Edward Porter Alexander (1835-1910) was a military engineer, planter, railroad executive and author. Graduating from West Point in 1857, he was participant in a number of weapons and experiments; he would become the first man to use signal flags to convey a long-distance message in combat.

https://www.amazon.com/Edward-Porter-Alexander/e/B001KJ41XW%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share