Signal (military)

“ The enlisted men are thoroughly drilled in the art of field telegraphy. In peace times the Signal Service has a corps of observers stationed in large towns, and important commercial centres, to give timely warning of the approach of storms, rise of rivers, and all other important weather news for the guidance of merchants and others. ”

“ A troop of this Cavalry should be sent over to the right flank of our troops. The work of this troop should be to get into communication and keep communication with your main army by telegraph. You want the Signal Detachment to give you wire communications, or in fact, any kind of communications which will best keep you in touch with the 1st Infantry. You are at the cross-roads near Mt. Vernon School House when you write your order. You have learned that there is a body of the enemy, a rather large body in fact, which is going into some position selected near Granite Hill. ”

“ A fraction of the firing line about to rush should, if practicable, avoid using the long blast signal as an aid to cease firing. (See par. 91.) Officers and men behind the firing line can not ordinarily move freely along the line, but must depend on mutual watchfulness and the proper use of the prescribed signals. All should post themselves so as to see their immediate superiors and subordinates. (234)
272. Duties of musicians. The musicians assist the captain by observing the enemy, the target, and the fire-effect, by transmitting commands or signals, and by watching for signals. ”

“ For many centuries the people of the world existed, devising nothing better than the primitive methods outlined above.
II SIGNALS PAST AND PRESENT Marine and Military Signals—Code Flags—Wig-wag—Semaphore
Telegraphs—Heliographs—Ardois Signals—Submarine Signals.
In naval affairs some kind of an effective signal system is imperative. Even in the ordinary evolutions of a fleet the commander needs some better way of communicating with the ship captains than despatching a messenger in a small boat. The necessity of quick and sure signals in time of battle is obvious. ”

“ In future wars it is probable that an intrenching tool will be added to the soldier’s equipment. [150] The equipments for a cavalry soldier in the United States are very much the same as for infantry.
Equipments, Signal. The flags, staffs, flying torches, fort torches, flame shades, haversacks, telescopes, etc., used in signaling. A set of equipments for one man is called a signal kit.
Equites. An order of equestrian knights introduced among the Romans by Romulus. ”

“ The replying signal would be the same as the sentry's signal, except that in case of the use of the butt of the rifle, an officer would reply by striking twice on his revolver holster. After repeating the signal once, if it is not answered, the sentry will challenge with the voice, but no louder than is necessary. In case of a patrol only one man will advance to be recognized after the signal has been answered. The sentry must always allow persons to approach fairly near before challenging.
1104. Sentries Firing. ”

“ The carrying case, of convenient size and shape to contain the two flags and staffs complete, is made of 8-ounce standard khaki bound with leather and fitted with a shoulder strap.
The 2-foot kit is essentially a practice kit, although under favorable conditions of weather and terrain it may be used to advantage as a short distance service signaling outfit. Two of these kits are issued to each troop, battery, and company for the purpose of disseminating general instruction in military signaling throughout the army. ”

“ EXERCISE NO. 6—COMMUNICATION
Object: To train the squad leader in receiving and transmitting instructions by visual signals alone.
Situation: A squad with its leader in the firing line is deployed in the prone position firing at will.
Action: The instructor, without sound or other cautionary means, signals (visually) to the squad leader at various intervals to,
The squad leader, upon receiving a signal, causes his squad to execute it without verbal command, or exposing himself. ”

“ As soon as the range is announced each front rank man sets his sight at 1050 and each rear rank man at 1150. Squad leaders assure themselves that sights are set and that the men of their squads understand the aiming point and sector and then raise their hand as a signal that all are ready. Similarly, the platoon leaders raise their hands to show that all of the squads are ready, and when the captain sees that all of his platoons are ready, he signals to begin firing. ”

“ You intend to sign your order yourself and you want copies sent to Lieutenants Kingsley and Lawrence, and to Brigade Generals Black, Dare, Evans, Colonel File, Major Glad, Captain Hume and your staff. You want your trains to follow your main body in order from front to rear: field trains, ammunition columns, supply columns, field hospitals, medical reserve, and pack train. You feel that the man in command of your signal corps should arrange to have radio connection between your independent cavalry and the advance guard. ”

“ The major or senior officer in the firing line determines when bayonets shall be fixed and gives the proper command or signal. It is repeated by all parts of the firing line. Each man who was in the front rank prior to deployment, as soon as he recognizes the command or signal, suspends firing, quickly fixes his bayonet, and immediately resumes firing ”

“ In a mixed command, boots and saddles is the signal to mounted troops that their formation is to be mounted; for mounted guard mounting or mounted drill, it immediately follows the signal guard mounting or drill. ”

“ The patrol should advance from cover to cover with one man always going forward protected by the rifles of the remaining two men who have halted in a good position to fire on any enemy that can fire on the leading man. The leading man having readied the cover in front will signal back all clear, and the two men in the rear will join him. ”

“ In most systems of signals suitable for military use, each signal is composed of one or more separate units, known as elements. Having prescribed a certain number of elements, the various signals are formed by having these elements appear singly or together in different arrangements or combinations. The continental system is one of two elements, namely the dot and the dash, while the Morse system employs three elements, the dot, the dash, and the space. Having agreed upon a certain number of combinations of elements, a system of signals is formed by giving a meaning to each combination. ”

“ Gun crews will be at all times in the immediate vicinity of their guns. One man of each crew will be at all times on watch. Daily pointing, loading, and fire [Pg 25] control drills will be held. When conditions permit and upon orders from the Group Convoy Commander, target practice will be held in accordance with the General Signal Book.
No radio message will be sent except in great emergency involving the safety of the ship. A continuous radio watch will be maintained. If it becomes necessary to communicate by radio, the cipher contained in the operation order will be used. ”

“ The Signal Corps keeps the commanders posted, not only as to the whereabouts and disposition of his own troops, but also of those of the enemy. The Signal Corps is the telephone, the telegraph, the wireless, and often the aviation section as well, of the American army, and often of the American navy, too."
"Isn't that great?" exclaimed the breathless Slim, as Mr. Burton went over to the ticker to answer the code call for his station. ”

“ The practised signaller is as efficient in the use of flags, lamps,74 and heliograph as is the post-office operator in the use of the ordinary telegraph instrument, though the exigencies of field service render military signalling a considerably slower business than ordinary wire telegraphy. ”

“ Military signals to-day include the telephone, the telegraph, radio telegraphy and telephony, the buzzer, the buzzerphone, panels, pyrotechnics, flags, smoke signals, pigeons, dogs, mounted orderlies, and runners. Each of these means of signaling is an adjunct to the others; when one fails, another is employed to get the message through. Some have special uses for branches of the service with peculiar requirements. The radiophone is especially suited for communicating from airplanes. Artillery fire is directed by wire and wireless communication. ”

“ Until after the Civil War, the operation of large units of troops was greatly handicapped by the limitations of military signaling as then [Pg 568] known. A force could not be effective in combat that could not be readily reached in all quarters by runners or riders or by visual signals. The development of the telegraph and telephone and the invention of radio changed all this, so that in the great war armies stretched out on fronts 100 miles or more in length with every part of them in immediate touch with every other part through the exact and complete systems of signaling on the field. ”

“ One of the officers in the regular army, whom Surgeon [396] Myer had instructed in signalling while in New Mexico, went over to the enemy when the war broke out and organized a corps for them.
From this small beginning of one man grew up the Signal Corps. As soon as the value of the idea had fairly penetrated the brains of those whose appreciation was needed to make it of practical value, details of men were made from the various regiments around Washington, and placed in camps of instruction to learn the use of the “Signal Kit,” so called. ”

“ August 1863 was transferred to the Volunteer Signal Service when made part of U. S. Army. Had charge of Signal Station at Red Hill, Georgetown, D. C. and in Early's attacks on Washington he was using signal flag on dome of Capiton, directing movements of 6th Army Corps. ”

“ Strictly speaking, a visual signal is any visible sign by which intelligence is communicated, but in a military sense the term visual signaling has a broader meaning and includes other methods of transmitting information than those which appeal to the sense of sight. ”

“ This is due to that fact that, when an army is on the move, telegraph cable is laid from division to brigade headquarters and from brigade to battalion headquarters, as soon as these positions are determined for the night. This is done from cable wagons and the Signal Corps men are so deft that the cable can be laid as fast as horses can canter. ”

“ The men of the Signal Corps being engaged on duty as constant in time of peace as in the presence of actual war, return, it is admitted, more than the cost of the service, and are at the same time kept in readiness for any emergency of armed duty by regular drills. ”

“ THE outside world hears but little about a band of heroes who lead a solitary life, but at times exciting existence in the trackless wastes of the Arctic. I refer to the United States Signal Corps, the eyes and ears of the Army. On the outposts of civilization their work consists of manning the wireless and telegraph stations erected at various points. ”

“ It is difficult to establish signal communication within the sector without being seen by the enemy. However, at night with flashlights it is possible, especially in hilly country, to communicate from front to rear within the position. The receiving post should be able to certify received messages. When practicable, communications should be established between the command post of the center of resistance and the sector command posts, and from the latter post to the artillery. This method of liaison is organized as a duplicating means or as a temporary substitute for the telephone. ”

“ Advanced training of military pigeons is primarily directional flight training, that is, releasing training pigeons to fly back in one general direction from various distances along the same course. The course may be north, south, east or west as determined by the location of the loft in relation to the point of release. Directional flights are the most suitable for military use, since speed and reliability of the bird are considerably increased and the time involved in training is comparatively short. ”

“ These stations twice had to be moved farther west to avoid capture. Nonetheless the Signal Corps would succeed in maintaining a minimum service, except for short interruptions, by stringing wire back into France and through the various army rear areas. ”

“ The demi-vocal signals, directed to be observed in the British service, as far as regards the manœuvring of corps, &c. consist of signals for the government of light infantry, and of cavalry regiments, squadrons, or troops: the latter are properly called soundings. Rifle or light infantry signals are to give notice—to advance; to retreat; to halt; to cease firing; to assemble, or call in all parties. Those signals should be always considered as fixed and determined ones, and are never to be changed. The bugle horn of each company should make himself perfect master of them. ”

“ An innovation, always adopted in future, was made by the dispatch of signallers into the line ahead of the battalion, thus ensuring the proper take-over of signal stations throughout the sector in the ample time at their disposal. Taking over a complicated exchange at Headquarters and smaller switch-boards at the Company Headquarters, involving as it does a clear understanding of which line is which and where it is laid, where the test boxes are, and so forth, is a business that requires care and takes time. ”