Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-07
TELECRApHY AND THE ARMY
a Part Of the Great Work Of Which
Little is Known.
LOUIS KoRTY ONE OF THE VETS
Served His Country at the Key, a.
Did Edward nOsewater and
y Others Now Passed
Beyond.

vention back in the sixties, and the part
played by military telegraphers in the war
for preservation Of the union forms a highly
interesting phase OF rebellion history. One
by one civil war wire operators have passed
away IN death, until only q scattering rem
nant Of this once intrepid army wing re-
mains. For years two noted telegraphers Of
the war time era we're active in Omaha af-
fairs-the late Edward Rosewater, founder
and editor OF The Bee, and Louis II. Korty
now living here in retirement but formerly
superintendent OF telegraph for the Union
Pacific railway.
History tells of the keen interest Ifesi-
dent Lincoln took in the telegraph. and 1t
was his custom to llnger around the wires
In Washington so that he might obtain
news from the firing line at fret hand and
with as little delay as possible. Thus Il
came about that the martyred chief execu-
tive built up chummy relations with the
operators, and many a close range story OF
the great Lincoln has been contributed to
history by men who handled the keys in
war times. These telegraphers, of course
were on duty at various places over the
country, and whether in Washington or on
the field, they came in close contact with
the men who were behind the guns either
literally or flguratively.
only Few Left.
Mr. Korty, m!ld-mannered old gentleman
now In the afternoon OF a busy and event
full life, is one OF Omaha's most inter-
esting characters. The passing Of the late
Edward Rosewater. leaves Mr.. Korty the
sole survivor hereabouts Of war teegraphy
history. There are a few others scattered
here and there about the country, but like
all others who took part In the civil war,
the ranks are thinning at an appallins
pace and today the men who saw military
telegraph service back in the sixties are
very. very few.
In fact, survivors OF any branch Of serv-
Ice in the civil war are comparatively
scarce Official figures recently sent out
from Washington. ID. c.. point out the fact
that the civil war pension rolls are being
reduced by a daily average of ninety
Aes-which simply means that an aver
ttgs of ninety veterans each day pass away
In death. With the ranks already thin by
the encroachment OF years, at the average
rate Of ninety per day throughout tn,
country as an aggregate, 1t will not be long
until further discussion of the pension ques.
tlon will cease.
1t is therefore interesting to note that
Mr.. Korty is a well preserved and agile
survivor, transformations as to his war
deeds, he Is, nevertheless, a most interest
ing conversatlonalist when In reminiscent
MOOD and the younger generations add to
their store of historic knowledge by as
ISOLATION with this likable old veteran.
Mr. Korty was not only In the United
States military telegraph corps during the
civil war but for some time after its close
continued In the service, restoring the tele-
graph system in the south to a condition of
effectiveness, This accomplished, Mr.
Korty entered the railway telegraph work
and attained considerable prominence He
was In 1881 appointed assistant supertn.
tendent Of the telegraph OF the Union Pa
oifio road and became superintendent in
1857, holding this position continuously un-
til his retirement in 1908
SOme Inside Information
diary kept by Mr.. Korty during the
war gives much inside information as to
the working of the military telegraph SER
vice, and the many stirring incidents he
went through. lie served in the Depart
Tent OF Tennessee, Mississippi and the
9hlf, and was operator at the headquar-
tsrs OF General c. C. Washburne and Gen.
eral N. ]. T. Dana at Memphis. and his
activities took him through the country
most fiercely contested. At the close OF
hostilities there remained for the corps the
re-establishment OF service. In this he &C.
lively assisted administering the oath of
allegiance to many southern telegraphers
who were willing TO, work for the govern
ment and who were not politically dis
qualified
The rebuilding of the line between RiG
BLACK, river and Jackson Miss, was ufldeI
the supervision of Samuel Cochrane. assist.
ant superintendent of military telegraph at
Vlcksburg and when sickness forced hi.
withdrawal Mr.. Korty took up the work
~ Construction parties, according to Mr.
Aorty were mostly made up OF coloret
troops, and proceeded with mule pack train
finding only an occasional pole to mark
the route OF the old service. many OF the
lines being strung from tree to tree. The
railroad track, almost obliterated bore
mute testimony to the struggle and raw
ages the country had witnessed when the
armies of Grant and sherman disputed
those of Pemberton and johnson for con-
uol Struggling parties OF Contederates
either ignorant unmindful OF the sur
render resisted the invasion Of the con-
struetion parties, determined to leave no
Yankees southern soil
About this time Mr.. Korty was ordered
to return to jackson from vicksburg and
made the trip on horseback and with only
one companion, a captain in a New York
regiment The trip was hazardous, and
their officers in camp marveled at their
courage In undertaking TO traverse a coun-
try infested by guerrllas and wandering
robbers without escort and with a trail
that could scarcely be called a road, SO
broken and neglected was It, blocked by
fallen trees and cut by gullies and bitches.
Long detours were necessitated by the CON
dillon of the roads. The country through
which they travelled was literally a vast
burying ground, and over much OF It the
captain had fought in many battles and
torRged for many a meal. assisting the
sweet potatoes they started from the
ground"
Adventure by MOonliRht.
Mr. Korty recalls wildly the moonlight
night they reached the battle-ground where
Grant and PembeTton fought Pembertor
being forced back to Vicksburg In every
direction were evidences Of the struggle
bleaehed bones OF horses cleaned In the
moonlight and row after row of rude
headboards marked the places where both
blue and gray had side by side found peace
This was too much for even so stanch a
courage as that OF Mr.. Korty and the
caDlaln. Hurryiua an