Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1890-08-28

uFa.s - las 49, . 80
teazsslear lzsa % aAcHz-zza q ~
s'Nothinz soalt - more sonPlsss
than sas srglai latisa q tbs oody q
brave aaG iassil gszE nsa e
- srass Gsaaral Graat e sodF e
uaa = a. sill nlsss IA taslsaal ~e4Fsa-
tioa darisz tbs sseeaa EseA u saPtsn-
Der Ia kaasas City-a body sf ~eisa
Gsasral Jona A Lozsa Aise saia Ne
part ~ lAs sEuy discharged IL duties
more intalllgsRtty aaa fait1tuIly tn@A
tAs tslsgrapAis eeFps-+
rhis 5rzsaIzati8a = known 80 The
United Stztss Military Telegraph Corps
and &c : thls sorPs that = 80 meet IL
viii % la eoni1netIoa Nltn another
organs cation ka0Ta a. tas Ga ti1s
Tslsgraphsss soclsty. Ias Two ars
distinct, but really thsFs IS little differ
sacs between thsn. May OF the old
sinners ssrs military tslsgraphsrs snd
needless 70 say al Il the military tsls-
graphsrs are nov o-d-tilasrs. That is
uhy 5hsy meet in such unity and In
joint convention sons SEQ strong.
Not few Of them are very prominent
men who. though shsY long ago deserted
ne key and ths switea board, still md
a warm spot IN their hearts for their
old line OF business. The tive organ
iEati0ns have two ssts OF officers.
The National offcsrs OF the 0ld-fimers
are Day K smith, Prssidsat; Barney
Hughes % Aem phis, Vice President. and
" J. Dealsy Of SeV York, Secretary
TIE osfi c-rs of The United States Mill
tarv Corps are W r. Pium OF Chicago,
President Wm B. wilson Of Holmes
bars. Pa. Vies-Prssldsnt; and J. Z,
Petit Of Chicago. Secretary and Treas
ursr
Among those who accompanied the
armies iato the Geld on both sides
good many have passed over 10 join
the unspeaking majority Some OF
slsm we're killed IN battle, more died
a prison, 100 were killed. wounded or
captured and 100 more were wounded.
Que of the most famous of them all,
Thomas Scott. the great railroad mag
nate. died years ago Bat there are
still a goodiy number OF the veterans
who are bale and hearty
The organization dia great work,
did the Military Telegraph Corps. IL
bsgan work simultaneously with the
beginning OF the war. but not in 4
thoroughly organized way. Il was not
until General Thomas 7. Eckert, now
Vice President OF the Western Union
Telegraph Company, took charge first
% the department OF Virginia and
North Carolina that the corps began to
play a highly important part IA the
conduct OF the war. Later, General
Eckert under General Arson Stafer
directed also the departments OF West
Virginia Ohio, the Cumberland. Mis-
souri,, Tennessee, the south and Gulf
States and then the corps was fully and
thoroughly organized and had in it
some OF the most competent telegraph
srs in the country.
Gen Mcclellan i on record as saying
that il gave him material aid in his
canpai xns. aud al the other army com
nanders havs given like testimony.
Some idea OF the work that IL did even
IN the early stages Of the war may be
obtained when il 10 said that durin &
1859 nearly 900 miles OF wire was built
over the territory occupied by our
forces. This was taken down and put
mp a. the war progressed and as neces-
sity dictated. but during the year more
than !, 900. 900 dispatches, large pro-
portion OF which were Of the most vital
Importance, were transmitted. As
much more line was constructed in 1862
and about 1000. 90 dispatches were
sent from that time to the close OF the
war, 5000 miles Of line was built and
5000 900 dispatches forwarded all
through Shsrman's campaign, notably
IA ismsrck 20 the sea. the telegraph
ers played a brilliant part on more than
one occasion, receiving the personal
thanks of the esmmAnder-which was
good deal. forGsn. Sherman has never
been over lavish IN praise OF his subor-
anstss
Gensrsl Badssu In bis history says
that when Gen. Grant crossed the Rapi
dan in bis 6nA campaign he moved
synchronously bJ telegraph sherman
"A Georges, Crook In ths valley snd
Batter Ia the psainsula, aud rscsi vsd
responses from each before night, whil'
a. the remaining Union forces we're di
rsctsd By shs sane agency. The i'm
portsncs Of the position Of the tels
grsphsrs IL shown By the fact that th'
Dispatches that we're seat over th'
wires we're in cipher, the keys Of which
we're held By confidential operators ant
we're not 90 - revealed even TO com
handing generals On ons occasion a.
Norfolk an Q,srstor was offered ssvsrs
thousand dollars in gold and = passsg'
60 England on blockade runner IL hs
would anticipate certain Telegram
from President Lincoln. The offer Va.
refused II Vas sach service tha
caused Secretary stsatoR TO report q
President Lincoln thss in diligence
fidelity and Important sid she Tels
graph Corps has been Unsurpassed b
sn7 branch q the service
Nanv Of the military tsisSvspher'
snd those Who we're old tins operator
sna Who I'll b present - The conini
meeting e. Kansas City either IN per
son or sympathy hevs long since De
serted th- operators 20 win both fams
sid fortune ia other pursuits. Amonl
these mav - mention Andrew Carney =
who ssvs 90 shis dsy thst be owes mos
81 his Success 20 What he learned -
telegraph operator. Another oid-tims
-Cc~srncr CORNELL. md another vt
srsn who hss woa for himself pos
ti0r such a. it kss h>en gi~sn 20 ~