The National tribune., 1888-06-14

muCn OF Ane lrOuD4S aDu true liiM@lNuSosr hoe
70 say cussedness, that came between President
Lincoln a:.d his Generals in the field.
The General officers in the field learned of
this practice from the fact that dispatches and
orders were received by them from Stanton,
which plainly indicated that their communica-
tions had been cut. This is serious accusation,
TO establish the correctness Of which l submit
herewith some official documents from the rec
oTds Of the War Department.
p Il Matson, Assistant Secretary Of War,
had succeeded Thomas A. Scott.
Mr.. Watson and Mai. Ec6eTt were therefore
running things for Stanton, instead of Scott,
St2geT ard Cameron.
Gen. Grant had been seriously annoyed by
the independent disposition of some Of these
stay-at- home Captains Of the Western Union
Telegraph Co.. who ordered his telegraph COM
mnnicatious cut or opened, as best suited their
notions, from the rear. The General did not
approve Of civil service rule at headquarters,
and abOHi the time Forrest was cutting his con-
necti0n. Grant placed Col. Riggin, an accom-
plished officer aud a gentleman, who was on
his staff IN charge Of telegraphs, ETC., without
consulting Blr. Eckert at Washington. lm-
agine The indignation OF the General toward
the head Of the telegraph at Washington or the
operator Uh h0 handed him this message:
wAsHISGToS. Nov. II, 1862.
To q. 8 GRANT. Maior-General
Some one signing himself John Riggin, in
RRenleut ,,f teleCraphs ia Kentucky and Tennessee
This man Is acting without the authority OF Col
Stager LlsczertJ and is impostor. Arrest him
and send liim north Of your department before ne
does mischief by interference
p. II WATSON,
Assistant Secretary Of War.
To which Gen. Grant replied:
John Eigrin. referred to in your dispatch, is my
Aid lie iss given but one order referring 10 tele
graphing, aud that was dictaied by me- 1t was that
privste dispatches might be sent over the wires De
fore 10 O'Clock a. M, when they did not interfere
with military dispatches. Col Riggln Is assigned
the duty Of Military Superintendent OF Ielegraphs
within my epaTtment-a position Whlch lnterteres
with no present arrangement but Is intended solely
for my relief. Misrepresentation must have been
made. Y. ;. GRANT.
This serves to show the friction or conflict Of
authority resulting from the civil service IN
the military departments, which would have
been avoided BY having the entire matter ia
the control Of the Signal Corps, subject TO mill
tary authority.
Gen GRAFT a few days subsequent TO this
cOrrest0,idence probably satisfied himself that
the telegraph operators in his camp, and who
were beiug entertained at his headquarters, were
being compelled by the order of one of these
Captains o. he Western Union 70 invOluDtarily
act as spies on his movements, reporting by
wire matters that were Of purely personal and
private nature about his headquarters.
He promptly settled on the officer In command
of MS department. Col Van Duzer, as being
responsible, and startled the operators al along
the Hines by dispatch TO the Secretary OF War
st Washington that Col. Van Duzer has
been arrested and placed in the guardhonse
under close confinement, aud that he must be
removes from that department y; adding by
way OF postscript: Ny orders must be
0beyed.
The War Department Telegraph Manager
attempted 20 resist Gen. Grant. The operators
were encouraged to assert their independence,
threatening a withdrawal from duty along his
liRe unless Van Duzer was released. Grant
promptly met this by issuing an order to every
commander Of the military posts along his
department to
ARREST EVERY OPERATOR
who attempted to leave his post or refused to
perform his duty as heretofore. The boys
stayed, and Col. Van DuZer, Of the civil mili-
tary telegraph, did 20 out Of the command
under the escort of two loaded muskets.
One more illustration, or official document,
In support Of the assertion that there was this
miserable telegraph espionage at the War De
partment, from which ! suffered so severely, as
related in my narrative, on account of the
petty, mean envy Of the civilian head Of the
telegrspks, who used their personal relations
with the Secretary TO accomplish their OWL
selfish ends.
am gi43 that I am able TO furnish TO TIE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE the authentic testimony
Of Gen. Grant to establish the same truths.
The following was sent from Cleveland, o..
which you will observe was a long distance
from the front:
CLEvEIAgp o.. Nov I3 1862
To ALI TELEGRAPH OFFICES: A strict observ
Ence Of tlse following order = required: The oTgi
nal copy 81 every Telegram sent by any military ol
other Government otlcer must be retained by tht
Telegraph manager or operator, and be sent 10 tte
War Department al Washington. in no case wil
you allow lie original cpieFs to be given mp oi
oesrOyec except 70 prevent their failing into ths
BY order u tie Secretary Of War.
T. P. WADE
eni Of Government Telsgrsphs.
Now. just imagine the indignation of Gen
Grant ~ TOE front on being shown this messaes
from tie superintendent Of Western UuioT
Ielegral lbs, dated from Cleveland, o. Hi
answer best Eplains his opinions, rs follows:
Who's order j. Il that originals Of all telegram
passing oger military lines be sent % Washington
An order Tor the disposal of military telegrani
should coue thFoRgh Hae, from some one author
lied 30 eiTe orders Private dispatches / eEr,
nothing alouL u. , GRANT
The answer 70 this was that Col, Stage,
(Eckert) was authority for the order. To which
the General replied promptly:
Col. SiagsF EckeTt has no authority 20 denau,
the originals Oi military dispatches, aud canno
have tieni. keep q record of my dispatches ane
destroy tlIe i1itals Inform Col. stager IE1cler
that lac iIsai.sel1ds his authority when he demand
the miiii.ly correspoHdencc taking place ~ thi
department. Z. s. 6RAST
IL Should be remembered that Col. Stage
was the nominal head Of the War Department
Military Telegraph by reason Of his PRO. ap
pOintmeBt- al ciphcTs and al correspondent
for some .cars was addressed TO Col s.ager
though hg not in Washington. but look ini
after his corporation az Cleveland. Mai. Eczer
was the Z! head at Washington.
Gen. Gr4at though severe on the head o
the telca.aph department at Washington, wa
not disps 10 be Obsireperous with the boz
in the lr9a., vino were employed by the teie
graph head, aud necessarily obliged TO ODE,
his order.
lie, however, selected for his own persona
operator . soldier, who had enlisted and serve
with sosae distinction iH the ranks, Mr. S. II
Beckwiti., wAo remained IN confidential tele
graph reia i0us with the General TO the end
On one occasion Gen. Grant was obliged I
20 70 Knoxville, Tenn, or some other point. o
rather short notice, and neglected to take Sil
BeckwitA along with him ia his h&sty dt
parture. hile en- route ii 50 happened tlla
the General received a number Of telegram
from tie War Department In cipher A n
BeckWitE was by order Of the War Office N
only Que permitted 10 hold the KEY, these In
pOrtant dispatches were Of no earthly use
the General
II Will be seen at glance that this incider
Of itself goes to prove the necessity for III
General IN Chief having al matters IN IA