News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-06-01
WAR TELEGRAPHING.
How Information was Convened
Across the Lines.

Across the Lines.
The Union army in 1862 lay encamped
on the north bank of the Rappahan-
mock, opposite what was the disastrous
field OF Fredericksburg. On the bank
of the river, in the extreme front of the
Union line, there stood the house of
Mrs. Gray, a long, rambling stone
building, whose front of three stories
faced the river. The roof sloped steep
ly toward the rear, where the stone side
was but one story high. Mrs. Gray
herself, an elderly widow, had received
the Union advance with every demon
stration of welcome, and her house
soon became favorite rendezvous for
young officers. A prime cause of this,
aside from Mrs. Gray's cheerful hearth
and good fare, was the beauty of her
daughter Sall1e, brunette of perhaps
20 years. A young lieutenant was bad
ly wounded by those batteries, and
spent all his spare time at the feet of
this fair Southerner, who professed such
sympathy for the Union cause.
Late one rainy night sentinel pacing
back and forth before the stone front of
the Gray house heard faint but sharp
noise cutting the still air. It sounded
like the click of telegraph instrument
and it seemed to come from beneath his
feet. Greatly perplexed he called the
sergeant of the guard. They listened
carefully and were presently joined by
the gallant lover of Sallie Gray. Con-
viction of treachery smote his heart,
and with the sergeant he unceremoni-
ously entered the Gray dwelling. SalIie
and her mother, despite the late hour,
were busily sewing by table in the
sitting-room. The ladies rose in appar-
emit surprise and Indignation at the in
trusion.
"Step aside, if you please" said the
sergeant.
"What does this mean ?" asked Mrs.
Gray, sharply.
L" Frank, appeal to you for protec-
ton" cried the young lady to the lieu
tenant. That officer could only shake
his head and sternly wave her aside.
"You are false. You have deceived
me, ;" he said, hoarsely, as the girl who
had promised to be his bride sank Sob
bling upon a sofa.
The soldiers could hear the ticking
more plainly now. They moved the
table, lifted the carpet, and discovered
trap-door leading to cellar of whose
existence they had no suspicion. A
light below was instantly quenched, but
they fearlessly descended and discovered
telegraph instrument with an insulated
wire running through the cellar wall,
and evidently passing beneath the river
to the enemy on the other side.
Crouching in corner was the operator,
a young and handsome man, who had
never before been seen about the house,
having lived for days in the cellar.
"You are my prisoner" from the SER
geant brought the distressed wall from
poor Sallie of "My husband, oh my
husband" The heart of the Union
lieutenant went back once more to the
girl he left behind him.
But, Notwithstanding the detection OF
this line of communication, the enemy
seemed to know of every movement of
the Union troops. 1t was mystery to
the officers how they gained their know
ledge. There were no more telegraph
wires, and there was no passing across
the river. At last the mystery was
solved. Within the Union lines, but in
sight of the enemy, there stood low
frame house occupied by negro who
did washing for the soldiers. He hung
his clothes to dry in the front yard !;
but it was noticed that in tho porch
there always hung three flannel shirts,
one red, one white and one blue. The
negro said they were his Union colors.
But the shirts were not always in the
same position, and a suspicious SER
geant finally became convinced that the
negro used them to signal across the
Rappahannock. The arrest of the negro
and the ef'ectual use of the shirts to de-
ceive instead of to inform the enemy
followed.
At one time the Army of the Potomac
was nearing Berlin, Va. To receive
orders in the rear, the troops had laid
ten miles of insulated wire, running
through the woods, now beneath the
leaves and again carried among the tree
tops. It was impossible to picket the
entire line, and large part of it was
exposed: but it was thought to be
concealed. A scout one day
lying in ambush heard sound like the
ticking of clock. Creeping forward,
he was astonished to see a "Johnny"
in his gray uniform sitting on the
ground chuckling to himself, and busily
writing. The scout sprang to his feet,
and leveling his revolver, said to the
laughing rebel: "What are you doing
here ?" 81 surrender" was the
reply, the smile suddenly dis
The scout discovered that
the rebel had cut the wire and had con-
nected the ends with loop running
INTO clock, the electricity securing the
so that the messages licked
themselves plainly into the rebels ear.
The ingenious machine was captured |
With the rebel. philadelphia Press.