Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-12-31
MID BY One who was in Everyday Touch with The President
mfDg the Years Of The R8bGlIOl--As Cipher Telegraph
mgsOr at The War Department Colonel Chandler Saw and
Heard Much from The inside and was Intimately Associated
Win Lincoln Stanton and Other Leaders al that Critical
nrOi~.HS Address al Chandler Music hail. Randolph on
Monday Evening Brought HiS Large Audience into Close
Touch with Men and Events Familiar 10 History Much Said
dUlOl his Greatness and Goodness, with Incidents Show
m Bis traits Of Character and Anecdotes from Ills Tongue
Heard FfstHald.A Rare Contribution 10 War Literature.


me, and which / most highly cherish, but
Il cannot be anywhere near complete in
single evenings recital.
Very little was known Of Lincoln 10
New England until bis first nomination
for the presidency In May. 1880. / frst
learned Of that important event while on
my first visit to my native home after my
setting out to prove whether / could earn
my way In the world. II was told me by
Mr.. Charles Badger, OF the then arm Of
q Badger, Edison 4 smith," whose store
was in the buiiding just north Of the
grist mill and known as the "brick
store" There for several years the West
Randolph postoiiice was located and Mr..
Badger was the postmaster. I Welt re-
member how the handsome and courteous
gentleman looked AZ be announced to me
that Abraham Lincoln Of Illinois has
just been nominated for the presidency
BY the Chicago convention"
wonder how many persons here pres-
ent were residents OF this village then
and y neither any OF them can recall the
"brick store" and its then occupants and
the postoflce a. II was then situated.
Very few, fear.
have often regretted that I did not
make notes Of more Of Mr.. Lincoin's con-
versaiions with Mr.. Seward. Mr.. Stanton.
Mr.. Chase, Judge Holt, General Halleck,
Mr.. Dana and others Of the prominent
civil and military officers Of the govern
ment who were Identified with the mo-
mentous affairs Of his administration, and
which necessarily heard, but could not
we'll do 80 for the reason that ! was ex-
ceedingly busy, much OF the time working
almost continuously from twelve 10 six
teen hours q day and often with the ne
ceasity before me OF working swiftly. And
I did not realize how the pressing duties
OF an active business life would, In the
coming years, 20 far drive the memory OF
those interviews aud conversations and
many interesting events from my mind
that I can now recall comparatively few
With sufficient accuracy to properly repre-
sent them.
/ Among the notations in my journal for
the twenty-third Of jane, 1854, find the
following Mr.. Lincoln returned from
the army today, and this evening told me
many things; Of his reviewing the troops,
/ etc. / suppose he would have talked Just
the same II II had been any other boy
showing him the dispatches, but Il hap
/ pened to be me. / feel relieved, knowing
+ be has Just come from General Grant and
Is feeling 80 cheerful
That's the quotation from my journal.
and vet did not write q word Of what he
said on that occasion, and I have tried In
I vain to recall II. Il has wholly gone
from my memory. II could have made
notes Of all the interesting events that oc-
CURED under my observation during
those anxious years, they would MI a
large volume.
What | am about to narrate will,
think, give you some idea Of the nature
OF the work Of the military telegraph OPP
orators and our relations with the presi-
dent and secretary OF var and something
Of their manner Of dealing with affairs.
As the fearful proportions Of the Re-
bellion we're disclosed, and the impor-
lance OF government control Of the quick
est means of communication came 70 be
Understood, tue military telegraph was
established az a separate organization,
and Il was made an arm OF the War De
partment directly responsible to the sec
rotary Of war and not to the military or
GERS in the field.
Il Is not my purpose now to recount
details OF the achievements Of this organ
ization nor to recite even an outline Of its
history, but il may interest you to know
that Il comprised not far from fifteen
hundred employees, of whom there are, 90
far a. 1 have been able to ascertain, less
than two hundred now surviving. They
were 4 goodiy company Of brave and tai
ented spirits. The work they performed
and the dangers they encountered, the IN.
telligence and faithfulness they displayed
and the great results which they played
an important part in accomplishing were
TO my knowledge, well understood anc
keenly appreciated BY President Lincoln
and Secretary Stanton, who we're more
. familiar with the whole scope Of the tele
graphers' work than were any others o.
the general officers Of the government
Their work was, however, scarcely les'
! appreciated by Generals Grant, sherman
Thomas, Sheridan, Meade, McCiehan
Banks, Butler and other principal com
, manders in the field. as shown by tnei
official reports and BY their private con
Yeraations.
! It has sometimes been said Of me tina
I was Lineoln's telegraph operator In tn
White House. The fact Is that no on
was his telegraph operator and no tele
! graph wires we're connected with ID
White House In his time.
have always considered Il fortunate
that was one OF three cipher operator
In the old War Department building an'
that was so much with Mr.. Lincoll
/ during the time OF his greatest burdel
! ana anxiety. Ny immediate associate
we're Mr.. Charles A. Tinker, native
|. Chelsea, Vt. who learned TO telegraph
/, Northhsld. and Mr.. David Homer Bates
4 who has recently Published very inter
I. esting book entitled, "Ldncoln IN n
Telegraph once" Our duties "er
q equal and coordinate IN the perIormAnc
! ~ the innurtnnt and confidential servic