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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 1892)
TIFE OMAHA 1)ATLBEE : YELiNESIASEPTEMBER | ) ) ? ! , 1802. mtlfmlici ) the itclenco of war among oivllliud Cations. In no department was this truer than In Iho methods for maintaining communication between co-operating forcesand thoHohiovo- merits nf the military telegraph corps shed n fadeless luster on American genius nnd American manhood. Tbo government for . which its tricmbors imperiled life , limb nnd liberty has been strangely tfirdy In showing tome sign of gratitude , but the glory of their patriotic service , without n precedent In the lilstory of the world , bus received the high est tribute In other lands , lor every great na tion with n standing army hits' orgnnl/ed n telegraph corps Imsud on tlif experience and thosUccots of the American men yes , nnd Iho American boys who made the electric gpark speak with a thousand voices and Uy cm the wings nf the lightning , swifter than . 'ever soad Mercury with message of the gods. Amrrlcnns Tench the World. Up to the I line of the American war the best means for communication l.i the array "was by mounted horiomcn , and the necessi ties ot the service , when many forces were engaged , made an enormous draft on the cavnlry for both men and horses. It is true that a military telegraph line was first erected during thn Crimean war of 18. > l-5 , buftt was used for communication between the headquarters ot the allied besiegers rnd not for tactical purpose , playing a very insignificant - significant part in the conduct of the cam paign. Krforta wore made In India , Italy and Algiers , some of them ludicrous and nonn ex tensive , to use the telegraph In campaigning , but thcso wore not remarkably successful Hnd may bo regarded as rather experimental. The Americans , therefore , had no guide , nnd they developed the mllltiry telegraph as ne cessity uictutodruid their ganlus wrought to meet emergencies. Tim Dorps ItoRttn Without Doslgii. . When Surator was flrod on and It .vas ap parent that war was inevitable , it became pocossnrv to mass troops and supplies at Washington. Simon Cameron , secretary of war. called on Tlionms Srott of the Pennsyl vania railroad/or advice and assistance , and ho called in Andrew Carnegie , now the milllonalio Ironmaster of Pittsburg , but then superintendent of the Plttsbur ? division of the Pennsylvania , to tnko Immediate cbargo of the military railroads and I6lo- gruphs. Hobel sympathizers had cut the wires between Baltimore and Washlncton , nnd ono of the first things Scott did was to Bond four export operators from his road. They wore David Strouso , D. H. Bates , Samuel M. Brown nnd Hlchnrd O'Brien. Thoyroported at Washington April 27. 1801 , nd thus accidentally , ns If were , became the nucleus from which the telegraph corps prow. Carnegie's railroad duties increased o rapidly thu Strousn was soon directed to take charge of the telegraphs. Unjustly Drnlnil u.Military Status. The north was so thoroughly Imbued with thu idea that the war was a matter of only n low months1' duration that the telegraph corps was formed Ini haphazard sort ot a way. For more than six months It had nelthar organization nor ofll- cial head. There was no l.uv for its existence , i5nd no act was over passed to give it n legal or a military standing , u fact which should b5 berne in mind In reviewing the romnrkublo history of this corps The members of tbo signal corps held a military rank , out the telegraphers , though inllnitoly more serviceable , wcro treated as civilians. Oriiliil7-l nn n Civil Tooting. After six months of unorganized action Secretary Ciimovon determined to give the telegraph corps form , and ho called Anson ( Stager to Washington to take'charge of it. General Stager submitted n plan of organiza tion , which provided that the corps should bo under the direction of the secretary of war. It provided thatquartermastors and their na- Htstnnts should furnish members of the corpi \vllh transportation , subsistence and forage. Tno plan was approved and Stager appointed general manager , subject , only to tbo secre tary of war. l/pjf.il ONitacloH to Hotting Ilatlnns. SUger did not propose a military rank for any mambor of tbo corps , and thu glvlug of a commission was not considered until Quar termaster ( ieiiorul Moigs insisted that ho could not legally honor stager's requisitions Tor money and supplies. The president , thereupon appointed Stager assistant general quartermaster with the rank Of captain and ho was by special order assigned to duty us general manager of the tolbgrapti svstom. Quartermasters ut distant points began complaining that there was no legal warrant for tilling tbo orders of Stager's civilian superintendents and ho surmounted that difficulty oy securing commissions for his assistants as follows : Major Thomas T. Kckert , Department of tno Potomac ; Cap tain T. B. A. David , Dopaitment of West Virginia ; Captain Samuel Bruch , Department of Ohio ; Captain Han- 'dall .P. Waoo , purchasing agent ; Captain Charles H , Bullclor , Department of tbo Quit ; Captain Ueorgo II. Smith , Depart ment of Missouri ; Captain William G. Ful ler , Department of Tunnessoo ; Captain John 'C. Van Duso ; , Department ot Cumberland ; Cuptnln William L. Gross , Department of Ohio ; Captain Lomuul F. Sheldon. Depart ment of the South ; Captain James H. Gilmore - moro , Department of the South. Stager himself was promoted to a colonelcy nnd at tached as aido-do-camp to the secretary of war. war."In those arrangements , " says William II. Plum , president of the Army Telegraphers Hoclely , "the operator who braved nearly all the dangers Incident to the service was loft u moro civilian , only a quartermaster's em ploye , liable to draft , his salary taxed , and bo , surrounded by tbo paraphernalia of war , to the conduct of which ho was so essential , was without rank , imtno or position , subject to the unkind cuts of the envious , but thoroughly appreci ated by the president , his cabinet and the go Q orals , " Hull Ituu ICnportuil by U'lrn. The first purely military line connected the navy-yard with tbo War department In April , 1SIH. As troops reached Washington tliolr camps wore similarly connected with the Wur department , and when they' moved across thu Potomac into Dlxio thu wire followed in tbolr waUo. The first , important engagement In which It figured was the battle of Bull Hun. The tcloirraph nod reached Fairfax Court House , within ton uiilos of the Imttlo- ilold , and it was arranged that courier.1 ! should leave uvory fifteen minutes tor the olllce ut that point with news of the engage ment. W. iJ. Wllbon , who was stationed at the War department ofllco , civos the follow ing graphic description of the news ; "In ttio telegraph ofllco at the War depart ment throughout Sunday , July 'Jl. l&UI , wcro congregated the president , mostof his cabinet , Genorul Scott's staff ofllrers , Colonel Thomas A. Scott nnd other celonrttics of the nation with maps of the Hold before them , watch ing , us It wore , thn conflict of arms as it pro- grnsfted. Hour after hour , as the couriers reported our troops steadily forcing the nnomy back , hopus beat hlgli , expectation , _ hntlsfacilon was illneornllilo on ovorv brow , nnd ttio cheers of our patriotic soldiery as they fought br.ivoly on wore responded to In the hearts of all pro.out. Suddenly , as tbo shades of evening were falling on npaco , a lull occurred , Firing could not bo board by tbo corps of observation , No couriers ar rived nt Fairfax. Whut could oo thu mat ter } The most pltuuibln raason advanced was that our army , now victorious , was resting after the hard Ilirbtlng of that hot nil turner dav. Every low minutes Fairfax was signaled but only to rccolvo from the operator the stereotyped reply of 'no news. ' An hour was expended \\hon , Hue the quick flush of lightning and the stunning crash of thunder , ciuno those chilling words , 'Our \L. \ army is In fult retreat. ' The signals now be came more frequent , rapid and excited , Tbo re trout , soon resolved Itself Into a perfect rout , nnd as the telegraph reported to these around it nssoribled the terrible soonos and heartrending stories of Buffering during that nuvor-to-be-forgottuu night all seemed to feel that tbo hour of the nation's greatest peril had arrived and clung instinctively urouud the cool , oloar-visloued president , lootf lug to him for succor. " \Vondrrliil AolilevmiiontH of ( lit ) Corpi. The telegraph corps grow with the army , and during the war It had l.-OO opotutors , and ubaut as iimny builders and repairers. About ono In twelve ot these U known to buro been killed , wounded or taken prisoner , and as no authentic records wore 1opt. : It Is thought the actual numbers of HUtih victims was ucarlv twice us grout as is known. Tbo corps constructed 15iS'J ; miles Ulegriiph , und lent about 0,500,000 telegram * . Many of thote wera very long , and the most Important wore put into dtftlcult olphont. Tbo erem majority of tboso operator * were boyk , ranging from sixteen to twonty-ono yur * of we. After some contention in the fore part of Iho wnr , they wore miulo the solo ouiloulant of the cipher keys , u conlldonca whlon wa doiilod oven staff olilceri , and tbu Jo/Mil/ tU s0 Urara Lioyn u utuaud most eloquently fa ; the fact that no member of the corps over betrayed bis secret. \\ltlinttt Precedent In IIIMnry. The members of this telegraph corps. pioneers In the now art of war , unhnnorou nnd unsung , portormod marvels wlthont preconent in history , but the world has only the faintest conception of their matchless service. When Sherman WM floundering In the swnmm of the Carollnas ho was in hourly communication with Grant. 1,5'J ) miles away n the wires ran , nnd ho proudlv nnd truly boasted that the like ot this achievement was never known in the ages before thu American war. When McClelland sat down about Alexan dria the wlro from U'nshlngton In * to Delawnro was cxtondod to Capu Charles , and a twenty-mile cable across Chesapeake bay brought Fortress Monroe Into communication with the capital. When Little Mac moved on to Yorltlown the wires went with him nnd kept him In touch with ovoty department of the army of the republic. They followed him Into the forests and the morasses ot the Chlckahomlny , unit by night and by day kept him Informed ot events hundreds of miles fought u Ilittlii by Telegraph. The field telegraph had Us first practical test ut Guinea Mills and saved the federal army from utter rout. Jesse llunnall , In falling unck from an advanced posttoGalnos Milts , missed his rou'.o. Hu ran across a tolograpTi lino. General Porter Was bard pressed , nnd n line of battle was being formed within n hundred yards of the operator. He tapped the wire , sat down In tile shade of n trco und began calling McClellutid's operator. Fortunately tharo was a response. Tbu commander was informed of the situation. He ordered Bunnoll tn hold his place and draw Into his ser vice the lirst orderlies passing that way. Htinnoll sat under fire hour after hour , re potting to McClollnud every turn in the battle and receiving orders for the com manders engaged whllu the bullets whistled through thu tree * and the blood of killed nnd wounded orderlies sputtered his clothing and studied hti. . dispatches. Little Mao fought the battle by telegraph , and the wlro nnd the bravo operator saved the day. The wires followed MoDowoll to Fred- orlcksburg , Itanlts up tbo bhemimlouh , Fre mont Into the Alleghamcs and Pope from Cedar mountains to Chantllly. In the west they accompanied Footo to Fort Henry nnd Grant to Donolson. False telegrams ever confederate wires enabled Mitchell to capture valuable trains nnd monaco Corinth and Chattanooga. Hallock's field wires roportdd every move of the enemy during thu advance on Corinth. The tolotr- rnphors wont with Grant into Mississippi , and their lines carried thu order to Sherman to leave Memphis and move o.i to Vicksburg by water. Those are but examples of innumerable pases in which the telegraph corps rendered invaluable service. It foretold dangers , hastened supplies , brought up reinforce ments and Kept co-operating forces in con- stunt communication though separated by luindrous or thousands of miles. Itunily ferny Dcspor.ur Service , Given u handful of hardtack , u canteen of water , pipe , tobacco and matches , its mem bers were always ready to go wherever - ever ordered and remain oi ; duty night nnd day , with the sky for their only rcnf. mother earth their softest couch and a trco stump their only ofllcc. They promptly responded to calls for onuratots to go Into tno enemy's ' lines and tap his wires , and many thus took dosp ° rate chances ol being captured and hanged or shot ns spies. In this manner , bidden uwuy in lonely forests , they secured much , important information aboutcbnfcduruta movements. In every one of tbo southern states they accom panied federal raiders and tapped the enemy's wires , often with valuable results. Operators wore frequently kept on duty many successive days ana nights until ex hausted , rnakine them an easy prey to southern fevers. Moro than ouu of them , shaking with fever , lav down with his oar to the instrument and wrote with tremoline bands dispatches whoso secret ho would trust to no ono olso. Many n time u boyish operator was loft at his poit after the soldiers bad retro ited , and ho kept some distant ofllcor ndvUod of the approach of the enemy xmtil some such mos- sngo as "Goodby , the Johnnies are coming. " was followed by a portentous silence. Or ho mav have sent some news of unexpected disaster , as In the oaio of Operator Nicholas , who warned Grant ot the impending de struction of his immense stores at IIollv Sprincs. MUs. , by laconically wiring : "Goodby , Van Dorn is coming. Davil only knows what will become of me. Hero they are. " v An Ungratelul ltuiul | > lic. Strange to say , the members of the mili tary telegraphers corps never received so much as athank you" from the govern ment they served so bravely and so loyally. Though an Integral and vitally essential part of thu army , mvorn to fidelity , nnd subject to tno hazards nnd hardships of the soldiery , they were denied u military status by the action of Secretary Stauton , who oollevcd they could clvo their countty boiler sorvicn if Kept free from the inter ference of meddlesome ofllcerj. The dispatchers In the signal corps were ranked as olllcora and received special re wards at the close of the war. With the ex ception of their ofllcors , the telegraph ri re tired from the service without rauk , reward or recognition. Tboy were simply told to quit and uo , and their names wore taken ell the payroll. Tboy had not so much as a dis charge paper to hand down to their children as an cvidouco of the honorable part they ooro. Many of them were drawn from the ranks"ot the soldiers , some of them ncalnst their will , and ex ports ut that early stage in telegraphy wore so scarce thst the bocrotary of war issued a special order exempting operators from conscription. OrKi > nl7 il for Justice. Sixteen years after the war closed the survivors of this romarkaolo corps organized the Society of the United States Military Telegraph corns for iho avowed purpo a of securing from thu nation a lucagmtloii of tliolr military servicotomo tangible evidence of their shnru in America's glory. At first u bill was Introducoj'in congress giving the telegraphers military rank assimi lated to that of army nflloars , drawing like pay und permitting them pension und home stead privileges. Since IhSO thu.v have r.ot asked for pension or bounty. They demand simply an act declaring that they were nn integral part of the army and grant ing them an honorable- discharge , thus giving to the world tangible evidence of tbolr patriotism. The Grand Array of tbo Republic and many of tbo famous tan orals of thn wqr have declared that the telegraph corps was essentially n part of the army , and the action asked of congress would bo morolv a recognition of u fact that actually existed. Six times hnvo congressional committees made ( uvorublo reports on approved meas ures , but In oauh case seine ounucla lias pre vented thu desired legislation. The most expert memoers of thn corps woio stationed tn t"-o War department. They wcro not only required to bo Ural-class senders and reliable receivers , but uUo ex cellent penmen , because the dispatcher re ceived were nil written In ink und copied in letter presses. The War department ofilco handled all messages of President Lincoln , Secretary Stan ton , the secretary of the nuvv and all members of tbo cabinet , and also nil messages directed to ihocommand'jr-ln-uhlof ' of the urmy when stationed nt Washington. These dispatches were delivered by cavalry orderlies , who were subject to call night ami day. Among the members of the corps sta tioned at the Wur department ofllco and now in Onmimai-e : J. H. Bunuell , J. H. NicholU , Gcoigo W. Null. K. Hoiowntor , Hv H. Mat- lock und J , II. Umorlek. THOMAS T. noicuitr. , An inrlvTneiruihtr : ! | Wliu llncuuie A nnt hooretury ol Wiir , The nurao of Thomas Thompson Eckort , the present vicu president and general man ager of the Woitorn Union Telegraph com pany , has been prominently associated with tbo history of telegraphy for { .ho past forty yoars. Mr. Kokort is ono of tboio man who , having begun us a common operator , have pushed their way to high and roipomlulo positions In the telegraph service. ' ito was born at St. Clalrsvlllo , O , , In 1830. Ills tint oxpcrlouco in tulugruphy wa In ISV.i , whan he wcs appointed poitmu tar at Woostor , O. Having learned telegraphy durlui ; the previous year , he opened tbo first postal telegraph service " by receiving u \Vado wlro lii his ofllco. do had not remained In this position long before hh activity and ouierprUo attracted the attention of J. H. Wudo. afterword otia of Cleveland's ' wealthiest citi- seni , who wiu then usiandiug bis telegraph lines westward from Plttsburir , Pa. , over the Fort Wayne & uhtoairo rail road to Chicago. Wade saw In young Kcnort ] uit the man that ho 'needed and m.ido him superintendent ot his lines. Soon nftor Mr. Wade became identified with the Western Union comuany nnd his lines were absorbed by that system. In this manner Mr. Eckort was brought Into the service ol the company of which ho was destined to bj iho managing bond , nnd ho soon bccnmo tinted for his energy , good Judgement and capacity for labor. In 18M ho resigned to bccomo superin tendent of a gold mining company in north Carolina , and remained until 1S01 , when hn returned to Cincinnati. Shortly nftor his return Colonel Thomas A. Scott , then assistant secretary of wnr. oalloa him to Washington to take charge of the military telegraph service at McClollan's or.s'nnu , THOMAS T. HCKKIIT. headquarters. In ISO ) ho accompanied Me- Ctellun to tbo poutiisula ns superintendent of the military tolagraph dopirtmont of the Potoroao with thu rank of cap- torn. In September ho was re called to Washington to establish thn military telegraph headquarters In thu War department building nnd was promoted to the rank ol major. Ho was subsequently breveted .lieutenant colonel and afterward brigadier general. His duties brought him into intimate con tact with President , Lincoln and Secretary of Wnr Slunton , bj whom ho was highly trusted and esteemed. President Lincoln vlsl'.cd the War dcpirt- mont telegraph ofllc-o over/ day enuring the war. Ho spent from one to six hours dally in the oflleG. During tbeso visits when business for n time became black the presi dent and Genor.il Eckert entertained ono another with stones nnd nnocdbtcs. Thus was fostered an intimacy which doubtless influenced President Lincoln to. appoint Eck ort a mo ubor of tbu special commission to treat with the confederates and to meet Iron T. Hunter , the confederate secretary of state , duringtbo latter part of the war , with : i vioiv If possible of concluding peace nego tiations. In 1SIU General Eckort was appointed as sistant scot otnry of war and served in that ciiKicltv until August , 1SOO , when ho re signed to accept tbu ofllco of t'cneral .super intendent of the eastern division of the Western Union , from which he has risen tc bis present position. COIONII. : it. c. oi.owuv. I > Utlii iilihit M-fvlei5 of the WiMturn Union's ( iniionil Siiporlntunili'iit , Colonel Kobort C. Clowry began bis tele graph career at Joliet , III. , under a manager who agreed to teach him the business if ho would serve as messenger boy for six months. At the end of that term , in the fall of 1851 ! , bo was given the oftlco at Lookport , 111. Here bo perfected themself in the business , and In December , 1853 , no was made manager of tbo ofllco at Spnngilold. Six years later ho was promoted to the su- porintendency of the St. Louis & Missouri Hlvor and Kansas Telegraph companies , gen- COI.ONEI , it. o. CI.OWHT. orally known ns tbo Stebbius linos. In Apt II , I SO ! ) , ho was chosen superintendent mid secretary - rotary of the Missouri & Western Telcirrapli company , first with headquarters ut Si , Louis and then nt Omalm. He remained In this city until appointed , in October , ISM , assistant superintendent of military tele graphs for thu Department of Arkansas with tno rank of captain and assistant quarter master. On the retirement of Major George H , Smith in September , ItdJt , Mr. Clowry was made the manager of the telegraph corps for Missouri , Arkansas and Kansas. Ho had 1,701) miles of telegraph to watch ana keep In repair , und during six months about L'5I,000 ) messages were sent ever his system. Ho rendered tbo union distinguished service and was called n "model otllcer. " Ha was bre- vetted u lieutenant colonel May 13 , IS'iO , and mustered out of the service. Colonel Clowry lias become prominently identiliod with commurclal telegraphy since the wnr , filling various responsible positions , and Is now vlca president and general super intendent for thu Western Union with hoad- quattors in Chicago , Ho married on Omaha ludv , owns property in this city and has a lively interest In its psoplo and its material prosperity. OK ciriinitb , Borvlco ut tint Win- Hop ircuioiitkrut irapli Ollliu ) In Witslilui-roii , A. B. Chandler , proildont of the Postal Telegraph company , was a cipher operator at , tbo War department In Washington dur ing most of the war und at its cloio was also disbursing clerk. Ho rendered distinguished service , and enjoyed ttio fullest oontldonco of the protldont and other Important govern ment and military oflloorj , belntr employed on tbo most secret and dllUcuit work in translating and "putting up" cipher dis patches of the graatait Importance. Hu assisted materially In the invention of now ciphers , and was one of tbo throe exports II. CIUNin.KU. who , nftor four hours of study , made out n dangerous cipher of the enemy written In a mixture of musical , Greek , Indian , Hoinun , telegraphic and phonetic character * . A single Incident will llltutrnto tbo confi dential relations of the operator ? und thu president. After the battle of Gettysburg Lincoln wanted General Meede to follow up his advantage by another uttuck on life rabol army before it bad time to cro s tbo Polomao or recover trom Its defeat. Ho was oxcnod- iiii'iy fearful lost the euemy should cscapj without furtber punishment , and ipout nuxlou noun In the War department tele graph oQlco awaltluy aows. Culling Chan dler up to a map. the president traced the positions ot Iht'J several divisions of the opposing ur-JilpsTtt expressed the greatest astonishment that the federal commander had not airqidymadn nn attack on his ( lemornlizoii/UHv Ho said it scorned to him that the robsWXfrel-n being driven across the river InsteudVpthitlna prevented , nnd ns hn walked nwav hoPiwioJalmod bitterly : "They flbo union forcesJwirt" bu ready to flffbt n magnificent battle when the enemy are nil over tbo river lihdUhoro 1s nobodv to light. " Lee escaped annihilation ns Lincoln feared ho would. * * At the eloio p ( .tho wnr Chandler received from his chief. General Eckort , acting for the secretary o l Wur , n silver watch nnd n letter of warm 'thanks for his faithful nnd cfllcicnt service. . , , ( , nitOKi : INTO THI : coiirs. limy ( 'nrerr ofu Hey U'lioln Too Young fnr dm Sur lci < . William H. Plum , president of the Society of the United Stat'os Military Telegraph corps , wus born In Misslllou , O. , In 18t. > . During tlio summer school vacation of ISOO ho learned to telegraph and shortly there after took ehargo of the railroad nnd Western Unlor. ofllco nt Atwater , O. , where tn six months ho became so proficient that ho was promoted to the charge of ihfl olllco at the headquarters ot the railroad at Cleveland. Ilo lomaincd there untl | February. 1803 , when bo determined to enter the United Stated military telegraph corps. General ( then Captain ) Ahson Stager , tbo chlof of the corps , happening to bo In the city , the boy , knowing of the need of such help , tendered his services , but thov wcro immediately declined on the ground that bo was too young ana small. Thereupon , nnd * without the captain's knowledge , Plum telegraphed Stagov's assistant for the Depart ment ot tbo GumborlaiVd , Captain Brucn , nt Loiilbvlilc , ICv. , offering his services. In reply to nn urgent request to como nt once the bov loft that ( light , Young Plum opened the tirst oWco at Columbia , llv. . burolr escaping rapture on- routp by John H. Morgan's guerrilla force , as It was then called , In n tow woods ho was given charge of the Important repeating ofllco ut Lebanon Junction , on the Louisville & Nashville railroad , wtioro all messages to and from Iho army operating against Cum berland Gap were repeated. General John II. Morgau having captured Lebanon ana other places in the roar of the Gap forces mid threatenihg Frankfort , Plum was ordered thither , Thence ho wont to the It PLUM. main ofllco in Nnshville , where ho ramalned dtirlnc : its siege and until after tbo batllu ot Stone Hlvor. Then"he took charge of General Gordon Granger's officeIn tbo Hold at Franklin.f" Hosecrnns' arihywas about moviug when Plum Joined his0'Headquarter telegraphers. Volunteer operators' ' being called for to go to 'ne relief ot thV'overworked and too few telegraphers about Vicksburg , Plum started , but was temporarily stopped by Stager to 1111 thn ' place of the Columbus , ICy. , operator , who wa's dyintrbf smallpox. In n row weekS'hb was'reiloved and given entire cnarge of the United States military telegraph linos" t'riim Nashville to Pndiioah , via Clarksville , Fdrt DonaldsonFort Henry and Sroithland. FronTladucah the wires connected with Cail-o and formed the second route north from Nashvillo. This route waster tor the most part n wilderness of woods , and guerrilla bands frequently visited it , captur ing operators and destroying 'wires. Three repairers were killed bv them. After the baltlo of Chickamatiga Pit r.i 'vas ordered to the front nt Chattanooga , but wus detained there until the army reached the CbattuhoocliOo river , when he Joined General George H. Thomas' headquarters ofllce. Ho uccompunied thu general around and south of Atlanta und in the battle of Jonesboro , snortly after thu confederate evacuation of Atlanta , Plum writ made manager of that , office , but when Sherman started for the sea lie wus sent to Nnshvlllo with Thomas und was with him in the great baltlo thero. Plum continued in charge of Thomas' ofllco in the Hold und city until the war was ever , when bo resigned to gn to college , hav ing declined an appointment to West Point. Of course in all of these positions Mr. Plum handled the cipher kovs in use , nnd atone ono ttmo ho bold ona of only four or live copies prepared , the War department , Grant's , Sherman's aud Thomas' oflicos buy ing each a copy. Mr. Plum graduated from the Yule law department in 1SOT and has since boon a suc cessful lawyer in Chicago. In IbSi ho pub lished bis history of the Uauod States mili tary tolugrapn corps in two large octavo volumes , from which TUB Bii : : has drawn freely for its reminiscences of iho corps. From the organization of the Society of the United States Military Telegraph Corps ho has been elected Its president at every an nual reunion. iiosrni : OAMPS CONNICTI ; . Anil Itolh Ollh-ps Uorkntl l > y Union Tcli > - grnpli OponttorK. James n. Pottlt of Chicago , secretary of j the Society of Military Telegraphers and manager of the Postal company's ofllco In that city , enlisted in the war as a soldier and as such took part in tbo battle of Falling . I-RfTll. Waters , Va. Hd ° * whs also a participant In the slego of Vlcksljijyg as a quartermaster's clerk , but operators were in gicat demand , and ho was trannforii d to tbo telegraphic service. In Junb , 'IStll , ho was made innji- niror of the olllco at Athens. Ala. When Forrest ' # ifftured the town Pottlt nnd another oporftVvr.Moliu F. Ludwig , retired - tired to the fort unM prepared to do duty ns soldiers. Much to tbolr chagrin , the fort wag surrendered , and they bacamo prisoners. They were tnicen to the rebel pen at Cuhaba , Ala. , where both were bjok of fever. Pettlt for two months. The unfortunate federal * , like those In other southern pilsons , lived lives of horrible torture. There were twelve men In Pettlt's ward , und eleven of them died , bo being tbo solo survivor. After HX ! months of this tonIblo experi ence Pottit and Ludwitf were sent to the parolu camp noaf YlcKSDurg to bo ox- nbanged , and William U. Plum , In rolift- ing their subsequent experience , records tbo following retoaruaDio olrcum- stunco : ' 'Instead of tbolr bolng released thu wlro was repaired from Vicksuuri ; to the bridge [ over the Big Black rtvor nt tbo confederate tamp ] nnd Pott tsuttonod at thu rebel headquxrtors of exchange and LudwIjT In the federal camp , inia wax March'Jl , Ign2 , ana ; whlto thu war was In full uluat. It U un intorottlng and doubtless Isolated fact tbul tUu , by mutual consent , confederate nnd urion headquarters were linked together nnd both offices worked by union operators. Exchanges were greatly facilitated by this moans , but It was n eroat hardship to both the operators , who had silfferod greatly from chronic dlnrrhro. Indeed Pottlt worked most of the time. In n hammock. Exposure nero produced n rclapio , which , wbilo it nearly dourorcd , saved his life. Ho nnd Ludwig wcro to go north with 2,100 other exchanged prisoners on the steamer Sultnna. This relapse prevented Pottlt go'ng ' , ami General Dana refused leave to Ludwig , ns hu was greatly nnuttnd to assist Samuel Cochrnno , the lolecraph manager of tbo Vicksburg district , who was slowly dvliur when ho should huvo gone south lo recuper ate. The Sultana blow up near Memphis took fire. About ltl)0 ) homesick soldiers uero thtir.ibv killed or drowned. May 0 I'ettlt and Ludwig were exchanged. " l.OUIH H. KOltl'V. SilpcrllitniuM Ilin l.ttrgntt It tilt-nut Tolo- niili | byunm in tlin World. Louts II. ICorty suporitondon t of the Union Paclllo r n.11 r o n d's tola- graph system , w.is born in Ger many , October 2J , 1810.His family came to this coun try in I85D , sot- tll.-ig In Iowa , Ho co-nmonced toio- Kfapnlng nt the > . ago of 11 on Iho Illinois & Mississippi Telegraph company's lines nt Fort Madison , la. , using the old- fashioned paper register reading by sound being but little practiced in those davs and permitted onlj in u few of the larger ofllcos. Ills Ilrst salary as operator amounted to the munlilcont sum ot § 12 per month. After being employed on the same company's lines successively nt Chicago , Minnesota Junction , WIs. , Cedar Falls , la. , nnd Hookford , III. , until ISO : ! , hu entered the United States Mill- ry telegraph corps at Memphis , Tonn. , serving during the wnr in tno Dapartmonts of the Cumberland , Tennessee , Mississippi and the G'ulf. After tbo close ot hostilities ho was ap pointed inanagor , for the govern ment , of the Joint oflloo of the Ameri can and Southwestern Telegraph companies , which position ho retained until the Hues were relinquished by the government mm turned back to thu companies. Ho was then transferred to Texas , wbero ho continued in the military tulograpn service as cipher clerk until Is07. In the full of 18IJ3 ho came north nnd ac cepted a position with thu Western Union company , nnd lor about a year was one of three operators who worked the overland circuit un which Omaha was ono of the principal relay points. The operators at Omaha at that time included Messrs. K. Hosowator , E. L. Armstrong und the Drakn brothers. Luthmnnd Plenion , wltn all of whom Mr. ICorty oxcbunced many messages on tbo single wire which then carried nil the to egruphlo coirospondenco between the Atlantic and Pjcillo coasts. In the spring of Ib70 no entered the em ploy of the Union I'aclllc , serving as agent nnd telegraph manager at several stations In Wyoming und Utah. Ho was transferred to Omaha in October , 1871 , ns chlof operator , appointed assistant superintendent uf tele graph in ISSI , nnd on the resignation of Mr. J. J. Dickey as superintendent of tbo Union Pacific's lines Mr. Korty sticcooded him in that position in October 1887. He now enJoys - Joys tbo distinction of having charge of the larcosl railway telegraph system in thu world. Mr. Korty , in cojunction with Mr. Dickey , intioduced and developed the tele phone in Nebraska , \vyoming , Utun , Idaho und Montana. Ho still retains a largo inter est in the two tolopbono companies opening that territory , nnd is secretary and treasuior of the Noornska Telephone company. Mr. Korty is too modest to sny much about bis wur experiences , but his comrades testify to his bravo und oMicicnt service. William R. Plum relates u characteristic incident , ono of ICorty's experiences In the work of open ing communication from the Bluuk river bridcu iicsarVicksburg to Mobile , from which point bo bad been called for the dangerous mission : "Korty loft the [ Blackl river in company with Captain Turner of a Now York regi ment. Buforo starting they had discussed the propriety of only two persoiib traveling by night overncouniry infested by guerrillas and other bad characters who had loft their commands with their arms without waiting to be paroled. Many of their homos were in the Transmiaslssippl department , and there E. Kirby Smith commanded aud was deter mined to fight to the last extremity. Thither also others , moved by the sumo unconquer able will , tended , nnd" hence It was n diuicor- iU5 ride that ICorty nnd Turner proposed , but they mounted their horsoi and were lost in tbo darkness of that silent night to brood over Imaginary evils as they slowly picked their way. Tumor had fought over this ground und was wounded at the battle of Champion Hills , which locality , about mid night as tbo moon escaped the clouds , they reached safely. Turnot's adventures here abouts , whlcn ho related onouto , the appre hensions ot nvil , tno wrecks uf caissons , pieces of shells , the hour , tbo loneliness , the silence , but above all the whitened bones of slain animals , the rude burial boards an nouncing the namcj of the fallen nnd other evidences of mottal conflict upou which the moon's pale light gave u sepulchral hue , these things , at u time when graveyards yawn , strung the nerves of the ridor.s to the highest tension. "After contemplating the scene a little they pressed on through tha thick woods und on emerging were suddenly completely sur rounded by eight or ten men coming out ot n thicket with drawn revolvers culling out : 'Got down , you Yunicoo . ' One oaugbt Korty's brldlo and an other leaped for Turner's but the latter opened on his assailant and others with his revolver. Thus began the second battle of Champion Hills with creator odds against tbo unionists than Grunt had against Pombcr- ton. Before Korty could draw his weapon his horse , u spirited , unmunagubto animal , reared up , and , dushlng headlong , nroko from tbo bushmen , nnd was out ot range \vita Its rider. But Turner was lighting ulono. However , he wus lighting gallantly , empty ing two revolvers and shooting ut least two of the assailants , nnd then leaving unharmed amid u shower ot bullets. ICorty , in the meantime , bud checked ht borso , und was returning to Turner's aid when the latter rode up. "Thoir llrst idea was to press on to Clin ton , but then they heard the nolghlng of u horse , and , concluding that the men were mounted ( perhaps familiar with iho country ) ni.d would punuo. they determined to tuko an elevated position among the hills , whore tying their horses , thov throw up a barrl cade , conildiMitly expecting to bo beslugud if .so , they determined to robaptlzo the nl torlo ground , But tbo guerrillas , discover ing the preparations , or for some other rea son , let them alone. Wuitlng , watching , listening until sunrise , made u long night of it ; but , nt last , dnyllgnt came , und thu two entered Clinton In safety. At breakfast n professor , who bofuru thu wnr conducted a lomulo seminary there , rclutod the circum stances of bis llndlng the bodies of two man wbo had been murdered two nights ooforo uoar where ICorty nnd Turner were ut- tucked " , _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ WITH 'iin ; i'uisii : > ivr. : Ono oT tlin 'Hiumcvr * ol tint \Viir I ) < < | irt- inunt Oilier. Wllllnui B. Wilson of Philadelphia , who for a time hud churgo of the military tele graph office In the Wnr department nt Wash ngton , was born nt HarMsburg In 18't9. His first work in tbo totcgntphto service was ns n messenger boy for the Atlantic & Ohio Telegraph company , nnd bo was soon promoted meted to nn opotntor's doMt. In 1S.15 no entered , upon his long service with the Pennsylvania road by becoming Its operator ut Hurrisburg. In April , 18(11 ( , ho was sent bv CoUnol Thomas A , Sof.lt to the ofllco of Governor Curtln to assist. In the or ganization of Poniisylvnina troops , and in Mav be was called to V'nshlugton , where ho was made manager of thn military telegraph ofllco In tbo Witrdepartment. Hero ho came Into frequent contact with President Lincoln und tbo secretary of war. Compelled bv health to leave the regular corps , Air. Wilson , during the raids nnd iihu-int on the upper Potomau and In south- urn Pennsylvania , noted as a telegraph scout under instructions Irom Colonel Soott und w. ti. wn.sov. Governor Curttn. Armed only with a poeltot Instrument , n coil of line helix wire nnd a key to the cipher , bo trnmpod ever the threatened district , nttachcd bis Instrument to the toli'graph whenever he had Informa tion to communlcntu und put his mossuro Into cipher nt the kov , gouornlly dating it "in the woods near . " In 180J Mr. Wllsou was made lost car agent ol the Pennsylvania railroad , nnd ho rendered the government valuable xcrvlco In matters ot transportation Ono of his duties was to watch confederate movements In the linn from Wheeling to Alexandria. Mr. Wilson's services were warmly commended by President Lincoln , Governor Curtin and Assistant Adjutant General E. D. 'lown- scnd. Mr. Wilson nas remained with the Penn sylvania since the war and has been in trusted with many important missions. Ilo tins done some journalistic wont on tno biiio and lias nlso boon prominent in politics as n democrat. KDWAKD ltOSi\VATiit. : A .Military Trlogrititlior 1'ri'slili'iit ol tlio Old 1 linorn' Axsocliition. Edward Hoscwateris a native of Bohemia. Ho entered upon his career as a telegrapher at Cincinnati In 1833. In Ib5 ! ) bo accepted a position on tbo Southwestern TelcgrapR company's line In Tennessee , nnd in the fall of that yonr ho was transferred to Steven son , Ala , then nn Important railway repeat ing station. In the spring of 1S01 ho was as signed to tno commercial olllro nt Nashville , where ho remained until that citv capit ulated to tbo union army under General Buoll. Ho tendered his services to Thomas E. llOSEWtTWt , 1S02. A. Scott , then assistant secretary of war , who accompanied General Buell. and re built the lines across the Cumberland river , which bad been destroyed with the suspension oridgo by General Floyd's army. Thirty days later ho formally enlisted In the United States military telegraph corps at Wheeling und accompanied General Fre mont through his entire West Virginia cam paign. In July , Ib02 , ho was ordered to Washington nnd stationed for four weeks In the navy yard , then commanded by Commo dore Dablgrou. When General Pope was as- sicnud to thu command of tbo Army of Vir ginia HosowHtor made application nt the war efllco to accompany him in the Held. Ho was thereupon appointed as ono of the stiff oper ators nnd remained with General POPO throucuout thu campaign from Warriugton to Cuipcppor and the Rapidan , and bacK again across the Happatmnnock. During the tnreo days' engigement at Bull Hun he transmitted all of Genorul Pope's dispatches trom the battle Hold. On September 1 , 1602 , ho was recalled to Washington nnd assigned to duty in tbo War department. In the fall of 18IVJ ho reslgued from the military tele graph coips and moved to Omaha , where bo was for seven years manager of tbu Pacific Telegraph mm Western Union companies. In 1871 bo severed his connection from the telegraph service and entered upon his career ns editor aud publisher nf Tun BHK , of which ho wus the founder anil is now Iho chief proprietor. Mr. Kosowotor has nlso taken an nctivo Interest In everything per- tiiitilug to the profession of his boyhood -and curlv manhood. Ho was vice protldnnt of the Society of the Military Telegraph Corp ? during ono lorm nnd has been n member of the congressional committee of tlmtsoclctv ever slnco its organization. While absent in Ein-opo lust year tbo Old Timots' associa tion , of which he Is also a in urn bar , elected him us its president. TIVUII : o.\rnmii : > . Onn nl thu Ill-it 1'oHtlcal PrNcHior.i ol Iliu Wiir. William J. Deuly of New York , secretary and treasurer of the Old Time Telegraphers association , and secretary of the committee . Latest U. S. Gov't Report. Highest of all in Leavening Power. . . . A&SO1.UTEIY PURE on congroisional action of the United Stntos military corps , was born In Now York city In 1843. Ho began hi * telegraph cnrccr In ISTiT .is messenger with the Atlantic & OhloToloeraph coinpHiiy nt Philadelphia , In lSr > 3 ho becatne > nn operator i.utl served for two years nt different points along the line of the Philadelphia , WtlinliiKton & Unltlmoro railroad. In 1M11 ho had charao of n small ofllco six mlloi from Baltimore. On April 'JJ a party of bridge burners captured young Di'uly , who had boon nt his post , for llftv-slx hours without slcop , teen him along under guisrd until their work of destruction was finished , and on returning to Bnlttmoro made n futile iitlompi to pot him to Join n troop of cavalry being organised for the rebel service. A few months later ho onturod the United State * military telegraph uorpi , nnd was ono of the first operators imuln prisoners wlioli Harper's Kerry was suriondorcd , The tele era pliers mingled with the federal soldier * , who > vo > o paroled by regiments , which lucky circumstance loft the operators to ivjoln tho" Borvlco. In ISfill .VOUP.T Doaly wus inndo a olihor | operator and manager at Fortress Monroe , which was onu of the mo t Impor tant stiuloim during the war. At the close of the rebellion ho wont to Now York , was appointed manager of the Western Union company's cable department , anil later on successively manager of the Atlantic & Pacllloonico , and of thoAmorl- cuti Union oftlco , nnd suponntondcDt of the broach cable company. In ISSI ho wont to Europe for the American Cable company , and nn his rotnrn antorod the Western Union service nt , cable manager , also as manager of the general operating ilt-parttnent and of iho commercial IIO\\H department. Mr. Do ly It a member of several telegraph fraternal soolotlos. and Is always ready nnd wilting to contribute htt stmro of ttmo nnd labor for their succots , VITIKAN : < : irinmit. : : Ono ortlin linyVln > HUH Mmlu Ills Mnrh In the Win-Ill. J. II. KmorlcU of New York , general superintendent of thu Postal Telegraph Cable company , was born nt Fulton , N. Y , November 7 , 18III , nnd received n good edu cation In the Palloy seminary nt Fulton and nt the academy In Pulnskl , N. V. Ho began his career as a telegrapher In Fulton in IbOO and worked nt Oswego and Wutortown until Decotnbor , 18(11 ( , when ho entered the mili tary telegraph service ut McDowell's head quarters , Arlington Heights , Virginia. Ho was In the Hold nt the headquarters of the Army of the Potomac as operator nnd cipher clerk In every campaign until Jutiu- ' nry , Ibi5 ( , when ho was ma'do ohlof opornior of the Army of tbo .lamoi , and con. tinned in Its headquarters and n Richmond until the telegraph corps t disbanded. Ho then accepted the uhlef oporntorship of the Western Union ofllco at Htchmond , Vn. This position ho held until January , IbOT , when lib tr.inbforiod his ser vices to the War department at Washing ton , where ho remained until July of the samoyanr , resigning to enter the cable-loom service in Now York. Ho remained theiu until the telographcTa' strike of 1SU-TO. ! ) In January , 1S70 , Mr , Kmoriek accepted n position with the NPW Yoik lire al.irm tele graph as operator. Later on ho was made chief operator , and nftci wards suooi intend- ent of the service. In lt > 7S bo en listed in the service of the Metropol itan Telephone and Telegraph company. In March , 1S70 , ho was appointed supeiintond- entof the Mutual Union Telegraph compnnv. which position he hold until the coiisoiida tion , when , in August , ISSI , ho was ap pointed superintendent of the Postal Tele graph Cable company. In August , IS iO , Mr Emoriclt was made general superintendent of Iho eastern division of the Postal , which position ho fills to the utmost satis faction of all. Kverv facility has boon given him for carrying out Ins plans , and Ins long and varied experience has qualified him for successful management. Ho has all the proitliro and advantage which oxrollotu'O of character and Known honor und anility can give film. Tliit.loftlnr In u ith Tliein , Just as Tun HIK was about to go to press this morning n messenger came ruining Into the ofllco with a "pleco for the paper. " Ho said u rod-faced man doun at the Mercer hotel wrote It and wanted It printed in Tut ! IIK : , nnd hero It is : Wo are glad to see Senator Ivos was ou time. Billy Dealy , the energetic secretary , in wreathed in his usual smiles. Bogardus is nt thu door waiting for tbo Old Timers to como out. Why Is Bogardus looking for Ar nott ? Be cause bo is on his last quarter. Why is the Old Timer strong ! Because ho is Armstrong. Why ao the telegraphers look so prosper ous ? Because thov live on ticks. What are the boys drinkingj Hosowator. Xotlro to Old Tlino Toli'uiuplitii-ft. The Postal Telegraph company cordially extends to the Old Time Telegraphers nnd Military Telegraph Corps while at Otnnbii and Denver free use of Its lines for nil social messages. Ollico. 1210 uouglus stroot. An ply to W. S. DIM MOCK , Manager. Mr. .Jo/ui II\n\ao'foril \ 1'iopiletoi-of Iho fine Hvciy stable at the \Veit Cud lintel , iiiulia : , N. Y. , sa > a Hood's b.inapa- iill.i goes way ahead of un } thing ho ever took for troubles ullh the Liver and Kidneys for long lime , mull lie willi ' which ' ho suffered a to Hoo'l'-l S.irsii..ullln : .ind was . < - ° ' l' ' ' cmed. Other ineinueia of lili family iils'i ' nndarolilRhb R'-'IH ' "d ultli the benefit trom It. IJOOD'B PU-L3 nro a inlM , r i'"n. I > hio" ! , , t > nilA'wiyi ' reliable. 1VJ. AM US 15M Fix NTS Mew I" LAST DAY Theater ) . THIS ( WliDXKSDAf ) SKIT. U. Last THO I'urformuiic.'oi of John T. KelJtj- In the now Comedy McPBB OF DUBLIN. Holler than ( ho cimn , Stay mvny nn I you \ > lll kl ' { yinr ( .pir. .M.iiluuu 'I III * Altiu niiiPii ut UiMO I'ncoi I-'Irst lloor. 50 and 7. > u ; Hulrony. OJc KVKNINd I'l.UKOHMANOi : AT H. I'rlcou ! J1o , Me , 7 ! > r. and Jl.OO. THEATER. J''il"JSi ' , Jlatlnei'HTIinisdiiy nun f-utuiiluv , KATIK KMMIJT'U UIIIJAT I'I.AV , VI IK WA KHOK NKW YOHK. \ A powerful comimiyl HIiioornloMnnorr1 Uotf't full In mm lliimruit Iliirloiu Uullririil UrMnu fttu.iot On iircnuiit of lliinuim'H ulrou llu < nilJwuok iniitl nuo will tnkii plurijoii 'l'l.ur 'J ty Iniluml tit Wuc ) ni'n'lur. ' Hi-iiH now on milu , l.Mh and Onpltul Avonilo , \\'i el > uf Hujitomber t"tli. mt\MA KOCitiH I' ' . ' 1 0 p. in , ) 8lM p. in. Hpuululty Mil. li'JI , 7M4 p. in. CONTINUOUS hi IOWA I'rt'-im li" , SI * Mo. UUKIO UAIvL