The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-01-02


w \I14ll = M emphis had
I'm, .l.F - been lost to the
81; ; $::;: :; 5 i !; ::
.r'', g.. tween mountain
barriers by q post of observation in the
pass at Cumberland Gap, and Buell's
army, set free by the Union successes
around Corinth, was pushing eastward
along the Tennessee river to attack
Chattanooga. Desperate deeds must
needs be done to stay the impending
evil, the fall Of Chattanooga, that stood
as bulwark to defend Georgia for the
Confederacy. Bragg selected Colonel
John Fl. Morgan to do the work. Nor
CANS column comprised two mounted
regiments and two small detachments
also mounted, but the best card in his
hand for the crisis was bold and skill
full telegraph operator named George A.
Ellsworth. Morgan's orders were to
create stampede in Kentucky, and by
that means alarm the Union authori-
ties, compelling them to stop Buells
march. The net result of his enterprise
was summed up i'll three dispatches
wired by Lincoln, Halleck and a district
general in Kentucky July Is and ID. On
the 18th President Lincoln wired Hal
leck at army headquarters as follows:
"They are having a stampede in Ken
lucky. Please look to it, =" The same
day General J. T. Boyle, commanding
the Union forces in Kentucky, tele-
graphed to Washington this startling
news: 'The rebels undoubtedly have
control Of the telegraph all around us.
There is great danger in Kentucky"
The next day Halleck sent dispatch to
Buell., saying, "Do all in your power to
put down the Morgan raid, even if the
Chattanooga expedition should be de-
layed." p" ..-.. -:
Ellsworth had begun his mystifcation
Of the Union leaders on the 9th by tap
ping wires between Louisville and Nash
vile. After taking off messages show
ing exactly what the opposing generals
knew about Morgan's band and what
they were doing to thwart the raiders
he wired the provost marshal at Louis
vile that Forrest was threatening Nash
vile and Morgan lowering in that yicin-
ity to cooperate with him. All was
false On the 18th Morgan captured
Lebanon, KY, and Ellsworth found evil
dence in the telegraph Office that Union
troops were marching toward that point.
Morgan sent out detachment to burn
bridge and destroy the track ahead Of
the train bearing his enemies. This was
done. Stores Of Union supplies were
burned at Lebanon and the raiders NOV
ed northeast to avoid further collisions
with the troops which the telegraph an
nounoed, through Ellsworth, were NOV
ing out Of Louisville south to capture
Morgan. Next day, July IS, at noon,
just when the alarm was at it's widest
in Washington and at the headquarters
Of Halleck and Boyle, Morgan was at
Midway, between Frankfort and Louis
vile, in the very heart Of Kentucky.
Ellsworth captured the operator and aft
or cajoling him with show of profess
sional sympathy, carelessly asked him
to call the Lexington Office and ask for
the time Of day. This was ruse to get
the operators style, which proved to be
registering. A search brought to light a
signal book, and the files Of dispatches
showed that the towns and garrisons all
about were alert for Morgan. y A test of
the wires showed that the Frankfort
Office could be cut and all dispatches for
that point received at Midway. In
short time Lexington asked Midway if it
would be safe to run train between
those stations. Ellsworth s answer was
Call right! Come on. No rebels
shere.'' -. ..,.
Following that query came military
order from the Union commander at
Lexington to his subordinate at Frank
fort to move all his forces out on the
railroad and await orders at Midway.
1t was therefore necessary to deceive the
Union authorities long enough to give
Morgan chance to be off in one direc-
tion while his enemies were massing
troops in the other direction. Ellsworth
telegraphed to Union headquarters at
Lexington that the raiders had passed
Midway toward Frankfort. It was
necessary to confirm this later by q
bogus dispatch from Frankfort, but
Ellsworth did not know the rules and
charges between Lexington and Frank
fort and could not risk formal mes
sage for fear Of making a fatal mistake.
He waited some time until the wires
were occupied by through messages,
then broke in in great excitement
sounding the Lexington call frantically.
Of course he got the circuit. He dis
patched word to the Union commander
at Lexington that Morgan was before
Frankfort and had driven out the Union
pickets. Having. secured the Frankfort
signal, he signed the dispatch and ran
the wire into the ground SO that Licking
ton could not call Frankfort and detect
the fraud. ... ~. -,
Galloping cut of Midway, Morgan
approached Lexington, gave it good
scare and passed on within 60 miles Of
Cincinnati. Cynthiana and Paris were
raided, and the band headed southwark
again. At the recrossing of the Cum
berland into Tennessee Ellsworth took
off a dispatch showing that a Union
column was marching from Danville,
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