 21st, had seen the long line Of the enemy
moving east from out their works in front
of the Army of the Cumberland.
These things were all reported to Head
quarters, and were UNDECIDED, and when the
assault came, and there was no special work
on the line necessary, the Signal officers be-
came Orderles and dispatch bearers for the
General in command. When Mcpherson
went TO the left TO inspect his lines he was
accompanied by Capt. o. Fl. Howard, his
chief Signal officer, and Lieut.. Allen, aud
both these officers were with the General
when fired upon. Lieut.. Aliens leg came
in contact with tree when he wheeled to
IL I,,c Ii. Il L..
compelled to go on clutches for long time
after. But he continued to do duty on sta
ton every day.
occupied a station in pine tree III feet
above ground, Just in rear of Entertainments
Of the Fifteenth Corps. Gen. Logan ordered
them to stay there just as long as it was
tenabe, and stay they did, giving Logan
information of the formations in his front
The moment when the rebel column began
the descent toward Eogan's line, by means
of signals the batteries opened on the as
saulting column tearing fearful holes in it.
Rebel artillery, in attempting to silence our
guns, fired high and crOss-fired on the sta
ton occupied by this officer and his two
men. While limbs of the tree were being
cut off by shells with an unhealthy fire.
quency, the trio had "a thrilling experience
in regaining mother earth.
The army then returned to East Point,
from which camp Lieut.. Fish and squad
were ordered to Kennesaw Mountain, arriv-
ing there the last of September 1864
Gen. Howard says, quoting from report of
Capt. Bachtell, Chief Signal Officer to Gen.
Sherman, that Capt. A. S. Cole was ordered
to Winnings to assist Lieut.. Foraker, and
Winnings Station was afterward occupied by
Lieut.. Fish" This is mistake, as Lieut..
Fish was never at Winnings, but was on
Kennesaw Mountain.
When he arrived there he found Lieut.
Connolly, of the Fourth Corps, occupying
the station all alone, and had been for some
time. After few days spent in introducing
Fish to the work of the station, Connolly
went to Marietta to have little needed
rest, Oct. 3, not thinking for moment of
events that would require his presence on
the station, as every thing had been running
But this was an eventful day
for all concerned.
Lieut.. Fish discovered column marching
around the base of Lost Mountain and
toward Kennesaw. He at once signaled
Murray at Marietta to notify Atlanta; but
Murray signaled that wires were down and
he could not Fish then called Winnings,
and they answered, wires down both sides
of u.s." Then the six-foot flag and 16-ioot
pole were called into use, and for more than
an hour called on Atlanta before we were
Then we were told to watch them (the
column) closely and report their
line of march. We read in the columns of |
The NATIONAL TRIBUNE that the order |
from Gen. Sherman to Corse ut Rome was |
sent by signal, but this is mistake, as that |
order went by telegraph on the Cd, before |
the rebel cavalry had made Judgment on |
the railroad either side of Winnings, as | can |
prove by my diary written at the time. |
the telegraph was cut. The afternoon of |
Oct 3 Fish was using his and Connelly's |
squads constantly talking with Marietta,
Rough's, Atlanta, and Allatoona,
and in the multiplicity of labors the enemy
was lost sight of and not again seen until |
about shutdown.
Fish, in looking over the surroundings of
his position as was his custom each even
ing, with his field glass discovered large
force of troops with artillery, OCCUPYING Yam
kee Notifications between Big Snanty and
Kennesaw Mountain. This discovery was
at once signaled to Atlanta, AllstOona, and
other stations, and also that cavalry were
tearing up the railroad beyond Big Shanty.
AS before remarked, this was the time |
and place and circumstances when Gen.
Sherman began to appreciate the Signal
Corps. 1t was his only line of cOmmunica-
ton, and by signal he for several days
directed his entire army.
L