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
