Today in History:

650 Series I Volume XLII-I Serial 87 - Richmond-Fort Fisher Part I

Page 650 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LIV.

woods and signal communication established by direction of General Harland, between his headquarters in New Berne, N. C., and the headquarters of his cavalry picket at Camp Palmer, near Harrison's house, on Trent road. In the Army of the James, on the 1st of August, a signal officer was placed on lookout at Mill's house, on the south bank of the Appomattox, two miles above Spring Hill. He was to carefully watch the enemy's signal stations and works, and report anything of importance that he night observe. On the 2nd general Birney's signal officer commenced the building of a tower near the Sawyer battery, on the James River, from which, when finished, it is thought will be obtained a view of the Petersburg and Richmond and turnpike opposite our right, Drewry's Bluff, and the pontoon bridge near it, and other points of importance. On the 10th a signal party was sent to open a station at Dutch Gap, where a force, under Major Ludlow, was engaged digging a canal across the neck. Communication was established between that point and gun-boats, Crow's Nest, and Battery Spofford (or Water Battery), through which latter communication was had with general headquarters. A station was placed at the Crow's Nest for the convenience of Major Ludlow, and to give warning to the working party at the gap and to the gun-boats of the approach of the rebel rams, and to direct the fire of our gun-boats upon them. On the 13th enemy opened fire upon our working party from the Howlett and Signal Hill batteries and the rams, but the signal communication between the aforesaid points was maintained uninterruptedly. On the 14th the signal officers who accompanied the Tenth Corps to Deep Bottom opened communication by signals between General Birney's headquarters, on the west side of Four-Mile Creek, and the headquarters of General Hancock, east of the creek. On the 15th, by direction of General Birney, the same party established communication between the gun-boats Agawam and Mendota, and a signal officer placed on shore to direct the fire of those boats upon the enemy in case he attacked. During the latter part of the month the Tenth and Eighteenth Corps exchanged positions, and the signal officers of those corps also exchanged stations.

On the 31st of August the following signal stations and lines remained in good working order, and almost constantly employed:

IN THE DISTRICT O NORTH CAROLINA.

Station at General Harland's headquarters, New Berne, N. C., communicating with stations at Fort Anderson, Fort Gaston, and Camp Palmer (headquarters cavalry picket); station at Batchelder's Creek (headquarters colonel commanding outposts) communicating with Red House (headquarters officer commanding left of outposts), with Harrison's house on Neuse road (picket reserve), land through the latter station with Beech Grove (the right of picket-line).

IN THE ARMY OF THE JAMES.

Station at Fort Pocahontas, communicating with one at Forth Powhatan, on James River, seven miles distant; stations at general headquarters, Cobb's Hill tower, Battery Anderson (or Numbers 3), General Carr's headquarters, Hatcher's house (headquarters Eighteenth Corps), Water Battery (or Spofford's), Dutch Gap, and flag-ship Onondaga, forming a line of signals around the front of the intrenchments between the general commanding, the officer commanding Eighteenth Corps, the commander of the James River flotilla, and Major Ludlow's working party at Dutch Gap; station of observation at Crow's Nest,


Page 650 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LIV.