The Caucasian., 1910-10-18
ECKERT PROUD OF
HIS WIRE RECORD
Former Western Union Chief
Noted Civil War Figure.
HEADED MILITARY TELEGRAPH

Jay Gould and Western Union, but
Finally Allied Himself With Little
Wizard Against Competitors.
To the present generation General
Thomas Thompson Eckert, who has
been seriously i'll at his summer home
at Long Branch, N. j., is known as
former president of the Western Un-
ion Telegraph company and veteran
at the key and sounder. To another
generation which still thinks of the
period during the great civil war, Cen
eral Eckert's name suggests the band
of daring telegraphers which proved
of such assistance to the Union cause.
Moreover, his subsequent fame is as
nothing to him as compared with his
war record. He is eighty-fye years of
age.
Secretary of War Stanton in his re-
port to President Lincoln in 1868 said,
''The military telegraph, under the
general direction of Colonel Stager and
Major Eckert, has been of inestimable
value to the service, and no corps has
surpassed, few have equaled. the tele
graph operators in diligence and deVos
tion to their duties
Eckert Raconteur.
That the praise was merited is indi-
Gated by many anecdotes with which
General Eckert has regaled his friends,
for he was a good story teller and
when stationed at the White House
would swap yarns with President Lin
coin to their mutual delight.
One story gave an idea Of the hard
ships and catch-as-catch-can aecommo.
dations the military telegraph corps
was obliged to put up with of necessi
ty. 1t was during the operations in
Missouri that an operator from Spring
field named Gregg married, and, de-
spite the perils Of the war. insisted on
having his bride accompany him when
the detachment was suddenly ordered
to move.
In the party were six soldiers and
another operator, wifeless, and the en-
tire party stopped at farmhouse one
night where there was but one spare
room, which contained two beds. The
bridal couple were allotted one bed.
and the operator and half a dozen sol
diers took the other, lying crosswise
under the one blanket, which left their
feet well out for the chickens to roost.
General Eckert was a pioneer in the
field of practical telegraphy and work
ed his way up from the ranks. He
was born in 1925 at st. ClairsvilIe, o.,
and began to operate the keys when
he was postmaster Of the town of
Wooster, O. He was then twenty
years old. He became much interested
In this work and within the next three
years had become such an expert that
he was intrusted with the construction
Of the lines over the Pittsburg, Fort
Wayne and Chicago road When these
were completed In 1852 he was ap-
pointed superintendent OF the Union
Telegraph lines.
The outbreak of the war not only
ruined him, but very nearly cost him
his life, as he was condemned by
Confederate court martial for alleged
treason and only escaped by persuad-
ing the court to accept a $500 bail
bond for his appearance on the day
appointed for the hanging.
Headed Military Telegraph.
In 1852 he was called to Washing
ton by Colonel Thomas Al. Scott, then
assistant secretary Of war, and placed
In charge of the military telegraph of
the department OF the Potomac, with
the rank of captain and headquarters
with General Mcclellan In the field.
He was after few months promoted
to the charge Of the military telegraph
department at Washington, ranking as
major. As such he enjoyed the conf
denee Of President Lincoln and Secre-
tary Stanton and successfully organ
lied the entire military telegraph sys-
tenn.
In 1854 he was brevetted lieutenant
colonel and made assistant secretary
Of war, and IN 1865 be was made
brigadier general by brevet He re-
signed In 1866 to accept the Office of
general superintendent of the eastern
division Of the Western Union Tele-
graph company. In this position be
superintended the construction of lines
to connect with the new transatlantic
cables.
When Jay Gould secured control Of
the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph
company General Eckert accepted the
position Of president of the reorgan-
ized company In this position be be
gan rate war against the Western
Union which lasted until the Atlantic
and Pacific was absorbed by the West
ern Union. IN 1880 General Eckert
was elected president of the newly or
ganized American Union Telegraph
company. IN this position he contin-
ued to fight against the Western Tn.
ion, with the result that ID 1881 the
various telegraph companies were con
solidated. with Jay Gould ais the dom
mating power and with General Eek
ert as vice president and general man
ager.