The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-02-16

Washington with the Telegraph and Railroad
Corps on the call of Mr. Lincoln, was at this
time, as well as during all the years of the war,
the chief among the large force of operators
then employed in Washington city.
Homer" as we all familiarly knew the large
eyed gentle boy of 1s6lf'62, was, till its sale to
Gould, President of the B. & 0. Telegraph Sys-
TEN, with salary equal to that of the best paid
Presidents. Heis still Homer to me, and remains
the constant, true friend Of my lifc and though
his hair is prematnrely gray, his bright eyes
and gentle manuersare bat slightly improv-
ed by years ofsuccess. lie Is known among tele-
grapbers to-day, from striking resemblance
in appearance and manner as the Oscar Wilde
OF the telegraph. As Mr. Bates, from his po-
stion in the War Office was familiar with my
wanderings, | am permitted 10 refer TO him for
the truth of my story
lie was the one special operator who was
daily, even hourly, in the presence of Mr.. Stan
ton and Mr.. Lincoln, as it was his duty to de-
liver In person all important messages to these
officers What he could tell of hours and nights
of anxiety, the agony and suspense, as well as
the delights and surprises of Mr.. Lincoln over
the receiptOf certain important dispatches from
the Generals in the front during all these years
OF close intimacy, would make large and in
teresting book in ITSELF
! have preserved in my own memory few
of these incidents and some of the scenes" at
the War Department between Stanton and
others, on the occurrence of the receipt of the
good and the bad news which | obtained in a
professional way" but as this matter would
be foreign to this personal narrative / can only
give that which referred to my own expert
enCe
My brother and Homer, rs well IS my father
and nearly all the sensible friends | had, were
anxious that l should enter the service of the
MILITARY TELEGRAPH CORPS.
1 wanted active service in tho field, and
though part of the Telegraph Corps was engaged
in the front at headquarters, and some fiatter-
ing inducements had been offered to me in this
| direction, / knew from personal observation
! that their work was necessarily of clerical
character, which was the one thing in war that
felt to be " "incongruous therefore fought
shy of it.
Right here I may say that Maj Eek
ert was at that time, as he has continued
through the p years that have followed rather
stern. do not mean to say that he was not
gentlemanly or courteous with me; he was
simply one OF those positive, rather aggressive
men IN manner, that impressed one with the
idea that he must have everything his own way.
That was my earliest impression, and the
years that have followed have fully confirmed
the correctness of this view. 1t has been my
lot to subsequently serve in a subordinate ca
pacity under Maj. Eckert since the war
was Manager and Superintendent Of Tele-
graphs for him during a little rebellion we have
had since, the riots at PittsbuTg, he was
kind enough to make special order commend
ing my zeal and valuable service so that there
is nothing personal intended in the way of re-
hection.
My purpose is to relate now for THE Ma
TIoSAL TRIBUNE little scrap of war history
that has not yet been published. refer TO the
jealousy aud intrignes going on between the
telegraph officials at the War Office and the
Signal Corps, and also to give little scrap of
the inside or secret history of the censorship Of
the telegraph at the War Department, which
may account for great deal Of the trouble
not to say cussedness-that came between
President Lincoln and his Generals in the field.
To be contin,.ed1