The Signal Corps did make significant contributions to the success of the Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg. Lieut. Jerome provided valuable intelligence to Brig. Gen. Buford on 1 July as well as warning Maj. Gen. Howard's headquarters on Cemetery Hill of the attack of Rodes' division on the Union right. Jerome provided the first information to the Army headquarters that the Confederates were west of Little Round Top. It is well recognized that the occupation of Little Round Top by the Signal Corps was the reason for Longstreet's countermarch and the resulting  delay of his attack on the-Union left. it is important to note that the decision to occupy Little Round Top was made by various signal officers and not directed by field commanders. What the result would have been if Longstreet's attack had not been delayed has been the subject of much conjecture.

At the time of the Gettysburg Campaign, the commanders were still learning to use the intelligence which was being provided by the signal stations. There was a tendency not to take the information at face value, possibly for good reasons. As was pointed out in the guide, there had been a problem with exaggerated reports from signal officers and the lack of action on the part of the headquarters to the Little Round Top reports may be a reflection of that fact. There is reason to believe that the intelligence messages received from Little Round Top influenced Meade's decision to sent Warren to investigate the left.

A good example of a signal report having a direct impact on the action is Capt. McCreary's message to Brig. Gen. Merritt which was described at Stop 13. Merritt not only acted upon the intelligence provided by the Signal Corps, he used flag signal communications to convey the resulting order to his subordinate commander.

You can surmise that Maj. Gen. Meade did appreciate the value of what the Signal Corps could contribute to command and control in that his deci-sion to displace his headquarters from the Leister House to Power's Hill was made only after he realized that there was a signal party on Power's Hill.

One of the benefits modern communicators can derive from an analysis of this campaign is an appreciation of the requirement for effective network management and control of signal assets. Captain Norton was not aggressive in the manner in which he directed and controlled the various signal parties. His report tells us that he intended to direct their placement on the morning of 2 July but found that they had placed themselves. The flag signal message dated 2 July from Norton to Hall (Stop 2) told Hall that Little Round Top "is a good point for observation" but did not direct him to occupy it. The individual initiative of four separate signal parties kept Little Round Top occupied as a signal station.

It is also significant that Norton directed the Fortescue party to occupy Jack's Mountain but never took action to ensure that contact was established between the field and that station. From an intelligence perspective, that was one of the biggest missed opportunities of the campaign, as you can see by observing the battlefield from the Jack's Mountain location.

Part of the problem was that during the battle the parties were still attached to the various corps and operating autonomously. That arrangement had been effective when the corps were separated during the movement to the battlefield, but once they arrived on the field the signal parties .riould have become a part of a centrally controlled network. Norton had enough assets to man the key observation stations as well as maintain stations in direct support the corps. If each corps had maintained a signal capability in support of its headquarters, they could have received intelligence directly from observation stations as well as become important assets for the command and control of the Army. In practice, corps signal parties became observation assets for the Army at the expense of the corps.

The system which Capt. Nicodemus provided the Army in the mountain gaps and Boonsborough area was significantly more effective than the one employed at Gettysburg. Nicodemus directed the employment of the signal parties and actively controlled the resulting network. He established key stations for observation and long distance communication as well as assigning signal officers to the maneuver elements. Observations made from Washington Monument and Elk Mountain were quickly transmitted to field commanders down to the division and brigade level.

Albeit there are valid criticisms of the signal support during the Gettysburg campaign, the fact remains that a number of dedicated company grade and noncommissioned officers provided a valuable service to the Army of the Potomac.

A Regulation Set of Signal Equipments, when packed complete, is comprised in three pieces: The Kit - or canvas signal-case, containing the signal staff, flags, torch-case, torches, and wormer. These all compactly rolled together and bound by straps ...

The Canteen - made of copper, with one seam, and- soldered - capable of containing one half-gallon of turpentine or other burning-fluid.

The Haversack - in which are packed wicking, matches, shears and pliers for trimming torch, a small funnel for filling the torch, and the two flame-shades, etc.

The Kit Case, Canteen, and Haversack are fitted with shoulder-slings or straps, by which they may be easily carried.

The Service Can - is a strong copper can, with rolled seams hard-soldered. The nozzle is fitted with a screw-cap, to prevent leakage. It is capable of containing five gallons of burning-fluid.

The Kit Case contains:

lst. The signal-staff - a staff of hickory, made in four joints or pieces, each 4 ft. long, and tapering as a whole from lk in. at the butt to '-2 in. at the tip.

The joints are feruied at the ends with brass, and fitted to be jointed together as some fishing-rods are jointed. The third joint is guarded with brass for six inches at its upper extremity, to protect it from the flames of the torch, which is always attached to this joint.

The tip or fourth joint is that to which the flag is attached for day-signals. When in use. two or more joints of staff are fitted together.

2d. The Signal Flags - made of muslin, linen, or some other very light and close fabric. The flags are seven in number.

1. The six-foot white - six feet square, white, having its centre a block or square of red, two feet square.

2. The six-foot black - six feet square, black, having at its centre a block or square of white, two feet square.

3. The four-foot white - four feet square, white, having at its centre a block, red, sixteen inches square.

4. The four-foot black - four feet square, black, having at centre a block, white, sixteen inches square.

5. The four-foot red - four feet square, red, having at centre a block, white, sixteen inches square.

6. The two-foot white-two feet square, white, having at centre a block of red, eight inches square.

7. The two-foot red - two feet square, red, having at its centre a block of white, eight inches square.

All of these flags are fitted with tapes or ties, by which to tie them to the staff. This is found the most simple and the best mode of attaching. Two tapes, six inches long and sewed together at the tie-edge of the flag, make a tie. The ties are one foot apart.

3d. Torch Case and Torches.

The Torch Case is a piece of rubber cloth about three feet long by two feet six inches broad, fitted on one side with pouches, in which the torches are inserted.

At the opposite edge are ties. The torches are packed by being placed in the pouches, with the case then- rolled around them so as to envelop them in two or three folds of cloth. The ties retain the package in this form.

The Flying Torch - is a copper cylinder, eighteen inches long and one and one-half inch in diameter; it is closed at one end, with the exception of a nozzle. through which it can be filled, and which closes with a screw-cap; it is open at the wick end, and on its sides, at this end, are four fenestra or openings, one inch long, half an inch broad, which open into the wick, so providing that however the flame may be driven by the wind, it will find a portion of the wick exposed.

The Foot Torch - is a copper cylinder, eighteen inches long and two inches in diameter. It is similar in its structure to the flying torch.

The torches are trimmed by fitting into the mouth a wick of cotton wicking six inches long. This must fit closely. The body of the torch is then filled with turpentine or other burning-fluid, as petroleum, etc. The flying torch attaches to the staff "third-joint" by clamp-rings and screws.

Flame Shades. - Each torch is fitted, when in use, with a flame shade - a ring of thin copper, two inches wide, and fitting by a socket upon the torch in such a way that the ring projects on all sides. This is placed about one inch below the fenestra or openings. The use of this shade is to prevent the flame from  travelling down the side of the torch and thus over-heating it. The flame-shade is always detached ..hen the torch is packed. Each torch is fitted with "wedge strips" below the fenestra; the flame-shade can be tightened by pressing it firmly down upon these.

A shade, called a Wind Shade, is sometimes used in high winds. It consists of fine strips of copper attached to a socket, and is adjusted upon the torch in the same way as the flame-shade.

The Funnel, Pliers, and Shears are used for filling and trimming the torch.

A screw or wormer is placed in the torch-case to be used when the wick may, by accident, be drawn so far into the tube of the torch that it cannot be seized by the pliers ...

[Albert J. Myer, A Manual of Signals. New York, D. Van Nostrand, 1866, pp. 175-177.]

The senior officer on a station, or with any party, is primarily responsible for the condition of all the apparatus; and it is his duty to see, each day, that the whole equipment is ready for instant service. Officers should be held responsible with their  commissions for the proper discharge of this duty, and each set should be placed in charge of an enlisted man. who will be held responsible with his pay for its condition; precisely as, in the case of other branches of the service, each soldier is responsible for the proper condition of his equipments.

Whenever particular sets of apparatus are to be habitually used for signals in the field, that apparatus should be cared for with scrupulous exactness. Defects in the apparatus not only annoy the signalist himself, sending the message, but they more annoy the person to whom messages are, for this cause, imperfectly sent. A courteous regard for the rights of others ought, of itself, to prevent any officer from thus inflicting on another the consequences of his own carelessness.

Neglect of apparatus is a matter for discipline. Daily inspections should insure that the telescopes, etc., are clean and in perfect order ...

Initial order of Lieut. Samuel T. Cushing, Assistant Signal Officer in Charge, Signal Camp of Instruction

Hdqrs. Signal Camp of Instruction

General Orders No. 1. Aug. 31, 1861

I. This camp will be known as the Signal Camp of Instruction, near Georgetown, D.C.

II. All officers and soldiers attached to this detachment will be required to remain in camp unless authorized specially to be absent. No passes will be granted except in the most urgent cases, and not more than four officers will be granted by the Signal Major, or, in his absence, by Lieut. Cushing, Assistant Signal Officer, on recommendation of Capt. Ent, 6th Pennsylvania Reserve Corps.

III. The non-commissioned officers and privates of this command will be under the charge of Sergt. McVay, Co. D., 2d Infantry. He will be obeyed and respected accordingly.

IV. Until further orders, the following hours are announced for the different roll-calls:

• Reveille, daybreak.
  
• Police of Camp -immediately after Reveille
  
• Flag practice, 6 to 7 A.M.
  
• Breakfast, 7:30.
  
• Flag practice, 9 to 10.
  
• Manual Drill, 10 to 11.
  
• Dinner, 12.30 P.M.
  
• Flag practice, 1 to 2.
  
• Flag Practice, 3 to 4.
  
• Retreat (Inspection sunset.
  
• Tattoo, 9 P.M.
  
• Taps, 9:20.
  

Such further drills as may be necessary will be announced from time to time, as occasion may demand.

V. Until further orders a guard of six men and two non-commissioned officers will be detailed for the party, mounting at retreat.

VI. An inspection of arms and tents will take place at retreat, when every soldier will be expected to have his arms and accoutrements in perfect order. The tents of the commissioned officers will be inspected at the same time.

VII. It is particularly enjoined upon all officer and soldiers to devote as much 'time as possible to the study of their different duties-, in order that the party may be prepared immediately for service.

 VIII. Attention to minute details argues a good state of discipline. In future all soldiers must salute all officers, and in all cases the proper distinction must be observed between officers and men.

IX. Corp. George McGown, Co. C., 2d Infantryt is hereby appointed Quartermaster-Sergeant of this party.

By order of Maj. Myer.
Samuel T. Cushing,
Assistant S.O. in Charge.