National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-09-13
A Telegrapher S Story.

first telegraph line in the world was
built and successfully operated, be-
tween Washington and Baltimore.
Since then network of wires has
been constructed through the cOun-
try, connecting every city, town and
village OF the slightest Importance.
In instantaneous communication
There is hardly person now living
who has not some time or other,
more or less, in some degree been
benefited by the telegraph. There
is hardly to be found a man or wom-
an to whose heart the telegraph has
not brought words OF comfort or
sorrow. AS an operator | have in
my long years OF toll noticed, per
haps more extensively than others,
the verification of this fact. MANY,
many times have | in mv capacity
as an operator, received messages
of death which | shuddered to de-
liver, and could not have courage
to witness the grief, aye, the agony
of the bercaved. Sadly have /
gazed upon the anxious faces othus-
bands and wives, parents, brothers
and sisters, waiting intelligence
from the absent and forever lost.
Joyfully have | hurredly sought
parties, bearing to them news OF the
! absent and saved. have seen eyes
grow dim with sorrow; have seen
them grow bright and glow with
ioY: | have thousands of times eX-
periencpd pleasure and pain i'll con
sequence of these things ;but never
have | experienced the same sensa-
tiOn as on one occasion i'll 1864,
when the lite or death OF two inno-
cent men was in my hands, and but
one short minute to save them III,
and eighty-two miles away. To
give the public a brief account of
this occurrence Is the object OF this
sketch.
During Hunters raid through the
valley of Virginia and down the
kanawaha two men, privateS, worn
out by fatigue, loss of restand want
OF food, were left behind. AS to
their names, condition in other cir
cumstanceS or the incidents connec-
ted with their enlistment, it is not
necessary to be specific, or TO say
other than that they were ''Substi-
tuteS.' On that unprecedented
march of Hunters army up the val
ley of Virginia, there was not an i'll
diyidual who participated i'll it, from
the highest officer to the lowest prl-
/ Vate but experienced great suffering
| and prvaiion. Even now, when
/ ever we meet with one who partici-
! pated IN that raid, We can hear of
extreme hardShipS OF the men. or
some exciting story of hair breadth
escapes from the enemy, who follow
ed SO closely upon the line of march.
Then it is not strange that these
men "Straggled," OH account of their
worn out condition, and tell into the
enemy's hands.
After being captured by the reb-
els they were heavily ironed and
closly guarded for several days
Their ease was delibcrated upon by
"A drum.head court martial, which
determined that, as the COntederacy
vas in want OF men, these parties
mist enlist in the Confederate ser
vice aud use their arms against the
Federa, cause, or be shot. The ul
timatum o. the court was presented
To the prisoners, and with terrible
death staring them in the face, aitel
two hours they pursued Tie course
which promised lite aud perhaps es
cape, and expressed taer willing
ness to serve the Col,ttdeacy.-
Their limbs were mt once relieved
of irons, and they were gwen IL
charge of company officer Wi!o,
with his command, Immediately re
turned to the east and reported him
self and company ready for service
against the Fedcrals occupying the
valley of the Shenandoah.
They were assigned to duty ii
Mosby's gurriIlas, under the notori
ous Harry Gilmer, and soon tounC
active service against the FeaeraE
in a raid upon the line of the Balti
more and Ohio railroad. On thi
raid, which rrovcdunsucccssful, The
party were ambuscaded by n com
pany of FedcralS, and many of then
including the two men who are th
subject of my story, were capturc'
and taken to IIarper'S Ferry il
!. irons. On arriving at the Ferry
# they were recognized, and although
they told their story in straigh
. forward manner, they were bot
< substitutes, and the evidence o
If their guilt in being captured Will
bearing arms against the Cover
ment in all the character Of guerrl
las--abovc all the most disrcputabI
means of warfare known--wer
II. against them, and they were orde
cd To he tried by court martial o
the charge OF "descrtion,n an
"bounty;jumping.' After sever
> weeks Imprisonment in the guar
house, they were tried, found gull,
and sentenced to be shot. The Sc
= tence of The court was approved
~. the commanding General aud Il
day set loi execution. The day b
fore the execution Father f., n Cat
olic Priest and Chaplin OF Il rel
+" ment then ON duty at the Ferry, v
, tied the prisoners, s,and they told hl
u" their story aud supstantiated 1t
far as their connection with Gilme'
as band are concerned, by thctestim
sty ,,v 40 ,,u., an morn rulpl priSiOup