The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-05-18
DADDY OF TELEGRAPHERS."
h Of Colonel Philip H. Fall, Oldest
eleeraph Operator IN This State.

Ia Of Colonel Philip H. Fall, Oldest
Telegraph Operator IN This State.
n News
u article IN reference to the services
4cgrsphers during our civil war was rot
Il appropriate, but rendered service
d memory OF men, Who accepted scr
4 and Invariably accomplished the part
ped them, although in many instances
knew II was death to be caught.
De Ellsworth was noted. but there We're
n yet living who performed yalorous
y ting the Dallas reunion is Colonel
ID Il. Fall styled the buddy OF rc1aS
&raphers." He halls from Houston,
n where he has lived just sixty years,
parents, having come. TO Texas whom
qss years OF age He has lived con
tr9y IN Houston during all these yelrs,
nc exception Of two or three yelus
Euege when boy, In Kentucky ard
*essee and nearly four years In the
See OF the Confederacy east Of the Mis-
We, lie Is the oldest telegrapher in
1ce In Texas At the commencement
" war he was in NickSburg, having
suspended from Franklin college.
VINE on account Of having assisted
Eoommate In spiritiug away a young
OF a nearby seminary. lie saw the
married, and was notified by the
leht OF the college of his suspension
I've weeks. As soon as the war com
~ ne Joined n Vicksburg company.
~ account Of the death of his moUaer
vsson We secured furlough in order
we ms mothers estate. on his re-
slcksourg, General NJ. l.. Smith
eu aim over to DeSota, village op-
n, lleksDurE, 10 take charge of THAT
Alte telegraph line running from
~ 10 Lake Providence. seventy-five
Il Up tne river. General Breckenridge's
f ror was sent up to Lake Providence TO
IA ~ 9fmauon as to when the enemy
{I nHss down the river.
Islmas Eve. forty-two years ago. the
az Lake Providence, called Fall
~ notined him that eighty odd gun
,nu transports had passed loaded
4 uSSps and that lights could be seen
In I've as FAR as the eye could reach
notissilla across the river In his skin
sneoe General Smith. Smith ordered
nsoglsu.natants out OF the city and by
}ipr ista thousands OF troops were
isrsstNo me city. In two days the Fed
nnoeo AZ Chickasaw bayou, where
Ast.S defeated with great loss aud
so,sSI oAek 20 Memphis. This Incident
i 70 Federal and Confederate his
rsS ,stter this was assigned to Gen
Il ths s.uoorn, with whom he served,
sres .all OF Ncksburg, when he was
Srspsl.. report to General Magruder,
Ri AZ an Is aid de camp with rank Of
1 1s,Sn General Gordon's stan. and Is
,stoS u'snt Of Dick Bowling camp Of
stsnt for riCh position he has held as
gsinT n NV, I'VE years, his commanders
flons allow him 10 retire.
herr RAJ ~ stu sllngs lightning for the
Is eoH onion Telegraph Company, with
h years ne has served for nearly
I'm became noted such an Ellsworth.
.cortsd.saormed the greatest service 10
ts Ie not been prompt VicIsb1 Irs' woyn,d
there w yne day after Christmas, 1862,
the sas, oula never have been q siege.
Eoois and west OF the Mississippi
snce ~ nave been sealed from All as.
Ian each other.
that ts inu OF Colonel Fail and con.
lis feflosu s episode should he given
be our S ~. veterans through the News
A' reunion. r. X. Atchison.