The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 9, 1862.

EXTRAORDINARY TELEGRAPHIC STRA-
TEGY .-A CURIOUS CHATTER IN THE
HISTORY OF THE WAR.

- -.
INTERCEPTED DISPATCHES, TAKEN BY G. A. ELLS-
WORTH, TELEGRAPHIC OPERATOR ATTACHED TO
COLONEL MORGAN'S BAND or CONFEDERATES.
(From the Augusta (Ga.) Southern Confederacy.)
Knoxville, July 30.

Captain R. A. Alston, A.A.G.—On the 10th of July
General Morgan, with myself and a body guard of 15 men
arrived at a point half a mile below Horse Cave, on the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad, where I took down the
telegraph wire and connected my pocket ins:trument, for
the purpose of taking off all dispatches as they passed
through. Owing to a heavy storm prevailing south the
atmospheric electricity prevented me from communicating
with Bowling Green or Nashville. The first I heard was
Louisville calling Bowling Green. I immediately put on
my ground wire southward, noticing particularly at the
same time what change it would make in the circuit. It
did make it stronger; but the storm mentioned affecting
telegraphs more or less, Louisville did not suspicion any•
thing wrong, and I answered for Bowling Green, when I
received the following message :

" Louisville, July 10, 1862.

44 TO S. D. BROWN, BOWLING GREEN.
"You and Colonel Houghton move together. I fear the
force of Colonel H. is too small to venture to Glasgow.
The whole force should move together as the enemy are
mounted. We cannot venture to leave the road too far, as
they may pass round and ruin it. __ _

"J. T. BOYLE,
"Brigadier-General commanding."
I returned the usual signal, " 0. K.," after receiving the
message.
-Louisville immediately-called Nashville; 'end amalveted-
for Nashville, receiving business for two hours. This
business was mostly of a private nature, and I took no
copies. It could be plainly perceived from the tenor of
the messages that Morgan was in the country, and all
orders to send money or valuables by railroad were coun-
termanded, as they supposed. Little did the operator at
Louisville think all his work would have to be repeated
the next day. Louisville also sent the news of the day,
and thus we were furnished with New York and Washing-
ton dates of that day. During the whole of this time it was
raining heavily, and my situation was anything but an
agreeable one—sitting in the mud with my feet in the water
up to my knees. At 11 o'clock p.m., the general being
satisfied that we had drained Louisville of news, concluded
to close for the night, and gave me the following message,
dating and signing : _ _

" Nashville, July 10, 1862.
" TO HENRY DENT, PROVOST MARSHAL OF LOUISVILLE.

"General Forrest, commanding a brigade, attacked Mur-
fresboro,k routing our forces, and is now moving on Nash-
ville. Morgan is reported to be between Scottsville and
Gallatin, and will act in concert with Forrest, it is believed.
" Inform the general commanding.
"STANLEY MATTHEWS, Provost Marshal."

I am not aware that General Morgan claims to be a pro-
phet, or the son of a prophet; but Forrest did attack Mur-
fresboro, an rout the enemy.
On arriving at Lebanon, July 12, I accompanied the ad-
vance guard into town, and took possession of the tele-
graph office immediately. This, as you know, was at half-
past 3 a.m. I adjusted the instrument and examined the
circuit. No other operator on the line appeared to be on
hand thus early. I then examined all the despatches of
the day previous. Among them I found the following :
" Lebanon, July 11, 1862.
"General J. T. Boyle, Louisville, Ky.,
" I have positive information that there are 400 marau-
ders in the 20 miles of this place, on the old Lexington-
road, approaching Lebanon. Send reinforcements. imme-
diately.
"A. Y. JoHrtsox, LieutoColonel Commanding."
At half-past 7an operator signing "Z" commenced call-
ing "B," which I had ascertained by the books in the
office was the signal for the Lebanon office. I answered the
call, when the following conversation between "Z " and
myself ensued : _ .

To Lebanon—What news? Any more skirmishing
after your last message ? " Z."
To Z—No. We drove what little cavalry there was
away. " B."

"To B—Has the train arrived yet? " Z."
" To Z—No. About how many troops on train ?" B."
" To B—Five hundred Sixtieth Indiana, commanded by
Colonel Owens. " Z."

My curiosity being excited as to what station Z was, and
to ascertain without creating any suspicion, I adopted the
following plan :
"To Z—A gentleman here in office bets me the scgars
canno4 "-- "--
''&-.l3—Take the bet. L-e-b-a-n•o-n
Is this not right? low did you think I would spell it?

"Z.»
"To Z—He gives it up. He thought you would put two
b's to Lebanon. "

"To B—Ha I ha Iha I He is a green one " Z."

"To B—Yes; that's so "B."
"To Z—What time did the train with soldiers pass, Z ?
" B."

" To B-8.30 last night.
" To Z—Very singular where the train is

"Z."
"B."

"To B—Yes; it is. Let me know when it arrives.
cc z.,,

At 8.20 Lebanon Junction called me up and said :
"To B—The train has returned. They had a fight with
the rebels at New Hope. The commanding officer awaits

orders here.

"Z."

"To Z—Give us the particulars of the fight. Colonel
Johnson is anxious to know all about it. " B."
"To B—Here is Moore's message to General Boyle :
"Lebanon Junction, July 12, 1862.
"TO GENERAL J. T. BOYLE, LOUISVILLE.

"At 11 o'clock last night, at New Hope station, part of
my command encountered a force of rebel cavalry posted on
the county road one-half mile south of the railroad. After
a brisk fire of musketry for 20 minutes the enemy was
routed and fled. Skirmishers were sent out in different
directions, but were unable to find the enemy. At three
this morning, apprehending that an effort might be
made to destroy the bridges in our rear, we
moved down to New Haven and remained until
after daylight, when the train went back to the scene of
the skirmish. A Mr. Foreman, of Owen County, was
found mortally wounded. He reported the rebel force at
550, under command of Captain Jack Allen, and that they
had fallen back towards Greensburg. One horse was killed
and three captured. The books of the company were found
in the field. Blood was found at different places, showing
that the enemy was severely punished. No casualties on
our side. Here with a train
oa.
rwa.imtinogooßrudei's.
Commanding.",

Lebanon Junction being the repeating station for Louis•
ville business, he forwarded the following telegrams just
from Louisville—nine o'clock a.m. :
" Louisville, July 12, 1862.

" TO COLONEL JOHNSON, LEBANON.
" Leave good guard and join Colonel Owens. Pursue
the enemy and drive him out. Be cautious and vigorous.
Make no delay.
" J. T. BOYLE, Brigadier General Commanding."
By the following it will appear that Colonel Owens must
have been en route for Lebanon :

" Louisville, July 2, 1862.

TO COLONEL OWENS, LEBANON.
" You will move after the enemy and pursue him.
" J. T. BOYLE, Brigadier General Commanding."

Up to the time of our leaving Lebanon, which was about
noon, Col. Owens had not arrived. Gen. Morgan told me
I could close my office; and to allay for that evening all
suspicion at Lebanon Junction at not being able to com-
municate with Lebanon, I despatched the operator as fol-
lows :
" To Z.—Have been up all night and am very sleepy,
If you have no objections I will take a alp until two or
three o'clock. " B."

ton was head-quarters, I cut Frankfort off. Midway was
called. I answered and received the followilg

" Lexington, Jily 15, 1862.

" TO J. W. WOOLITAIS, OPERATOR, MDWAY.

"Will there be any danger in coming tf Midway ? Is
everything right? " TAYLon,Conductor."
I inquired of my prisoner (the operator' if he knew a
man of the name of Taylor. Ho said that'!aylor was con-
ductor. I immediately gave Taylor th following re-
ply

"Midway, :Illy 15, 1862.

"TO TAYLOR, LEXINGTON
"All right; come on. No signs of any .ebels here.
WOOLUMS,"

The operator in Cincinnati then called Fankfort. I an-
swered, and received about a dozen uniinpoi,ant despatches.
He had no sooner finished when Lexingta called Frank-
fort. Again I answered, and received tht following mes-
sage :

" Lexington, ;nly 15, 1862.

ti TO GEN. FINNELL, FRANKFSRT.

" I wish you to move the forces at Fran:fort on the line
of the Lexington Railroad immediately, aid have the cars
follow and take them up as soon as possible Further orders
will await them at Midway. I will, in time or four hours,
move forward on the Georgetown pike; \sill have most of
my men mounted. Morgan left Versaillo this morning,
at 8 o'clock, with 850 men on the Midway ro ad, moving in
the direction of Georgetown.

" Brigadier General WARD."
This being our position and intention exactly, it was
thought proper to throw Gen. Ward on some other track.
So in the course of half an hour I manufactured and sent
the following dispatch, which was approved by General
Morgan:—

" Midway, July 15, 1862.

" TO BRIGADIER GEN. WARD, LEXINGTON.

"Morgan, with upwards of 1,000 men, came within a
mile of here, and took the old Frankfort road, bound, as we
suppose, for Frankfort. This is reliable.
.74 Viriibitnts, Operator."
In about ten minutes Lexington again called Frankfort,
when I received the following :
Lexington, July 15, 1862.
" TO GEN. FINNELL, FRANKFORT.

" Morgan, with more than 1,000 men, came within a mile
of here, and took the old Frankfort road.
"This dispatch received from Midway, and is reliable.
The regiment from Frankfort had better be recalled.

" General WARD."

I receipted for this message, and again manufactured a
message to confirm the information Gen. Ward had received
from Midway, and not knowing the tariff from Frankfort
to Lexington, I could not send a formal message, so, appear-
ing greatly agitated, I waited until the circuit was occupied,
and broke in. telling them to wait a minute, and commenced
calling Lexington. He answered with as much gusto as I
called him. I telegraphed as follows :
" FRANKFORT TO LEXINGTON—TeII General Ward our
pickets are just driven in. Great excitement. Pickets say
the force of the enemy must be 2,000.

" OPERATOR."
It was now two o'clock p.m., and General Morgan wished
:o be off for Georgetown. I run a secret 'ground connec-
tion, and opened the circuit on the Lexington end. This
was to leave the impression that the Frankfort operator
was skedaddling, or that Morgan's men had destroyed the
telegraph.
We arrived at Georgetown at about the setting of the
sun.' I went to the telegraph office, found it locked, and in-
quired for the operator, who was pointed out to me on the
street. I hailed him, and demanded admission into his
office. He very courteously showed me in. Discovering
that his instruments had been removed, I asked where they
were. He said he had sent them to Lexington. I asked
him what time ho had Lexington last. He said,- "Nine
o'clock, and since that time the line had been down." I
remarked that it must be an extraordinary line to be in
working condition when it was down, as I heard him send-
ing messages to Lexington when I was at Midway at one
o'clock. This was a stunner; he had nothing to say. I
immediately tested the line by applying the ends of the
wires to my tongue, and found the line "O. K." I said
nothing to him but called for a guard of two men to take
care of Mr. Smith until I got ready to leave town. I did
not interrupt the lines till after tea, when I put in my own
instruments, and after listening an hour or two to the
Yankees talking, I opened the conversation as follows,
signing myself "Federal Operator :
"To Lexington.—Keep mum. lam in the office, read-
ing by the sound of my magnet, in the dark. I crawled in
when no one saw me. Morgan's men arc here, camped in
Dr. Gano's place. "GEORGETOWN."
"To Georgetown.—Keep cool ; don't be discovered.
About how many rebels are there ? " LEXINGTON."
"To Lexington.—l don't know ; I didn't notice. As
Morgan's operator was asking me about my instruments I
told him I sent them to Lexington. He said, D—n the
luck,' and went out. " GEORGETOWN."
"
"To Lexington.—l will do so. Tell General Ward I'll
stay up all night if he wishes. " GEORGETOWN."
" To Georgetown.—Mr. Fuller wishes to know if the re-
bels are there. " CINCINNATI."
" To Cincinnati.—Yes, Morgan's men are here.
" GEORGETOWN."
" To Georgetown.—How can you be in the office and not
be arrested ? . " CINCINNATI."
" To Cincinnati.—Oh, I am in the dark, and am reading
by the sound of the magnet. " GEORGETOWN."
This settled Cincinnati. Question after question was
asked me about the rebels, and I answered to suit myself.
Things had been going on in this way about two hours,
when Lexington asked me where my assistant was. I re-
plied, " Don't know." He then asked me, "Have you
seen him to-day ?" I replied, " No." This was the last
telegraphing I could do in Georgetown.
I then called on Mr. Smith, the operator, who was under
guard in my room, and informed him that I would furnish
him with a mule in the morning, and should be pleased to
have him accompany me to Dixie, as I understood he was
in the employ of the United SLates Government. This was
anything but agreeable to him. I thought I had struck the
young man in the right place, and remarked that, had he
not sent his instruments to Lexington, I should have taken
then in preference to his person. His face brightened, and
an idea struck him very forcibly, from which he made a
proposition. It was to furnish me the instruments if I would
release him.
This I agreed to, as such, his instruments, were of much
more value to the Confederacy than Yankee telegraphers.
I accompanied him to the servant's room. and there, under
the bed, in a chest, we found the instruments. Mr. Smith
having given me his word on honour that he would not leave
town for the next 24 hours, he was set at liberty to visit his
wife and the young Smiths.
On arriving at Cynthiana, I found that the operator had
skedaddled. I tested the wires and found no fluid from
clean Paris
magnet,didel e,en an.
either Covington or Lexington, nor were the wires in work-
ing order when I left the office next day.
At the
whichhad I
made
at
a eleven sweep.a ThHeefilresftt
the night
before, taking all his instruments.
At Crab Orchard there was no office, and I had to put in
m ypocket
message I received was the following:—
" Louisville, July 21, 1862.
"TO COLONEL WOOLPORD, DANVILLE.
"Pursue Morgan. He is at Crab Orchard, going to
Somerset. " BOYLE."
No sooner had the 'Danville operator receipted for this
than the operator at Lebanon suggested the following :
"To Lebanon Junction—Would it not be well for Dan-
ville and offices below here to put on their ground wires
when they send or receive important messages, as George
Ellsworth, the rebel operator, may be on the line between
here and Cumberland Gap? "LEBANON."
The operator at the junction agreed with him, and said
it would be a good idea, but it was not carried into effect.
We arrived at Somerset that evening. I took charge of
the office. I ascertained from citizens that it had been
closed three weeks, up to the very hour that our advance
guard arrived in town. It was just opened by the operator
from London, who came to work the instruments for the
purpose of catching Morgan ; but, unfortunately for Uncle
Sam, the operator, ',and all concerned, he had no time
to either send or receive a message ; but he had it in fine
working condition for me. I had been in the office for
somo time when Stanford called Somerset and said :
"I have just returned from Crab Orchard, where I have
been to fix the line. The rebels tore it down. I left there
at eight o'clock. The 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry had not
then arrived. What time did you get in from London?
" STANFORD."
"To Stanford—Just arrived and got my office working
finely. " SOMERSET."
" To Somerset—Any signs of Morgan yet ; he left Crab
Orchard at 11.30 to day.
"STANFORD."
"To Stanford—No signs of him as yet.

" SOMERSET."

" To Somerset—For fear they may take you by surprise,
I would suggest we have a private signal. What say you ?
" STANFORD!'
_ _

we will make
"To Stanford—Good. Before signing,
the figure 7. " SOMERSET,"
This was mutually agreed upon.
I asked when Woolford would be at Somerset. He said
Woolford had telegraphed Boyle that his force was peen
and insufficient to attack Morgan.
Seeing there was no use of my losing a night's rest, I
told Stanford I would retire, that I had made arrangements
with the pickets to wake me up in case Morgan came in.
The operator at Lebanon Junctiion urged me to sit up, but
I declined, on the ground of being unwell. This did not
satisfy him, but after arguing with him for some time, I
retired.
July 22—Opened the office at 7 4,m, .
informed the Stan-

ford operator that Morgan had not yet arrived; made in-
quiries about different things ; and, after everything in the
town belonging to the United States was destroyed, the
general gave me a few messages to send—one to Prentice,
one to General Boyle, and one to Dunlap. They are hereto
annexed.

I then telegraphed home, informing my relatives of my
whereabouts, what I was doing, &c. I then transmitted
the general's despatches as follows :
" Somerset, July 22, 1862.

- ,
44 GEORGE D. PRENTICE, LOUISVILLE.
" Good morning, George D. lam quietly watching the
complete destruction of all of Uncle Sam's property in this
little burgh. I regret exceedingly that this is the last that
comes under my supervision on this route. I expect in a
short time to pay you a visit, and wish to know if you will
be at home. All well in Dixie.
" JOHN }I. MORGAN, Commanding Brigade."

•
" GENERAL J. T. BOYLE, LOUISVILLE.
" Good morning, Jerry. This telegraph is a great insti-
tution. You must destroy it, as it keeps you too well posted,
My friend Ellsworth has all of your despatches since the
10th of July on file. Do you wish copies ?
" JOHN H. MoltoAN, Commanding Brigade."

"HON. GEORGE W. DUNLOP, WASHINGTON CITY.

" Just completed my tour through Kentucky—captured
seventeen cities, destroyed millions of dollars worth of
United States property; passed through your county, but
regret not seeing you. Wo paroled 1,600 rebel prisoners.
"Your old friend,
"JOHN H. MORGAN, Commanding Brigade."

[The foregoing despatches were well calculated to dum-
found these Yankee dignitaries, who no doubt were half
inclined to pronounce them some spiritual freak ; but for
concentrated audacity the following is unequalled,—Ens.
CONZEDd

" GENERAL ORDER.--NO. 1.

"Head-quarters, Telegraph Department of Ken-
tucky, Confederate States of America, George-
town, Kentucky, July 16, 1862,
" When an operator is positively informed that the enemy
is marching on his station, he will immediately proceed to
destroy the telegraph instruments and all material in his
charge. Such instances of carelessness as wero exhibited
on the part of the operators at Lebanon, Midway, and
Georgetown, will be severely dealt with.
"By order of
"G. A. ELLSWORTH, General Military Superin-
tendent C. S. Telegraph Department."

- -
THE MAGAZINES.

Fraser's Maganne.

Another instalment of Mr. Ruskin's "Political
Economy" appears this month, and we find in a
note the following assertion :—" Few passages of
the book, which, at least, some part of the nations
at present most advanced in civilisation accept as
an expression of final truth, have been more dis-1
torted than those bearing on idolatry. For the
idolatry there denounced is neither sculpture nor
veneration of sculpture. It is simply the substitu-
tion of an Eidolon,' phantasm, or imagination of
good, for that which is real and enduring ; from
the Highest Living Good, which gives life, to the
lowest material good which ministers to it." We
are to suppose, then, that the commandment,
"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven
image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is
in the water under the earth :" is either a mis-
translation or is spurious ; or has Mr. Ruskin
received a later revelation as to Scripture truth ?
" North and South—the Controversy in a Co 1-
loquy " gives each aspect of the American difficulty.
Far instance, "The North is sadly embarrassed
with its troublesome element of Free-Negroism.
The number of free negroes in the North has in-
creased in the last seventy years from 60,000 to
500,000; and they are everywhere regarded as a
nuisance, degrading white labour, and largely con-
tributing to the number of convicts and paupers.
Many of the Free States have taken steps to get rid
of them. In the Slave States the negro is never a
pauper, and rarely a criminal. Being always pro-
vided for, ho has little temptation to steal." The
paper on "The Post-office" will be found readable,
that on " Our Manufucturing Districts and Ope-
rative Classes" possesses present interest. There
is a biographical sketch of Henry Thomas Buckle,
and an essay on Corneille and Dryden, whilst the
tales, "A First Friendship" and " Adrian," are pro-

Colburn's United Service 111a9azine.

" Continental Armies and Foreign Politics" is the

title of the opening article this month ; the Land-
wehr system of Prussia forming the special topic of
discussion. The writer of " Macaulay on Marl-
borough" defends the great general from the ex-
pressions of the great historian, and thus winds up:
—" Macaulay will be read, quoted, and honoured,
nevertheless, long after his aspersions of great
men and misstatements of public events have been
buried in oblivion. He will take his place as a
narrator by the side of Livy and Virgil, as an his-
toriographer between Shakespear and Scott. When
he ceases to be regarded as a sound historian he
will be the more loved as a delightful author,
and the memory of his mistakes will perish
when they have lost the power to mislead."
Strange to say, under the head " The Siege of Li-
moges by the Black Prince," written by M. Des-
courtieux, a Limosin, we find a justification of the
plundering and burning of that city by the Eng-
lish. The article called " The English and French
Navies," which embodies the principal points of

two articles relative to the navies of France and
England, written by M. Xavier Raymond for the
Revue des Deux Mendes, merits attention, and

i‘ Greenwich Characters" and " Lobscouse" will be
found readable.

Macmillan's Magazine.

What can Professor Kingsley be thinking about
in these days of social science and spirit rapping ?
He is positively trying to make us believe that
Ovid's Metamorphoses were possible. Having
drowned the little sweep he transforms him into a
water-newt, and gravely tries to persuade his juve-
nile readers that such is the course of nature. We are
shocked at the estimate •he must have formed of
the intelligence of precocious young England in this
nineteenth century. Why, we shall next find him
defending such departures from veracity as the his-
tory of Jack the Giant Killer, or that still more in-
credible legend of him of the bean stalk. In
" Women in Italy in 1862," by Francis Power
Cobbe, we find that the fair sex are at a discount in
some parts of that country. The writer says,—
" An- English lady, long resident at Naples, and
married to a Neapolitan, informed me that, till
quite of late years, it was customary among the
poorer classes to hang a small black flag out of the
windows of the apartment wherein a girl was born,
to save the painful necessity of informing inquirers
of the unfortunate sex of the infant. She, herself,
after having given birth to her third child, the
two eldest being boys, was much alarmed at
finding both her doctor and nurse remaining
silent. Naturally she feared some disaster, and,
on her urgent entreaties, they at last broko to
her the terrible information that she was the mother
of a very fine little girl !" Mr. John Taylor, in his
paper called " The Hand of Man in the Kirkdale
Cavern," states his reasons for believing that the
bones there discovered were used by the Druids for
pCuorrpreosspeosnodferantaginicA,
your of the North. andmer
America
ae
s articleetro Ingi. om
as
etvheer Sipne c
fa-
vour

Temple Bar.
We cannot compliment Mr. Sala upon this in-
stalment of " Captain Dangerous." In the first
place he skips over fifteen years of his hero's life,
and in the next he falls into the easy groove, of talk-
ing about the events of the time, instead of escrib-
ing adventure or delineating character. He must
beware lest he fall into the defect of his Hogarth
papers. In " The Englishman's Holimonth," We
have an essay written as far back as 1857, and,ebounttain
leg allusions which circumstances no longer warrant
True, tht author explains phoel os
second
ci
os ensa
number
ttaeard. Ta
re-
vision would have been
of "English Art from a French Point of View"
gives an interesting analysis of Hog
he attributes pictures,
arues
but the writer errs when what he

/

7/1

PR1CR.....-....4d.
STAMPED ....sd.

terms the "perfect state of preservation " of the
" Marriage a la Mode" to " the glass that protects
them." The glass has been added quite recently.
It is wholly unnecessary for the preservation of oil
pictures, and it renders seeing them to advantage
impossible. Edmund Yates writes about " Our
Neighbourhood." In " Lords and Players"cricket
is discussed. "Love's Inconsistencies," by A.
Donaldson, is a graceful poem. And " Aurora
Floyd" is excellent as usual.