Evening star., 1898-09-20
i SPLENDID. R.sz1toRD
Career of the Ei#rla Signal Corps il
pv1 1v7 hoo.
lNVALUABLE=AD RENDERED
Review Of the Work of Captain
Lamar'ss Command.
f CITIN ODES

Captain William H. Lamar, who was
commanding officer of the United States
Volunteer Signal Corps during its connec-
tion with the 1st Division Of the 1st Army
Corps. Major General James H. Wilson
commanding. in the Porto Rican campaign,
is in Washington on busines, with the War
Department.
Captain Lamar's commend is known
throughout the service as 1.-The District
Signal Corps" having been enlisted in this
city, and very large proportion of it's
| members are residents of the District and
nearby Maryland and Virginia The record
made by the command was particularly
brilliant one. In a recent communica ton
to the adjutant general of the army Cen
| eral Wilson states that in all respects the
work of the company had been efficient and
thoroughly accomplished, and at no time
| had his lines of communication been other
than the most satisfactory possible The
greatest credit, declares General Wilson,
should be given to this efficient company
and its officers, and he especially recon-
mends Captain Lamar for promotion and
| that he be retained In the Signal Corps of
the United States army as an officer of the
regular military establishment
Wonderful Work in Two Month";.
The command left WASHINGTON barracks
In this city when it was organized .Julv o
| last. and reported next day to Mai. Gen
Wilson at Charleston. The time allowed
Capt Lamar in which to prepare for leav-
ing Washington, orders having been issued
July 6. was short that it was impossible
70 get all the equipments required, but at
Chariestcn. where a stay was made until
july ~. the deficiencies were supplied, and
signal stations were established in and
al ound Charleston for practical PURPOSES
day and night, with the effect of improving
the efficiency of the men in marked man
ner.
When the start made for Porto Rico
by direction of Gen. Wilson, the company
was divided into three detachments and as
signed to the three transports, No. 81 No
30 the Obdam) and La Grande Duckesse,
In order to keep the transport fleet in COM
munication during the voyage.
A signal station was maintained on each
vessel during the voyage, and the signal
men did very satisfactory work transmit
ting and receiving official messages be-
tween the boats both by day and night
The 1st Division disembarked at Port of
Ponce July %. 20 and 30. the signalmen
rendering valuable service from stations Oh
shore and aboard the ships.
Destruction by the spanInrds
Captain Lamar and detachment of
the men took possession of the tele-
graph and cable office at Port of Ponce
cut the cable. demolished the telegraph and
cable instruments and the battery. The
men were equal to all emergencies. how
ever. as they comprised telegraphers and
electricians of wide experience. Some of
the battery jars remained intact and a bat
terry of twenty cells was reconstructed and
a party of linemen sent out to repair the
line to the city of Ponce and established
immediate communication with the port
The city the terminus of seven tele-
graph lines, two to the port, three to San
Juan through various towns and cities. and
two others to other Porto Rican towns
Capt. Lamar Immediately ascertained the
availability of all these lines for military
operations in all directions. July 81 he es-
tablished telegraph station al division
headquarters and from that time until the
final surrender there was not a moment
when the headquarters at Ponce was not
in perfect communication with the picket
lines of the army and all intermediate
points. Every where that Spanish tele-
graph station was found it was discovered
that all instruments had been removed or
destroyed and general wrecking had been
indulged in.
Received Surrender of Adjuntns.
August l Capt. Lamar, with Lieut.. Lenoir
and fourteen mounted men, had thrilling
adventure. They went to accompany Gen.
Ray Stone on a reconnaissance of the coun-
try in the direction of Arecibo.
Capt. Lamar was directed by Gen. Stone
to proceed to Adjuntas without delay. join
him there and establish communication with
Ponce. With Lieut.. Lenoir and his fourteen
men Capt. Lamar all on American horses,
made rapid ride to sAdjuntas, which was
eighteen miles outside of the American
lines, and arrived there about o'clock, ex-
pecting to find Gen. Stone and part of Gen.
Henrys command at Adjuntss. When the
small detachment dashed into town they
| found they were the first American soldiers
| to arrive there. The regular Spanish troops
had evacuated Adjuntas d few days pre-
VlouSly, but about a hundred volunteers,
armed and equipped, were still there. Capt
Lamars small party was entirely unsup-
ported and armed only with revolvers; but
the people, who were favora bly, disposed
were told there was large force near at
hand. and then the Spanish volunteers soon
came and surrendered their arms and am
munition. Gen. Stone. accompanied by an
orderly and several newspaper men, arrived
three hours later and a company of infan-
try the following day.
Frequently in Great Peril.
There was continuous hard work for the
District Signal Corps all the time and
when the fighting began around Coamo and
Aibonito the men were engaged in signal
ing, running telephone lines and operating
them frequently under heavy fire from the
enemy. This was particularly the case Au-
gust TO- when the American artillery was
engaged in shelling the Spaniards position
on Asomantee hills.
The artillery took a position a short dis
tance In front of the telephone and signal
station Capt Lamar had established under
the brow of hill, putting the station and
ITS attendants directly in line of the en-
emys nre, who returned the fire of our ar
tlliery very promptly. Their guns were
aimed a little too high. however. and about
thirty shells fell close to the signal station
one or them striking about eight feet from
where Capt. Lamar stood, two pieces of 1t
lmDeddlng themselves in the tree upon
Whlch the telephone was hung. Private
henry j. Mckenney~o of this city had charge
OF the telephone at the time and had step
ped away from it only moment before,
or he would have been certainly killed
FROM the close OF hostilities on August
IL to August 81. Capt. Lamar's command
was engaged In operating telephone and tel
eSraph lines, taking inventory of property,
etc. Capt. Lamar was assigned to special
duty on Gen. Wilson's staff August 81 and
the command deyolved on Capt. Henry H.
Canlleld The men of the command are
greatly scattered. as many were detached
LOT slgnal duty on transports and other
duties but 1t is believed they will all be to-
gether within week or ten days.
From the District.
The residents of the District who are
members of Capt. Lamar's company are as