The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-07-04
The Teiegrapi--lts Use by The Federal tor
manJcr.

The following from letter from Parker Spripg
superintendent of construction Of the IT, s. military
telegraph lines, gives Interesting account or the
serviee.of Tie Morse telegraph to The army and oe
Cen McCelians oi it, Tii, ieite1 IS dated from
G,incss Hill, June 2d II says:
From the zine the army of the Potomac first left
Washington, the UGited States military telegraph
has never for an hour been allowed Ia ren;,in in the
rear. Before reaching his new headquarters Gen
Mcclellan almost invariably learns iha. the wire is
the advance; that an Office has already been
opened II the pom. designated before he left his old
camp and that communication 10 the War Depart
nen al Washington is epen fer him, In sevcral
instances, when the army had marched fifteen liiea
IN one day, the telegraph had reached the new
quarters Two hours i'll sEivancr When our troops
are obliged to Remain Il few days IN one position,
wires are immediately rum fron Gen. MeCeil:n's
headquarters to the headquarters of al command
oil divisions, thereby placing the entire seeton
OF country occupied by droaps under his instant
control.
The telegraph has been called .,n 10 perform s.
still more mysterious wonder Eol suneti,ne plst
have beeirorlaFes!by Ctai. Eckelt {oEr silper;r-
tendentp pi miiitsE teegsiphsl TO Try tclc graphic
experiment frons balloon. Saturday morning
when heard that atsre.. battle must he .oo,:hi,
Prot. Lowe notified lie t..t | Should extend The
wire to his balloon, and VIE woulI try it, IL one
hour We had brought the Wire {: mile and "A l..t,
and was ready to isctn nj with the professor. The
BATH had commenced. When it had reached lis
zenith, Prof. Lowe and myself, with the telegraph
had reached an attitude of 2.0tU feet. With the
aid q. good ei;sses, we We're enabled 10 View tie
who'll. affair between these powerful contcnaiu;r
armies. As the fight pro crossed, hasty observ.,-
tians made by the professor anti given TO .n.
verbally, all Of which / Immediately urlyan dee! to
Gen Mcclellan and division commanders, through
the agency of the obedient field ms srumont " hch
stood by side in the bottom of the ear. Occ:,-
sionaly masked rebel battery would open
brave fellows.
In such eases the occupants of The balloon would
lft.
shot or two would III every ease, silence the ,lasl.
ed and annoying ei,st toncr For hours, ard until
quite dark, we rcniancti in the air, the telegraph
keeping up constant communication with soil,.
point. From the balloon to Fortress Monroe a
distance OF luj miles, this wra worked beat
tihhily. A number of iaessaTes Were sent .id re-
ceiVed between these two points, and had ii no:
been for the tremendous rush business on the
wire, should have t,legraphsi You directly from
the balloon while the battle WAS raging Sunday
morning, al daybreah, we again assembled. Early
in the morning the battle was renewed and with
mere iercencss tli:n the day before. inccsS:tut
firing CT nllskeiry and artillery was kept up until
Noon, when had the extreiAe pleasure of inoune
Ing by telegraph from the balloon that could see
the enemy relreittirg rapidly toward tc.ilnoiid--
AZ this slime we couitl firing James river to
the left OF Richmond, distance from the balloon
{some sad) fifteen mics. This FIRE Of aiost d
ration.
The streets of Richmond in the morning present
ed a deserted appearance, hnt very few people were
to be Seen in th, streets During the afternoon ana
evening OF Sunday, nothing OF interest lran:sprea
beyond the renntal OF the rebel dead n.isy ounied
ali Of which could distinctly see from the bal
loon Every available machine that h:.ti wheels
was brought into rcqusition for Ibis purpose
From the scene OF battle into tie city of Richmond
the read was literally lined with ambulanc,s wag
ons and carts, conveying the dead and wounded-
About twilight we saw camp fires nnlii,er:lIle
around the city; smoke issued from all their hos.
pitals and barr;cks which showed Us TO cert ainty
that the main body OF their army hal fallen back
to Richmond. Monday morning made several
asce,isions, and found small force tiia last
scepe of action, and thousands OF troops marching
out from the ciiy--so you may lock momentarily
for report OF another severe battle.