The National tribune., 1888-05-03
The numerals and authorizations are +:

Inc numerals ana abDreVlatlOnS are:
1-l4223-Wait a moment.
2-23ll4-Are YOU ready?
3-llI3l-I am ready.
4-lII43-Use short pole and small fag
6-23ill-Work faster.
7-223ll-Did you understand?
8-2-223-Use white flag.
9-223l2-Use black flag.
O-lllll-Use red flag.
But suspect the old boys will be ready to
shake their flags at me three elevens, five, fifty
five, which means cease signaling.
The principal advantage in the use of these
four symbols or figures is in its adaptability to
the Use of an elaborate cipher system.
These four numbers, l 2 3 4, may by transposed
into innumerable combinations that the differ
ent changes can be made to represent nearly
ali the common words or nouns and adjcctiyes
of the English language.
While employed in the telegraph business at
Washington during the sittings of the High
joint" Alabama Commission which framed the
Washington Treaty, it became my especial
duty to handle the extensive cable correspond
ence Of the Secretary. Every night after each
session, one of the younger attaches, whom we
called the :" Second Joints" because they put
on more airs than the Lords, came to the office
with an immense roll of copy to be cabled to
the Foreign Office in London.
Every single character in this batch of tele-
grams, excepting the address and signature,
was in these groups of four figures, in columns
reading up and down, or on the route system,
being about as unintelligibe as Chinese.
l knew very well, from my experience in
cipherng," that each group of four figures
represented either word or a sentence.
/ was then employed as All-night Chief, or
Owl" in the office, and kept myself awake
night after night working on the deciphering
of the Englishman's cipher.
knew that the Interpretation of those ci-
pher dispatches would have been Of
IMMENSE VALUE TO OUR SIDE
of the great controversy. Those Englishmen
were virtually enemies to our Government,-at
least they were endeav0rng by means of this
treaty business to cover up some of their mean
ness during the war,-and felt that would be
doing the State some service if | could asccr-
tain what their instructions were, that in
reply always came in the same form.
That l was not entirely successful was not
because l was not persistent enough, but be-
cause the whole matter ended too suddenly.
/ learned the fact that the first figure of
the group referred to a certain book of ciphers
(of which there were four); the remaining fig
uTes designated a certain word, phrase or sem
tence corresponding to these figures in each
book. 1t will be seen that there were as many
words or different sentences in each Of the four
books as there were possible changes In the po-
sition of the three remaining figures. The
books were changed in each dispatch, and some
times in the middle of one.
This is not exactly part of my war record,
though it relates very closely to the war. IL
viii be remembered that the Treaty of Wash
ington was published prematureIy by the New
York Tribune. Mr.. H. l.. White, the Washing
ton correspondent, as also Mr.. II. j. Ramsdell
were arrested and confined in the Capitol for
refusing TO divuge the names of the parties
who had furnished them this copy. An ex-
animation Of the records of the Senate will
show also at the same time that certain teleg-
rapher was also arrested and reported TO the
bar of the Senate for refusing to divulge his
informant. If any one is desirous Of learning
the name of this Spy stOry-teller in official
print, 1T IS there on record as the telegrapher
who knew more than the Senators, and was
put IN arrest and reported to.the bar as
"RECALcITRAGT" WITNESS.
was not confined as was Mr. White, because
| they arrested him first, and finding they had
| caught Tartar they were not disposed TO be
severe with me- / am indebted TO the late
| ex-senator Conkling and the late Matt G. Car
penter for my defense before the Investigating
Committee.
But have gotten off the track To return
TO Gen. Burnside's headquarters, from which
we have been absent without leave too long
it will be remembered that at my interview
with him he had directed me to "arrange some
| signals and when | was ready to go over the
river into the enemys lines TO come and see
! him."
This is the matter to which ! at once applied
myself with all the energy Of which was capa-
BILE. was in hurry to get over into the town
! IN truth, was as eager to be off as an aeronaut
/ is supposed to be to sail away from the crowd
| in his balloon.
It's hardly necessary to bring Gen0 in here
! again but the truth is | was more interested
/ in her than / was in carrying into effect Gen
| Burnsidcs decoy business. OF course Gen
| Burnside did not know anything about my
/ having girl over in town if he had he would
never have
! BoMBARDED THE PLACE so UEMERCIFULLY.
| Well, put in the cold days and long night:
/ in studying up signals and in arranging with
my pard for their exchange. lie entered
! heartily into the scheme, believing as we all
! did, that /, of all others, was just the person
/ to undertake the business, because / would be
recognized a rebel in that town.
From an upstairs wiRdow of the Lacey House
We discovered that two windows of Capt Wells's
! house were plainly visible There was ALSO 9
single "dormcr" window in the roof, which the
bombardment had seriously damaged.
/ These upstairs windows were visible over the
top of another house that stood between it and
| the river.
There was no other point on our side of the
river from which signals could be quietly made
tHdL Nouih upb dttIdcb LHc attention OF bnt
watchful rebels. Even from an obscure window
of the Lacey House, we feared it would be
risky to attempt any demonstration in the way
! of signals. 1t was OH this account settled upon
that very fcw, if any, signals should be made
TO me.
There would be only some common recogni
tion of my presence We arranged that wher
one shutter OF the Lacey House window wa
open it would signify to me in the rebel line
that my man had his telescope
LEvELED AT MY WINDOW,
Of which l was to open one shutter to signify
my presence in that room.
Now, the telescopes used in the U. s. Sigma
Service were Of the very best character
viii seem to many TO be an exaggerated state
ment when | assert that ! have distinctly ant
clearly read flag signals distance of 25 miles
aud these at the rate Of - to 20 words min
ute, too. At night torch signals may be dis
tinctly read by this method 1t is only neces
sary that the exact point or bearings of th,
distant signal station be known. For this pur
pose first class pocket compass was furnished
each signal officer. Those who understand th