The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-02
WITH THE SIGNAL CORPS
A Newarker's Experiences
During the War Of the
Rebellion.
TALK WITH PAUL BOT7IcHBR
Sending a Message For the
Count Of Paris---
Night Signalling.
TALK WITH PAUL BoTTIcHER

Paul G. Botticher, of this city, a well
known architect, was a member Of the
signal corps during the Civil War, AMI
can give much interesting and instructive
information concerning the actual work
ings of the service in time of war, says
the Newark Sunday Call" He was at
one time a member of the signal squad
serving at General McClellan's n~eadquar-
tiers during the Peninsula campaign. He
was a sergeant. although little more than
a boy, and tells with pardonable satisfac-
ton how he once sent a message to Gen
eral Sumner for no less a parsonage than
the Count of Paris. The Coun was serv-
ing on McClellan's staff, and one day he
came over to the signal station saying ne
had a message to be sent to General sum
ner; it was imperative, he said, and must
go at once. "All right, said Sergeant
Botticher, and he directed one of his men
to call up the next station. With a way
ing of flags the next station was aroused,
and in a very short time the young SER
geant turned to the Count and told him
the message was delivered. The Count
seemed not entirely satisfied. Bottieher
bought he acted as if he felt that in the
hasty waving of flags, watched through a
telescope several miles away on a hilltop.
ii was not possible to transmit the sub
stance Of his message properly. If you
like said Botticher, II will have them
repeat the message back?" The Count
said that would be just what he would
like, so the signal to repeat back was CIV
en-, and on the far-off hill top the tiny flag
was set waving again. AS it waved
Botticher announced the words, one after
the other. There wasn't the slightest
mistake, and the Count was well pleased.
He said he had no idea the signal service
was developed to so fine a point, AMI
drawing a fat case from his waistcoat
pocket, opened it. held it forward, and
said: Wont you smoke. s~ergeant?'
Botticher took a cigar ana thanked the
Count, and from that moment he was the
envy of all the boys about him He nurs-
ed that cigar as a child nurses a stick of
candy. He would not smoke it at ali.
that day. Cigars among the men were
almost unheard of Injuries. They all
smoked pipes and the tobacco was not
always of the finest brand either. BY the
next day, however. the boys told Bottich-
er that if he did not smoke that cigar
pretty soon he never would, so, with
drawing to the shade of a tree, after he
had had his dinner and was allowed an
hour or so off duty, the young sergeant
reelined on the grass and proceeded to
light the Count of Paris cigar. The 9TH
ers stood around him in a hungry eyed
group, and as the fragrant smoke arose.,
waited it toward their nostrils with their
hands.
Mr.. Bottieher enlisted in the infantry
regiment of which his father was Colonel.
He was often detailed for special duty
at the Adjutant's tent, and one day he
happened to hear of a message which had
just come in from brigade Headquarters
directing that the regiment should fur
nish an officer and two men who should
report in Washington for detached SER
vice with the Signal Corps. He was be-
ginning to get weary Of carrying a gun
and to his youthful mind the signal SER
vice opened vast opportunities. He had
heard thai if he got into the signal ser
vice he would have a horse all his own
to ride, and what ~youngster of eighteen
would not look upon such an inducement
as well-nigh overpowering. He had, dur
ing his six months or so of army expert
ence, seen officers and their orderlies
dashing about with much noise and a
rush and tear that was, to put it mild
ly, e~xhilarating, and now, if he could get
in the Signal Corps he might dash about,
TOO. So he went to his father and I'M
bosomed himself. The Colonel thought
the matter over and ere long young Bot
ticher was detached from the regiment
and was soon deep in the mysteries of
signalling. He had been promoted to
Sergeant. shortly before he left the regi-
ment, and his rank held in the Signal
Corps.
The officers In the signal corps were
supposed to keep the signal code to them
selves. They gave the signalmen the
numbers and the men gave the necessary
waves of the flag or torch for the num-
Der. The men. however, were most OF
them bright young chaps, full of enthusi-
asm and bent on knowing the why's and
wherefores of everything. and it was not
long before they got to know the code as
well as their officers. Botticher mastered
it readily and soon got so he could read
everything that came along the line. The
signals are made by waving the flags
from right to left. Two waves to the
right and one to the left might stand for
''one." one to the right and one to the
left two and so on, each numeral be-
ing indicated by some combination OF
waves of the flag, and in the code book
certain combinations of numerals stand
ing for certain words. Once you were used
to it you could read things out of the sky,
as it were, and the performance became
little short of marvellous, as it was to the
Count of Paris, when the novice, unac-
customed to making out. a tiny flag on
the horizon. could see nothing at all,
while the young man beside him repeated
the message as it was waved on the
misty hilltop. IT was pretty work, and
: no mistake, and it usually had just
+ enough spice of danger about it to make
it fascinating to a youth of spirit. The
2 enemy's s~harpshooters are ever ON the
lookout for the signal flags. and they viii
lie in wait for hours for the signalmen tt
begin their work. Pretty soon, as the
+, calling off from the code book and the
waving of the flag gets well under way
t there comes a whistiing scream followed
I by the clip-clip as the bullet searches its
way through the leaves of a tree near by
] The sharpshooters are around and they
are feeling for the range. The next bull
let sings its song a little nearer the ear
and pretty SOON the leaden pellets arr
!, throwing up the earth at ones feet OF
!; are pinking the signal flag as the sigma
man poises it aloft preparatory to sending
another word. 1t is often necessary tt
clear out and find a more secluded place