New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1895-02-06
WASHINGTON, Sept. s. 1864.


bic your possible your ago to party was con-
meet soon to movements spot his ordered as to
Burton pin Of and left ordered BENJAMIN.
Taking up the dispatch she had in
tercepted when the Army Of the Cum
berland beganto advance and some pa
pers showing that she had been trying
to decipher it, she began to look them
over. This is the dispatch:
MURFREEsBoRo June q, 1863
Volunteers Garfield with circling between
you possession turn an he cob Bundle at to get
that possible by move Benjamin pony chief
rapidity around that put Of the hours ready
single to notice enemy's Tullahoma your
point the by Of polliWog of plateau Niggard If
desire and hope forward to haha move me
right command and mountain order staff.
Miss Baggs had had this dispatch by
her since the latter part of June and
had puzzled over it for many an hour.
She had never succeeded in finding q
key, but had at last drawn something
Of its meaning from the tumble Of
words. After much study she assumed
that the words, when laid down in their
proper order, would give the proper
meaning. But there were certain words
which either did not mean anything or
stood perhaps for some place or general.
She began by taking out number of
such words as 'spolliwog," s.haha,'
"shingle'' and "pony." The dispatch
was doubtless from Rosecrans, as the
word Garfield (his chief of staff) ap-
peared, and the words ''chief Of STAFF
were scattered through it. Therefore
either Benjamin or Bundle or Niggard
meant Rosecrans. Subsequent dispatch
es which fell into her hands had CON
WINGED her that Rosecrans was desig-e
mated as Benjamin. Then she began to
try to fit words together in this wise:
Your command
between Tullahoma and Niggard
o. get possession
enemys right ,..--. ..
Circling around the mountain plateau
I desire that you get possession if possible
point between Tullahoma and Niygard
Move with rapidity
By order Of Benjamin (Rosecrans) Garfield
chief of staff.
Other groupings gave her better re-
suits till she obtained the following:
To Bundle (probably cavalry general on
the left hanl1)-Be ready to move at an hours
notice. I desire that you turn the enemy's
right. Move your command if possible by cir
cling around the mountain plateau. Get pos
session Of point between Tullahoma and Mig
gard (probably some point in rear Of the
southern army with rapidity. By order Of
Rosecrans, Garfield, chief of staff
The deciphering, SO far as it went,
was of no avail, since it did not come
in time, but it helped her with the
shorter and easier dispatches, which
she now attacked. She began with this
one:
Banks here army the Benjamin cat to for
your report shinney daily are advance the cart
orders of peremptory applause.
Miss Baggs had learned that proper
name preceded all these cipher dis
patches, possibly having something to
do with the key. At any rate, she threw
out the first word (Banks) and the
words 'cat, - shinney'' and "cart'' as
check words. benjamin., she assum-
ed, meant Rosecrans Applause" must
be the signature of the sender, and as
the dispatch was from Washington it
was probably either Lincoln, Stanton
or Hallecl. The word "to' taken with
"Benjamin" must mean ITO Rose
GRAMS, - and ''peremptory" and ''or-
ders' evidently must go together. The
word 'advance' doubtless explained
the two other words This only left
"repOrt' and "daily' as words Of i'm
portance. These combinations did not
come at once, but after getting them
she Inferred that Rosecrans had per-
omptory ordnrs to advance and report
daily to Washington.
II have got something at last she
exclaimed, getting up from her chair
and walking back and forth excitedly.
''This is indeed Important
Then she took up the second dispatch:
Congress long with as advise applause mar
Die you possible your ago to party was con-
meet soon to movements spot his ordered as to
Burton pin of and left ordered Benjamin.
Again the words ''to' and "Benja-
nin' We're put together, and the words
congress, ''marble,'' ''party''" and
spot stricken out as checks. The dis
patch, being longer than the other, was
more difficult of Interpretation. It was
some time before the student was salts.
lied with her efforts. She inferred from
1t that some one was ordered to connect
with some one else. She knew that the
Confederate generals feared that Burn
side might connect with Rosecrans. So
it was probable that Burton meant
Burnside, who was at Knoxville, and
that he had been ordered to connect
with Rosecrans' left *'as soon as posi-
ble." The remaining words evidently
meant, Burnside also directed to re-
port his movements to you.'
"This is no less important than the
other,' unused Miss Baggs. cit is clear
Erom both that Rosecrans has perempto
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