Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-10-08
MILITARY rELEchAPhY.
Col. A. 3. Chandler Tells OF Expert
snee IN That Branch Of Service.

snee IN That Branch Of Service.
g. A. r. hall was oiled Friday even
ing by q large audience assembled to
listen TO an instructive and most interest
ing talk on uilitary telegraphy In the
Civil war. given by Col. A. 3. Chandler,
one OF the cipher despatchers in the War
department during that great struggle
Colonel Chandler spoke before U. s.
Grant post, its associate members,
among whom he ie enrolled, the Relief
their associates.
Commander Norman Nichols appointed
Senator q. W. Flagg master OF cere-
monies for the evening, and prayer was
offered by Rev. Charles Grosvenor of
Braintree. After a selection by q quartet,
composed Of DR.. W. NJ. Kelly, L. s. Brig
ham, A. H. Beedle and John Lamson,
Colonel Chandler was introduced and said
In part as follows;--
have been requested 10 tell you some
thing OF my experiences in connection
with the War department and my recol-
lections Of men and affairs during the
Civil conflict. ! can only ct this time
make beginning OF such 8 recital, and in
doing so / think it may be well to explain
hrst to you how l came TO be in such
position as it was my good fortune to oc-
cupy in that eventful and most interest
ing period. This will require a brief
statement Of the general telegraphic situa-
tion at the beginning Of the war and Of
the formation OF the United States Mill
tary telegraph.
| The government owned no telegraph
lines in 1851. They we're owned by
many small and separate organization /,
which had no direct connection with
each other-the Vermont & Boston, the
Magnetic, the Trey & Canada, etc. Tele-
graph communication was then exceed
ingly slow and uncertain, especially for
long distances, in comparison with that
Of today, and comparatively few places
were then reached by telegraph.
You no doubt remember that the secre-
tary OF war in Mr.. Lincoln's first cabinet
was Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania. He
called to his aid as assistant secretary Of
war Col. Thomas A. Scott, who was then
general superintendent of the PennsYl-
vania railroad and a man Of very remark
able executive ability. He in turn called
to his aid his superintendent Of the west
ern division OF that great railway, which
has since become vastly greater, young
man who had been his telegraph operator
The name Of this young man, then 20
years of age, has become a. familiar to
the civilized world as that OF any OF the
great rulefs Of nations. 1t was Andrew
Carnegie.
; I was invited to Washington in Sen
TENDER of 1851 to enter the Military Tele.
graph service by Gen. Thomas T. Eckert,
superintendent OF the Military Telegraph
! department Of the Potomac. My bust.
ness was then in Pittsburg, Pa, but
was at that particular time on visit tC
my home here in Randolph and could
not arrange my affairs in PittsburR soor
enough to serve the purpose then desired
Of me. Early in 1868 he again sent FOL
me, saying that II was q military necesst
ty for me to Join his staff. OF course thil
was written in pleasantly, but II was I
, gratifying indication Ct confidence that
, would be able to perform the service re
, quired, which was somewhat difiicult and
! OF the most confidential nature. ThI
hours Of duty were long, rarely less thar
. IL hours and not infrequently 16, but thI
, work was exceedingly interesting and
have always been very glad OF the oppor
tunities that were then afforded me.
, Founded BY Andrew Carnegie, fosterec
, by Abraham Lincoln, Simon Cameron
and Edwin NJ. Stanton, the military tele
graph Became a potent power in enabling
generals in the field to keep their bri
. gades, divisions and corps in close touch
with each other and all the headquarters
! thus keeping the commander-in-chie
thoroughly and intelligentiy advised o.
all movements or contemplated move
ments and enabling him to plan for wide
" scattered armies.
The service.it performed was analogous
to that OF the signal corps combined witt
that Of the scout and field courier, and t
a considerable extent il relieved the caval
" arm. The members of the corps
shared the perils, privations and suffer
ings OF the private soldier. but thus fai
, they have been denied by the government
the soldiers reward. For quarter of 9
: century, the survivors have appealed tC
Congress for q pensionable status so that
they might be on parity with all ths
other soldiers OF the war, but the only
thing accomplished has been the granting
to them OF a certificate of honorable serv
ice. To relieve this situation, Mr.. Carne
gle has granted an honor pension Of s14l
= per year to such members of the military
telegraph corps IS are in needy circum
; stances. such grant to continue until Con
: gresa shall pass a military telegraph pen
: sion bill.
d While the services of the military tele
{ graph were analogous to those OF the sig
Q nal corps, they were more efficient BY
5 reason Of the greater rapidity with which
3 signals were communicated and from th'
! fact that an operator was always at tbs
6 elbow of the commanding officer. M
. couriers were necessary to connect thu
] military telegraph with him, for the serv
ice was in itself an unequaled and unap
) proacbable courier service, the like o
E which had never before been known K
3 the world. without it. 9 number of bat
ties in the Civil war would have been los
to the national cause, and in case Of SONS
. Of those which were lost, that loss can b
I traced to those in authority disregardinf
> the military telegraph's advisements.
] A few of those close to Abraham Lin
9 coin have personal knowledge that tina
great and just man intended to give tn