Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-06-18
" Turn Down for Richmond

washington, received from Richmond OF
the morning of the third of April. 1865.
Mr.. Kettles, then a mere boy of 10, but
an expert telegraph operator, was work
ing the Fortress Monroe and City Poin
wire at Washington. Shortly after 0: SO
the Washington and Cherrystone operator:
were engaged on u long message, wher
suddenly both men were taken aback by
what seemed to be most foolish demand
from Fortress Monroe: Turn down for
Richmond, qufckr' Had flash of light
ming struck through the walls ut tina
moment the shock could not have beer
greater than it was on the part of every
man in that room.
There was great alacrity in turning
down the adjustment. There were trem
bling fingers while it was being done, ant
there was u gathering around of many
operators with curiosity, suspense anl
impotence combined to see what it meant
Sure enough! the signals of the operator
in Richmond to the operator in Washing
ton were bounding along the line, NJ
signal was ever answered more promptly
Then came the question:
"Do you get me well?'
81 do; 60 ahead
"All right. Here's the first message fol
four years"
"Richmond, Va, April 3, 1865"
IIon. Z. Nj. Stanton, Secretary of War
We entered Richmond at 8 o'clock this
morning. e. WEITzEL,
Brigader General Commanding"
Mr.. Kettles comedies that he copied the
message, but he could never tell how. IIe
remembers starting up from his chair and
upsetting inkstand and instrument, OF
kicking over tin that sat at the fire place
in order to make noise; of rushing fol
Gen. Eckert's room, where sat President
Lincoln and Mr.. Tinker, the cipher clerk
talking in a low tone. AS Kettles was
about to hand the message to Mr.. Tinker
the president caught sight Of the body
words, and with one motion and two
strides, message and president were out o
sight on the way to Secretary Stanton's
room. Mr.. Tinker and everybody else
were dumbfouDded. Kettles quietly re-
TUNED 10 his instrument, walking like ont
in dream; proceeded mechanically to
turn the inkstand right side up, and tt
straighten up his overturned machine
Then he sat down in his chair and staret
straight before him in blank astonshment
Around him were the other operators every
man alike flustered and unable to ge
their minds back to their work OF to uttel
connecred words.
| In less than one-quarter of the time i
takes to write this, the operating room
was filled with officers and sub-of1icers
President Lincoln aud Secretary Stanton
| -, eh
in the room, and then every one in Tho
room shook hands with one another. anC
then with the president and secretary
again. Then they all crowded around thu
| Fortress Monroe instrument, hungry fo
more news. Kettles sat at his instrumen
while questions were showered in on hin
from every mouth. lIe was asked more
questions in those ten minutes than he
will be likely to be ever asked again il
that space of time. At last the information
came that Richmond had disconnected
itself for the present. All retired to Gen
Eckert's room except Mr.. Tinker ans
Kettles, who stood by the window endeav
oring to hear themselves think. Neither
had drawn perceptible breath for tel
minutes. Outside were the broad ground
of the department buildings. Lookin!
from the operating room window tn
prospect was clear; not single persol
was to be seen. Suddenly a Georgetown
horse car appeared in the distance. On
came at the usual rate. Near the building
it stopped. A man got off and started witt
slow, leisurely steps up the center wall
to the door. Inside the operating room
spectators looked out on the slow, stead
pace, and could scarcely contain them
selves at his unconcern. lie was meditat
ing actually meditating as if there wa
nothing to throw off his hat for and chez
till he was hoarse. Keeping on he pres
emily lifted his head and looked at tn
window. Tinker was there and knew him
Amy ncwsp" he casually inquired.
Tinker leaned far out of the window
"Richmond's fallenY' he said.
No tongue can describe the features c
that man while he was coming TO himself
He turned red and white by turns, til
suddenly realizing the meaning of tn
words, he waved his arms, then turne
and ran, Down the street he ran, spread
ing tie news to every one he met. 500
there was II great crowd. The excite
ment rose. The people seemed almos
wild. The war department was 500
beseiged. Outside was II multitude. lnsid
were excited officers, clerks, operators an
an excited president. The outsiders locke
in at the insiders, and the insiders locke
out at the outsiders. Questions came ht
and fast from the multitude, and answer
were shouted back from every man VIII
! could get his head to one of the tw
windows. The crowd got the news fairl
in its mind and then seemed TO want thre
cheers. The three became four. The
they wanted speeches. They got then
Half u dozen speeches were under way
! less than that number of minutes. Son
; were good ones. Andrew johnson w,
there. He was saying: God bless II
, old flag. If was president of the Unite
States
At this point something exciting occu
red. Secretary Stanton entered the oper
t ting room leaning on Gen. Eckerts aru
Q Gen. Eckert pointed out to him the be
1 who had received the message. The ne.
Q moment Kettles found himself seized /
f the secretary, and held at arms length o.
! at the window above the crowd. III
. secretary called to the crowd that this w;
the Young man who had received Il
S dispatch of the fall of Richmond. III
G crowd wanted speech from him. Kettl,
r gave them a speech in II few words, a
| propriate and pointed, for he was in Il
+ humor.
Then followed other scenes. Fire e.
E gines were brought out-anything to NAL
a noise. In the evening the city w
: ablaze with illuminations. Kettles who
D now an operator in Boston, says he cs
: never forget how Father Abraham startt
# for Secretary Stanton's door after receivir
, the dispatch-hop, skip and jump. shou
!, ing, Clear the track n'-R Rhitadeipb
r Times.
S "Willie" Kettles was Burlington bt
# and learned the art and mystery Of tel
+ graphy, in the telegraph office in that cit
Y The Burlington HaWkeye has overhea
/