tween the several officers of this detachment, I would call the attention of the officer in charge of the Signal Bureau to the fact, that two good officers, who have been serving upon signal duty for two years and a half, are yet without appointments in the corps, never having an opportunity, so far as I can ascertain, to appear before the examining board. Should there be any further appointments made in the list of first lieutenants, I would recommend these two officers, viz: First Lieutenants Fuller and Neel for such positions. They are eminently deserving and fitted for it.

We occupy at present lookout stations at six points along our front and flanks, from which we command fine views of that portion of the country through which the enemy would be likely to march in the event of their making a movement. It was impossible to render inspection reports for the months of April and May on account of the corps being scattered so much upon active duty.

I have the honor to be, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. F. FISHER,

Captain and Chief Signal Officer, Army of the Potomac.

Major W. J. L. NICODEMUS,

In charge of Signal Bureau, Washington, D. C.

HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, SIGNAL DEPARTMENT,
October [22], 1864.

GENERAL: In compliance with Special Orders, Numbers 209, I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of the signal detachment connected with this army during the several epochs of the campaign, commencing with the crossing of the Rapidan upon the 4th of May, and ending with the assault on the enemy's position in front of Petersburg upon July 30, 1864.

The following was the organization of the detachment upon the 4th of May: 4 officers with the Second Army Corps, 2 with the Fifth Army Corps, 2 with the Sixth Corps, and 1 with each cavalry division, and 12 in the reserve detachment. Attached to the reserve party were 25 men equipped as pioneers, whose duty it was to construct stations. In addition, accompanying each officer and detachment, were the enlisted men used as flagmen, lookouts, &c. During the campaign the use of flag signals were for two reasons seldom resorted to, first, the army operated constantly as a unit, and the system of field telegraphing, as developed by our corps and now worked by the American Telegraph Company, enabled the commanding general to be in constant telegraphic communication with the several corps commanders; second, the country through which we operated was covered with dense and extensive forests and so devoid of prominent points as to render flag signals, save upon several occasions, impossible. The officers of the reserve detachment were under these circumstances instructed to keep themselves along the flanks and advance of the army in the various movements and battles attending the campaign, in order to gather and forward to the commanding general any information that might be presumed to be of service to him. Those with the army corps had the general instructions to make themselves useful as additional aides when the