Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-12-24
HEROIC DEEDS UNSUNG.
Valuable Work of War Telegraphcrs Never
Properly Recognized.

Valuable Work of War Teiegraphers Never
Properly Recognized
The twelfth reunion of the Society of
the United States Military Telegraph
corps, which was held recently at
Omaha, called together body CT men
who, when boys thirteen to twenty
years old, performed a romantic and re-
markable service in the war and rev.
olutionized some of the methods of war
fare among civilized nations.
The American telegraph corps was
born of that prolific mother, necessity.
There was no law authorizing it, and it
grew by sort of evolution. When
communication between Baltimore and
Washington was interrupted, Simon
Cameron, secretary of war, sent for
Thomas Scott, of the Pennsylvania rail-
road He first called in Andrew Car
negic, now the millionaire iron manu-
facturer of Pittsburgh, and then four
operators from the Pennsylvania road
TO man the offices on the interrupted
line. These four men, by accident, as
1T We're, became the nucleus of sys-
tenn that has since been copied by every
great nation in Christendom.
There was very little system or de-
sign about it but the telegraphic SER
vice grew as necessity dictated. In
fact. the corps was without RESPONSE
BILE head for six months, when the late
Anson Stager WAS appointed general
superintendent
During most of the war the operators
were the sole custodians of the tele-
graphic ciphers, even staff officers be-
w. tAI thr.f a
single operator betrayed his trust.
One man, caught in the meshes of a
southern woman's love, left the service
to join his sweetheart, but there was
never any evidence that he gave up his
secret
In a brief newspaper article it is inn
possible to give many incidents of dar-
ing and hardship, but Il few will illus
trate the stuff of which these brave,
patriotic boys We're made. When the
Merrimac dropped down the James
river on career of destruction that
was only stayed by the gallant little
Monitor, an operator at Newport News
remained at his instrument to describe
every phase of the fight while the
shells shrieked about his quarters and
two tore through his Office within
few feet of him Amid the booming of
cannon up the river the thirteen-year-
old telcgrapher at Fortress Monroe
caught the click click of a call from
Newport News
'"rhe Mcrrimac is steering straight
for the Cum berland," said the wire from
up the river. Then pause. 1.-The
Cumberland gives her broadside."
Suspense. ''Shc lseels over" Pause
= Seems to be- sinking" A wait.
No, she comes on again" Another
anxious break. "Shc has struck the
into her. Great God, the Cum berland
is sinking!H A breathless suspense.
1.-THE Cumberland has fred her last
broadside."
And thus that faithful operator pic
tured every change in that conflict
which meant so much to the nation.
Just before the battle of Gaines Mills
an operator discovered line of battle
being formed, and attached his instru-
ment to telegraph wire running along
the road. Fortunately it communi-
Gated with Mcclellan, who regarded the
incident as godsend. The operator
stopped the first orderlies who hap
pened along, and for hours sat behind
tree, receiving and sending messages,
while the bullets went pattering
through the leaves, and orderly after
orderly was shot, their blood spattering
the messages. Mcclellan fought the
battle by telegraph.
AT Pittsburgh Landing cable laid
across the river was too short to reach
the opposite bank. 1t was carried to
tree which projected over the river,
and there an operator opened an Office
and for four hours kept open commune
cation with the north. He had to sit
astride the tree, his feet in the water,
one hand fighting mosquitoes and the
other working the wabbly instrument
Several instances are known in
which telegraphers without keys sent
and received messages by cutting the
wires and letting the current pass
through their tongues. In one case an
operator sent message by touching
one end to crowbar driven in the
ground for an earth connection. BY
placing one hand upon the bar and the
end of the line in his mouth he received
the answer by shocks passing through
his body.
During Grants movement from the