Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-11-21


Headquarters u. S. A,
Louisville, July 13, 1862.
Hon. E. NJ. Stanton.
Secretary of War:
THE Confederates undoubtedly
have control of telegraph all around
us. There is great danger in Ken.
lucky.
u. 7. BOYLE,
'Brigadier General. +"
This sudden uproar and alarm in
Northern camps aud councils was
caused by Morgan, the Southern
raider, then out on his first wild ride
across the border. His errand seem
ed to be none other than 70 bring
about the state of panic indicated in
the dispatches of President Lincoln
and General Boyle. At the head of
small mounted column the intrepid
Kentuckian rode at will for more
than a week within the Federal lines
and got away without being forced
into single battle, all through the
manipulation of the wires by aclev-
er hand.
When starting on this raid, Nor
gan summoned to his side as a sci
entific ally, George A. Ellsworth. an
expert operator. and a joker and
daredevil at the same time, as will
be seen from his full story, here
published for the first time:
"On July 10, 1852" says Ellis
worth, General Morgan, with a
body guard of 10 men and myself,
arrived at point near Glasgow,
KY, on the Louisville and Nashville
Railroad, where took down the tel
egraph lines and connected my pock-
ct instrument, for the purpose of ia
king off all dispatches that passed
through. Louisville immediately
called Nashville, and | answered for
Nashville, receiving business for two
hours. 1t could be plainly seen by
the tenor of the messages that Nor
gan was known to be in the country.
and all orders to send money and
other valuables by railroad were
countermanded. Louisville also sent
the news of the day, and thus we
We're furnished with New York and
Washington dispatches of that day.
During the whole of the time it was
raining heavy and my situation was
anything but an agreeableone, sitting
in mud and water up to my knees.
AT IL p. n. the general, being
satisfied that had drained Louis
vile of all the news, concluded to
close for the night, and gave methis
bogus message to send:
Headquarters U. S. P'o'ost- Marshall.
Nashville, Tenn, July 10, 1862.
Henry Dent, U. S. Provost Mar
shall, Louisville:
General Forrest attacked Muir
freesboro, routing our forces, and is
now moving on Nashville. Morgan
is reported to be between Scottsville
and Gallatin, in Tennessee, and will
act in concert with Forrest, it is be-
lieved.
STANLEY MATTHEWS,
Provost Marshall.
Forrest did attack Murfreesboro
and routed the enemy, but Morgan
was many day. S ride from the scene.
The next day but one we reached
Lebanon, and l rode with the ad
vance guard into the town and took
possession OF the Office immediately
1t was $50 in the morning, | ad-
justed the instrument and examined
the circuit No other operator on
the line appeared to be on hand so
early. Among the dispatches of the
day previous / found one that had
been sent from the Federal comman-
der at Lebanon, who surrendered 10
Morgan, Col. A. Y. Johnson, address
sed to General Boyle. the Federal
commander of the State at louisville.
Ii read:
have positive information that
there are 400 Confederate maraudors
within 20 miles of this place, on the
! old Lexington road, approaching Le-