The Portland daily press., 1879-05-01
Turn Down for Richmond.
How the Telegraph Bore the News sf the
Fall of the Confederate Capital.
GPhiladelnhia Times1

L Is safe TO say that no message ever sent by
telegraph was of such national interest as the
one which Mr.. William E. Kettles, then an
operator in the service of the Government at
the War Department in Washington, received
from richmond on the morning of the Sd of
April, 1866. Mr.. Kettles, then mere boy Of
Is, but an expert telegraph operator, was work
ing the Fortress Monroe and City Point wire
at Washington. Shortly after $50 the Wash
ington and Cherrystone operators were engaged
on long message, when suddenly both men
were taken aback by what seemed to be most
foolish demand from Fortress Monroe: Turn
down for Richmond, quickp Had lash of
lightning struck through the walls at that mo-
ment the shock could not have been greater
than it was on the part of every man in that
room. Such thing as communication with
Richmond, which had not been known since
the beginning of the war, Notwithstanding the
frequent successes of the Union army Of late
was entirely out of the question 10 everybody's
mind. Richmond. the great stronghold of the
South! Could 1t be joke?
There was great alacrity in tnrning down the
adjustment There were trembling fingers
while 1t was being done, and there was a gath
ering around of many operators with curiosity,
suspense and impatience combined to see what
it meant. Sure enough! the signals of the
operator in Richmond to the operator In WASH
ington were bounding along the line. No sig
nal was ever answered more promptly Then
came the question;
"Do you get me well2"
II do; go ahead"
"All right. Here's the first message for
four years:
'RIcHMoND, Va. April 8, 1865.
Hon. Il. M Stanton, Secretary Of War:
We entered Richmond at O'CLOCK this morning.
Brigadier General Commanding"
Mr.. Kettles comedies that he copied the mes
sage, bat he could never tell how. He remem-
bers of starting mp from his chair and upsetting
an lnkstand and instrument, OF kicking over Q
tin that sat at the fireplace, in order to make
noise; of rushing for General Eckert's room,
where sat Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Tinker, the
cipher clerk, talking In a low tone. As
Kettles was about to hand the message to Mr..
words, and with one motion and two strides.
message and President were out of sight on the
way to Secretary Stanton's room. Mr.. Tinker
aud everybody else were dumbfounded.
walking like one in dream; proceeded me-
chanicslly to turn the inkstand right side up,
and to straighten MP his overturned machine
Then he sat down in bis chair and stared
straight before him in blank amazement,
Around him were the other operators, every
man alike hustered and unable to get their
minds back to their work or to utter connected
words. 1t was time, great time, but o
mighty good time.
In less than one quarter Of the time It takes
me to write this, the operating-room was filled
with officials and suh-oficials. President Lin
coin and Secretary Stanton came In and shook
hands with every one in the room, and then
every one in the room shook hands with each
other and then the President and Secretary :.
again. Then they all crowded around the
Fortress Muonroe instrument, hungry for moro
news. Kettles sat at his instrument while
questions were showered in on him from every
mouth. He was asked more questions ia those
10 minutes that he will be likely to be asked
again in that space of time. At last the infor-
nation came that Richmond had disconnected
itself for the present; All retired to Gen.
ties, who stood by the window endesvoring to
hear themselves think. Neither had drawn q
perceptibie breath for 10 minutes. Outside f,
we're the broard grounds of the department
buildings. Looking from the operating-room
window the prospects were clear; not single
person was to be see. Suddeoly Georgetown
horse-car appeared in the distance Onit
came at the usual rate. Near the building 1t
lelsursly steps up the center walk to the door.
Inside the operating room the thrilled opera
tors looked out on his slow, steady pace, and
could scarcely contain themselves at his un-
concern. He was medtating, actually m medi-
tating-as though there was nothing to tn row
off his hat for and cheer till he was hoarsc.
| Keeping on he presently lifted his head and
knew at the window. Tinker was there and
looked him.
| "Any news?' he casually inquired.
| Tinker leaned far out of the window. erich
| mond's fallen he said
No tonguescan describe the features of that
| turned red and white by turns, till suddenly
realizing the meaning of the words he waved
his arms, then turned and ran. Down the
street he ran, spreading the news to every one
he met. The excitement rose. The people
| seemed almost wild The War Department
was soon besieged. Outside was a multitude.
Inside were excited officials, clerks, operators
and and excited President. The outsiders
look in at the insiders and the
| tions came hot and fast from the multitude,
and answers were shouted back from every
man who could get his head to one of the two
windows. The crowd got the news fairly in
It's mind and then seemed to want three cheers.
The three became four. Then they wanted
| speeches. They got them. Half dozen
speeches were under way in less than that num-
Der of minutes. Some were good ones. An
drew johnson was there. he was saying:
"God bless the old fsgi II was President
Of the United States"
At this point something exciting occurred.
Secretary Stanton entered the operating room
leaning on Gen. Eckert's arm Gen. Eckert
pointed out to him the boy who had received
the messages. The next moment Kettles found
| himself seized by the Secretary and held at
arms leDgth out at the window above the
| crowd. The Secretary called to the crowd that
this was the young man who received the dis
patch of the fall of Richmond. The crowd
wanted speech from him. Kettles gave them
! q speech in q few words, appropriate and
pointed, for he was in the humor.
Then followed other scenes. Fire engines
were brought out-anything to make q noise.
In the evening the city was ablszs with illu-
minations. Kettles, who is now an operator
| in Boston, says he can never forget how Father
| Abraham started for Secretary Stanton's door
after receiving the dispatcb-hop, skip and
jump, shouting, "Cieaf the track"