The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-11-09
War Telegraphlng.

opposite what was to be to the Union SOL
diers the disastrous field of Fredricks-
burg. On the bank Of the river in the
extreme front of the Union line, stock
the house of Mrs. Gray, q long, rambling
stone building, whose front Of three
stories faced the river. The roofsloped
steeply towards the rear, while The stone
side vas but one utory high. Mrs. Gray,
herself an elderly widow, received the
Union advance with every demonstration
OF welcome, and In the course of time it
became favorite rendezvous for young
| officers. A prime cause for this, aside
from Mrs. Grsy's cheerful hearth and
good fare, Was the beauty of her daugh-
ter sallie, brunette of perhaps twenty
years. A young lieutenant was badly
wounded by these batteries, and spent all
his spare time at the feet of the fair
Southerner, who professsd much sympa-
thy with the Union cause.
Late one rainy night a sentinel,
pacing back and forth before the stone
front of the Gray House, heard faint
but sharp noise cutting the air. 1t sound
ed like the click of a telegraph instru.
ment, and it seemed to come from beneath
his feet. Greatly perplexed he called to
the sergeant of the guard. They listen
ed carefully and were presently Joined
by the gallant lover ofSallie Gray. Con-
viction of treachery smote bis heart, and
with the sergeant he unceremoniously en-
tered the Gray dwelling. Sallie and her
mother, despite the late hour, were bust
ly sowing by table in the sitting-room
The ladies rose in apparent surprise and
indignation at the intrusion.
"Step aside if you please" said the
sergeant.
"What does this mean! 7" asked Mrs.
Gray sharply.
"Frank, I appeal to you for protec-
tion," cried the young lady to the lieu
tenant. That officer could only shake
his head and sternly wave her aside.
"You are false. You have deceived
me-" be said hoarsely, as the girl who
had promised to be his bride sank sob
bing upon sofa.
The soldiers could hear the ticking
more plainly now. They moved the ta-
BILE, lifted the carpet, and discovered a
trap door leading to cellar of whose
existence they had no suspicion. A
light below was instantly quenched, but
they fearlessly descended and discovered
telegraph instrument, with an insula-
ted wire running through the cellar wall,
and evidently passing under the river,
10 the enemy on the opposite side'
Crouching in the corner was the opera
tor, young and handsome man, who
had never before been seen about that
house, having lived for days in the cell
lar. "You are my prisoner" from the
sergeant, brought the distressed wall
from poor Sallie of "My husband, oh,
my husband" The heart of the Union
lieutenant went back once more to the
girl be left behind him.
But Notwithstanding the detection o.
this line of communication, the enemy
seemed to know every movement of the
Uuion troops. 1t was mystery to the
officers how they gained their knowl
edge. There were no more telegraph
wires, and there was no passing across
the river. At last the mystery was
solved. Within the Union lines, but il
sight of the enemy, there stood g. Low
frame house occupied by negro who
did washing for the soldiers. He h.nl
his clothes to dry in the front yard bu
| it was noticed that in tho porch there
hung thres flannel shirs; one red, on
white and one blue. The negro sait
| they we're his Union colors. But th'
shirts we're not always in the same posi-
ton, and suspicious sergeant hnall!
became convinced that the negro uset
them to signal across the Rappahannock
The arrest of the negro and the efactua
use of the shirt to deceive instead O.
to inform the enemy, followed.
| At another time the army of the Po-
tomac. was nearing Berlin, Virginia
To receive orders in the rear, the troop
| had laid ten miles of insulated wire
running through the woods, now be
meath the leaves and again among tht
tree-tops. 1t WAS impossible to picke
the entire line, and large part of il wa!
exposed; but it WAS thought to be effect
ually concealed. A scout lying in am
bush one day heard 3 sound like th'
ticking of clock. Creeping forward
| he was astonished to see Johnny" II
his gray uniform, sitting on the grount
and chuckling to himself and busily
writing. The scout sprang to his fee
and levelling his revolver, said to th'
laughing rebel: "What are you doing
there?" ~ surrender" was the cha
grined reply, the smilss suddenly disap'
pearing. The scout discovered that tht
rebel had cut the wire and had connec
ted the ends with loop running into {
clock, the electricity securing the escape
ment 80 that the messages licked them
selves plainly into the rebels ear Th'
ingenious machine was captured With
the rebel.-Philadel0hia Press.
Obedicnt Children.