, 1862-08-30
THE BANDIT MORGAN In HEN
TUCkY.
A Curious Chapter IN the History
Of the War.
The Intercepted DISPATCHES by G. 4.
Ellsworth, Telegraph Operator,
Attached to Col. Morgan's
Band.
BIS OFFICIAL REPORT.

[From the Aususta {Ga) Southern Confederacg.l
KNOXVILLE. July 90, 1862.
Carpt. r. 4. A1ston. A. A. u:
On the 10th of July General Morgan, with
myself and q body guard of fifteen men, ar
rived al q point one-half mile below Horse
CAVE, on the Louisville ard Nashville railroad,
where took down the telegraph wire and
purpose Of taking off all dispatches as thsy |
I,assed through. Owing to heavy storm
prevailing south, the atmospheric electricy |
prevented me from communicating With Bow.
iircr Green or Nashville. The frs. heard |
vas WaS Louisville calling Bowling Green I in
| mediate1y put Oh my ground .FlIe Eo1thwaEd,
| noticing particularly at the same time what
| change it would take in the circuit. It did
| make it stronger; but the storm mentioned
! did not suspicion anything wrong, and an.
| swsred for Bowling Green, when received
Wv 'o''0 LOUISVILLE, July 10, 1861.
| ToS. D. Brown, Bowling Green:
You and Col Ho1Ehton move together: I faar
| the furce of Col H. IL too small to venture to
as The enemy are mounted. We caunot venture to
leave the road too fat as They maE pass round and
Brig. Gen, Commanding.
Ireturned the usual signal, 80. K.," after
receiving tue message.
Louisville Immediately called Nashville;
and answered for Nashville, receiving busi-
| ness for two hours. This business Was mostly
of private nature, and I took no copies. I:
could be plainly perceived from the tenor OF
the messages that Morgan was In the country,
and all orders to send money or Taiuaoles ey
posed Little did the operator at Louisville
think sll his work would have to be repeated
the next day. Louisville also sent the news
OF the day, aud thus we were furnished With
New York and Washington dates Of that day.
| During the whole Of this time 1t was raining
heavily, and my situation WAS anything but an
agreeable one-eitting in the mud With mf
. feet in the water up to my knees. At II
1 o'clock D. H., the general being satisfied that
We had drained Louisville Of news, concluded
to close Tor the night, and gave me the follow
1 ing message, dating and signing:
NASHVILLE, July TO- 1864
To Henry Dent, Provost Marahal Of Louisville;
J. Gen Forrest, commanding brigade, attacke
m to be b
tween ScottsriIle ana Galst.n, and will act in COZ
cert with Forrest. 1t is believed. Inform tha ger
II STANLEY MATTHEW'S, Provost Marshal.
am not aware that General Morgan clain
to be prophet, or the son Of q prophet; bu
FORREST did not attack Murfrccshuro, and ror
- the enemy.
panied the advance guard into to ~n, and too
L. possession Of the telegraph office Immediately
u This, as you knoW, was at haH-past three
he n. Iadjusted the instrument, and examine
= the circuit. No other operator on the line
- peared to be On hand this early. I then c
:" amined all the dispatches Of the day preyiou
- Among them I found the following:
LEBANON. July II, 1862
General ]. T. Boyle. Louisville, Ky:
Ihaye positive Information that there are
IL maraudcIs in twenty miles Of this place, Oh
M osd m@eastc:y Joassos,
Lientcn4nt Colonel Commanding
At half past seven an operator signing ''
.,t4 commenced calling "B," which mad asc
Eate tanned BY the books in the Office vas the s
9d!. d nal for the Lebanon office. 1 answered
,stS call, when the following conversation
: & tween **Z" and myself ensued:
To Lebanon-What news: Any more skismj
It ing after your last mesaaRe9 !.
4H 10 B-Gas the train arrived yet!
--@ ToZ-So. About how many troops On tra
To oB-Fiye hundred, siztieth Indiana. 6
, manded By Col. Owens.
Cd My curiosity beinG excited as to what
. ton 'tZ' was, and to ascertain without
ating any suspicion, I adopted the fonoa
plan:
ToZ-A geertIemaa here IN tho of1:e bets
- = the cigars ron canno1 spell the name OF your
ToBITale the bet. L-e:b-a.u-o-n J-a-n-c.ti
Is this 20: rightf How did Jon think I !"
,~ TO HTo z-He gives it up. ue thought yon "
~ 10 B-Ha hai hsi He is 3 green one.
10 z-W6st tin tine d1d I'D the train with sold
TO To B-s 50 last night.
nru ToZ-Very s,nguar where the trniu is;
uAEa TpDIes tt is. Let nc know when 1t arr
At $40 Lebanon junction called me vi
said:
TO B--The train has returned. They had a
with the rebels AZ New Hope. The connal
Fk0* officer awoi1s orders here
r. fhay y13F frU1AF
johnson i anxious to know all about i. =,
.cle IN To B-He1e IL Moore's message to Gen. B
30 LEBASuS JUNCTION, July Il, i
street. To Gen. j. T. Boyle, Louisville:
At eleven O'Clock last night, at New Hop
. ticn, part Of my command encountered q 70
rebel cavalry. posted on the cunuty road or
= utet II uted and II led siira,,shers wee seat
u . different d17cc1iops, but we're unable to 4:
enamy. At three this morning. apprchendin
an efurt might be made to destroy the hEid
our rear, We moved down to New Haven i
nained till after daylight. when tt7 train
back 10 tha scene OF the skirm!eh Mz
CQC man, of Owen county, wae found m0rtasly =
AtAS3 cd He reported the rebel force At So und;
1nand Ct cspt. Jack Alien, and that the5 had
IRA and and three a captas Cd Tie booss Of The co
'o0 were found IL ihe held Blood was found
ahaf ne oa oal sds
MILL 'A>@''' Q. F. MoonE. Comman
FoGT, Lebanon Junction being the tepe2ti
ton for Louisville business. he forward
following kilograms just from LOUSY
-. o'clock 3. H.:
ea LOUISVILLE, July II,
s Col 3ehesep saa en:1d fIasa1o en col
the e1e1ny aud drive hun out- =: c4nt1t
Vigorous Mike no delay. J: T. Boz
ARE Br{gadler General comman
:. BIZ the following 1t will app EAR tn!
IT. OWNS must hare been en- route for Let
rn1. Lor1svn1E. July ?,
Col Owens, Lebanon:
SlSoAH You will move a1ter the enemy and purs
j. T. BOYLE, Brig. Gen-
Up to the time Of our leaving Le
which was about noon, Col Owens
arrived. Gen Morgan told NE icoul
= ny Office; and to alay for that eVel
suspicion at Lebanon junction at no
able to communicate with Lebanon,
SH patched tht operator IS follows:
WIZ To EHave been up all night, and
sleepy. II you have no objectiuns, I wi
nnu until two OF th1ee'o'cloc
r. To B-M.isht Don't oyersleep sourse
Wonder If ! did.