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O.R. --- SERIES III-VOLUME I. - pages 965 - 972
ANSON STAGER, Colonel , Asst. Quartermaster, and Supt. U. S. Military Telegraph.
Report of the operations and condition of the U. S. military telegraph
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1863

     HEADQUARTERS U. S. MILITARY TELEGRAPH,
     CLEVELAND, OHIO, November 1, 1863.

     Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON
     Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

     SIR: I have the honor to make to you the following report of the operations and condition of the U. S. military telegraph for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1863, accompanied with the report of the different quartermasters and assistant superintendent under my control. Their reports contain details of the operation of the military telegraph in the respective departments to which they are assigned.

     The report of Major Eckert, assistant superintendent, Department of the Potomac, is marked A; Captain Bruch, assistant superintendent, Departments of Ohio, Cumberland, and Mississippi, B.**; Captain David, assistant superintendent Department of western Virginia, Cl Captain Wade, Cleveland, Ohio, D; Captain Smith, assistant superintendent, Department of the Missouri, E; Captain Bulkley, assistant superintendent, Department of the Gulf, F.

     Since my appointment as aide-de-camp, assistant quartermaster, and superintendent of the U. S. military telegraph, I have been the commanding officer in charge of the military telegraphs in the United States. My headquarters from the commencement of the fiscal year ending in June, 1863, up to the 1st of April, were at Washington, D. C. In April I was ordered by the Honorable Secretary of War to make a personal tour of observation of the military telegraph in the West and Southwest, and to make my headquarter in Ohio, In June, 1863, I was on special duty at Memphis, Tenn., and Cairo, Ill., by order of the Honorable Secretary of War.

     It is my duty as commanding officer of the Military Telegraph Department to exercise a general supervision of all its lines, to give such orders and directions to the subordinate officers in this branch of the public service as may from time to time be necessary for the better conduct of the relative affairs and business therein, and to supervise the purchase of all the material which the wants or exigencies of the various departments may demand.

     The military telegraph lines required by the Government have been constructed over an extensive and scatted territory, embracing the District of Columbia, parts of the States of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, and the Indian Territory.

     Under the immediate direction of Major Eckert, assistant superintendent of the Department of the Potomac, 300 miles have been constructed during the year. Under the direction of Captain Smith, assistant superintendent of the Department of the Missouri, 548 miles have been constructed during the year, one mile of which was submarine. Under the direction of captain Brunch, assistant superintendent, Departments of the Ohio, Cumberland, and Mississippi, 510 miles have been constructed during the year. Under the direction of Captain David, assistant superintendent of the Deparles have been constructed during the same period. Under the direction of Captain Bulkley, assistant superintendent, Department of the Gulf, 300 miles have been built, one mile of which was submarine.

     On the 1st day of July, 1862, there war 3,571 miles of land and submarine lines in working order. During the fiscal year 1,755 miles of land and submarine line were constructed, making the total number of miles and submarine military telegraph lines in operation during the year, 5,326, being length of line sufficient to girdle more than one-fifth of the circumference of the globe.

     It should be borne in mind that a large proportion of this labor has been performed, as it were, in the presence of an armed foe. Some times the lines have been required to take their course through portions of the revolted States actually in the possession of the enemy, and upon such occasions the constructing parties have been obliged to perform their labor during the night-time only to avoid detection and capture by the enemy. It would be difficult to enumerate the hazards, vexations, and obstacles incident to the construction of military telegraph lines.

     The telegraph is ever at the front, occupying the post of danger and of honor. It has been frequently in advance of the army, and it cannot be denied but that the result of its enterprising hazard has often proved of much advantage to our forces. But few cases of capture of telegraphers by the enemy have occurred when these experts have voluntarily assumed advanced and exposed positions.

     Follow the army where you will, there you will find the telegraph exercising its vigilance and its protection over the surrounding camps. At the foremost picket-posts, in the rifle-pits, and in the advanced parallels, at any hour of the day or the night, you can listen to the mysterious yet intellectual click of the telegraph instrument. Amidst the strife of battle and the whistling of bullets its swift, silent messengers pass unseen and unharmed.

     It is through the medium of the telegraph that the vast amount of supplies of various descriptions required for the daily sustenance of the armies are ordered forward from their depositories. If an advance of the army is to be made, all deficiencies to the comfort and necessities of the troops or any lack of the material of war can, by the assistance of the military wires, be immediately ordered and speedily procured. If a retrograde movement is contemplated all detachments adjacent to the line of march are quicky notified by telegraph, and the whole column is in motion at once.

     The public mind has but a faint conception of the magnitude of the use of the army telegraph. Its importance and utility in a military campaign are fully understood only by those who are constantly brought into contact with it as a medium for the daily transaction of their important and extensive business. The military telegraph offices are kept open day and night, continually, the lines thus never being closed to the transaction of business.

     Take a glance along the military railroads of the country, and in quiet company with the long, continuous band of iron rail you will observe the air lines of iron wire through which the electric winged messengers of thought flashed the orders of our commanders from one section of the country to another. A distant command on some part of the line receives, through the means of this lighting communication, its orders to move forward and create a diversion in favor of the struggle which is going on in some other part of the line, and, perhaps, by destroying the enemy"s line of communication, or his supply trains, a victory is won.

     General orders are given, armies are moved, battles are planned and fought, and victorihis simple yet powerful aide-de-camp-the military telegraph. Even the history of this unholy rebellion is being recorded by the electric dotting of the telegraph from day to day, as the war progress, let us hope, to its speedy termination, and a reunion against all enemies for all future time. The military railroads and telegraphs are the great arteries which warm the soul and keep alive the body of our grant Union Army.

     By a close estimate it appears that at least 1,200,000 telegrams have been sent and received over the military lines in operation during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1863, being at the rate of about 3,300 per diem. These messages have varied in length from 10 to 1,000 words, and upward, and generally were of an urgent or most important character.

     All business of an important or confidential nature has been transacted in cipher, and the contents of the telegrams thus transmitted have been known only to the War Department or general officers with whom they originated and the sworn cipher operators. This mode o secrecy has been invaluable to the Government and of great advantage to military operations.

     The operations in the service of the U. S. military telegraph, as a general rule, have manifested a spirit of patriotism and devotion to their duty in the highest degree commendable. They are not bound by any military regulations or organizations, yet they have undergone all the exposure, the dangers and privations of camp life with a degree of endurance and forbearance worthy of mention. They have been on duty night and day, and, of all the many important trusts and positions bestowed upon them, there is yet to recorded the first case of recreancy to the ask confided to them. the amount of pay generally received by these persons is not considered a fair remuneration for the service performed. Instances of meritorious conduct on the part of telegraphers in the field I should be glad to have rewarded by favorable mention or, or the presentation of suitable medals to, such personsre in acknowledging the valuable services of my assistant superintendents, Major Eckert and Captains Bruch, Smith, David, Bulkley, and Wade. These officers have given their personal and undivided attention to the interests of the military telegraph, and to their exertions it is indebted for its uniform promptness, reliability, and usefulness.

     I would call especial attention to the paper herewith, marked G, it being a report from Captain Bulkley, assistant superintendent, Department of the Gulf, upon the removal of rebel obstruyour Teche, La. Major-General Banks having called upon Captain Bulkley to remove the impediments to the navigation of the bayou, he undertook the task and speedily succeed in accomplishing the same. I would call attention also to the report of Captain Bulkley herewith, marked H, on "Beardslee"s Magneto Field Telegraph."

     July 1, 1862, there was remaining in my hands the sum of $9,829.24 During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1863, I received from the Treasurer of the United States, at Washington, D. C., $418,000, making the total amount of funds in my possession during the fiscal year, for application to operating and constructing military telegraph air and water lines within the United States, $427,829.24. I have made a proper rendition of the same to the Government. From this amount I have transferred to my subordinate quartermasters of the U. S. military telegraph during the year the sum of $295,265.43, and disbursed on service account $55,711.76, and to the purchase of property $70,795.99.

     In September, 1862, I officially transferred to Major Eckert, Captains David, Bruch, Smith, and Wade the military telegraph lines and property in the respective departments of which they were previously in nominal charge. On the 30th of June, 1863, there was remaining in my possession a balance of $6,056.06 in Government funds, which was deposited in my safe at Cleveland, Ohio.

     I desire to express my obligations to the Honorable Secretary of War for the unlimited voluntary interest and assistance extended by himself and his Department in and to the U. S. military telegraph. This kind support has contributed to a great extent in making the military telegraph what it is to-day-a reliable, useful, and indispensable assistant to the Government in the conduct of military operations both in and our of the field.

     It has been a pleasant reflection both to myself and my assistant superintends to know that our efforts to accomplish all that has been required of us have been duly appreciated and acknowledged by the War Department, although, perhaps, our energies may not always have realized our own most sanguine expectations.

     The impression that our exertions have generally received the approval of the Honorable Secretary of War has been and agreeable incentive to renewed and untiring efforts to successfully accomplish the various tasks required of us.

STATEMENT OF LINES.

  Miles.
Line in operation July 1, 1862.................... 3,571
Constructed during fiscal year.................... 1,755
  -------
Line in operation, fiscal year.................... 5,326

     Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

     ANSON STAGER,
     Colonel , Asst. Quartermaster, and Supt. U. S. Military Telegraph.

            * See Series I, Vol XXIX, Part II, p. 394.
          ** See Series I, Vol. LII, Part I, p. 479.

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O.R. --- SERIES III-VOLUME I. - pages 841 - 843
ANSON STAGER, Colonel , Asst. Quartermaster, and Supt. U. S. Military Telegraph.
Report of the operations and condition of the U. S. military telegraph
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1864

     HEADQUARTERS U. S. MILITARY TELEGRAPH,
     Cleveland, Ohio, October 31, 1864.

     Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,
     Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

     SIR: Accompanying this my official report of the operations and construction of U. S. military telegraph for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1864, I have the honor also to submit the reports of the different officers and assistant superintendents connected with this branch of the Government service, and very respectfully solicit your consideration of the detailed operations of the military telegraph within the United States, embraced in the several reports herewith.

     I regret to state that, so far as I am informed, not a single officer connected with the U. S. military telegraph received a copy of the Quartermaster-General's circular, dated July 6, 1864, which called for the reports herewith submitted, and the request of the Quartermaster-General's Department in regard thereto but recently incidentally became known. Therefore, for want of proper notice, these reports are not as carefully prepared nor as fully presented in detail as desired.

     My official report for the fiscal year of 1863, accompanied by the report of Major Eckert and Captains Bruch, David, Wade, Smith and Bulkley, assistant superintendents of military telegraph, was forwarded to your Department by mail on the 2nd of November, 1863.

     Herewith please find the reports of Captain G. H. Smith (marked A), Captain R. C. Clowry (B), Captain C. S. Bulkley (C), Captain T. B. A. David (D), Captain L. F. Sheldon (E), Captain S. Brunch (F), Captain W. L. Gross (G), Captain J. C. Van Duzer (H), and Captain S. G. Lynch (I) for the fiscal year of 1864. The reports of Major Thomas T. Eckert and Captain W. G. Fuller have not yet reached me.*

     My report is designed to present, in condensed form, the operations of the U. S. military telegraph within the several departments.

The public money in my possession July 1, 1863,was $6,056,06
Received from the U. S. Treasury during the year $606,000.00
Amount transferred to the officers is the total $612,056.06
Add amount received by officers of this corps from other sources, as per their reports $31,848.02
Shows total amount of money applicable to the operations of military telegraph during the year $643,904.08
Deduct amount of balances in the hands ofquartermasters June 30, 1864 $34,247.77
Total amount expended during the year for construction and operation of U. S. military telegraph $609,656.31

     Of the last-mentioned amount about $218,000 was applied to the purchase of material, and for incidental expenses, say, $13,000, leaving applicable to service account, $378,656,31.

     As the cost of material, labor, subsistence, &c., has rapidly advanced, the amount of money which will be required for the operation and construction of U. S. military telegraph for the present year, if the war continues to its fiscal end, will be proportionately increased. Probably $90,000 to $100,000 per month will be required to meet the indispensable expenditures of the corps.

     A monthly average of 1,000 persons have been engaged in the military telegraph service within the several departments during the fiscal year of 1864. The number at present in the service is considerably greater, and increases as the Federal forces advance or the military operations become more active and extended.

     Military telegraph, land and submarine lines.

 Land MilesSub-Marine Miles
In operation July 1, 18632,96939 3/4
Constructed during year..3,69215 3/4
Total in operation during year..6,66155 1/2
Abandoned, &c..1,5361 1/2
In operation June 30, 1864..5,12554

     Distributed as follows:

 Land MilesSub-Marine Miles
In the Department of the Gulf,
Captain Bulkley..		6395 1/2
In the Department of the South,
Captain Sheldon..		5512
In the Department of the Potomac,
Major Eckert..		87432 1/2
In the Department of West Virginia,
Captain Lynch..		3101/2
In the Departments of the Tennessee,
Cumberland, and Mississippi,
Captains Brunch,Gross, and Van Duzer..		1,732 1/21 1/4
In the Department of Missouri and Kansas,
Captain Smith..		1,3031 3/4
In the Department of Arkansas,
Captain Clowry..		2111/2
Total..5,12554

     The estimated number of telegrams transmitted over the military telegraph lines during the fiscal year is 1,800,000.

     Herewith is statement A** of quartermaster"s property received from all sources, transferred, expended, and on hand June 30, 1864, condensed from the property statements accompanying the reports of the different quartermasters.

     I take pleasure in stating that the several assistant quartermasters and assistant superintendents engaged in the military telegraph service have invariably responded with willing alacrity to all orders issued from these headquarters, having in view the execution of such demands as have been made upon me from time to time for increased or extraordinary telegraphic facilities.

     Your perusal of their respective reports is very respectfully solicited.

     I heartly indorse the compliments tendered by the different assistant superintendents to the employes under charge. These men generally have faithfully pursued their various duties with commendable reliability and often under circumstances requiring force of character sufficient to undergo many privations, resist, stampedes, and risk cap- tivity by the enemy, adhering to their posts of duty with remarkable tenacity and approving spirit.

     Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

     ANSON STAGER,
     Colonel, Asst. Quartermaster and Chief U. S. Mil. Telegraph.

     * For Eckert"s report see Series I, Vol. LI, Part I, p. 197.
     ** Omitted.

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O.R. --- SERIES III-VOLUME I. - pages 973 - 975
Major THOS. T. ECKERT
Report of the U. S. military telegraph operations and condition of the military telegraph in the
Department of the Potomac, from September 1, 1862, to June 30, 1863

     M. C. MEIGS,
     Quartermaster-General, Washington, D. C.:

     GENERAL: Agreeably to General Orders, Numbers 13, issued from your department July 22, 1863, I respectfully submit to you, through Colonel A. Stager, the chief officer of the U. S. military telegraph, the following as my report of the operations and condition of the military telegraph in the Department of the Potomac, from September 1, 1862, to June 30, 1863, my official duties for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1863, having commenced at the first-mentioned date:

     From September 1, 1862, to June 30, 1863, I was stationed at Washington, D. C., as assistant quartermaster, U. S. Army, in charge of the U. S. military telegraph in the Department of the Potomac. It has been my duty to superintended the construction, equipment, operation, and management of the military telegraph in my department, and to such purpose I have devoted my undivided energy and attention.

     It is a matter of congratulation to me, and I trust to the Government, that from the uniform interest manifested by the telegraph employed in their several vocations and the willingness on their part to undergo privation and hardship that the welfare of the Government and its cause be served, but little delay in the construction of new military lines, when required, has occurred and but slight interruption has occasionally existed to the daily operation of the several lines in this department.

     The general service which the telegraph performs is specially important to the Government and imperative in its character, the successful operation of army movements often depending upon the reliability and promptness of the telegraph and its operators. The amount of Government business transmitted over the military wires has been enormously large and, in its general purport, of the most vital nature.

     It is a matter of gratification to me and merited compliment to my subordinates to be assured that this vast mount of important labor has been performed to the satisfaction of the Honorable Secretary of War and his Department.

     The following statement will show the length of military land and submarine telegraph lines in operation in this department on the 1st of September, 1862, the number of miles of line constructed since that date, the number of miles taken down or abandoned since September 1, 1862, what lines are now standing and in working order, and the number of miles they embrace:

     STATEMENT OF LINES.

     Submarine line in operation June 30, 1863, as follows:

     Willmington to Cherrystone.............................. 1

     Cherrystone to Back Creek Light................... 20

     Sewell"s Point to Newport News..................... 4

     Total............................................................. 25

     Land line in operation September 1, 1862...................................... 465

     Constructed from September 1, 1862, to June 30, 1862..............2,894

     In operation during year...............................................................7,544

     Taken down or abandoned..........................................................2,734

     In operation on the 30th of June, 1863........................................... 481

As follows:

     List of lines.

Washington depot to Alexandria9
Washington to Point of Rocks51
Washington to Fort Corcoran, six wires15
Washington War Office, thirteen wires2
Washington, additions in city8
Washington, three wires on G street22
Alexandria to Seminary3
Alexandria to Manassas, via Court-House32
Alexandria, through the city4
Alexandria additions4
Alexandria to the wharf2
Aqueduct to Chain Bridge3
Aqueduct to Tennallytown3
Fort Corcoran to Upton"s Hill5
Fort Corcoran to For Ethan Allen, four wires22
Fort Corcoran to Alexandria, two wires14
Fort Corcoran to Seminary9
Fort Corcoran to Fort Ethan Allen4
Fort Allen to Minor"s Hill3
Fort Monroe to Yorktown27
Fort Monroe to Hampton3
Fort Monroe to Back Creek Light-House7
Fort Monroe, though the city3
Fairfax Court-House to Centerville7
Hall"s Hill to Minor"s2
Loop to Newport News9
Point of Rocks to Harper"s Ferry,two wires24
Hartwood to Grove Church13
Poolesville to Leesburg12
Warrenton Road to Hartwood4
Portsmouth to Suffolk17
Sewell"s Point to Portsmouth11
Willmington to Cape Charles158
Centerville to Gainesville5
Frederick City to Toll Gate3
Total481

     The property generally received by me was such as pertained to the construction and operation of the military telegraph and may be classed as follows:

  • Submarine cable,
  • iron wire,
  • cordage,
  • insulators,
  • combination instruments,
  • field instruments,
  • relays and keys,
  • keys,
  • sounders,
  • registers,
  • nitric acid,
  • sulphuric acid,
  • blue vitriol,
  • Grove zincs,
  • local zincs,
  • message blanks,
  • message paper,
  • envelopes,
  • shovels,
  • hatchets,
  • pliers,
  • vises,
  • harness,
  • wagons

     The principal expenditure of property has occurred in the following list of articles;
Iron wire, insulators, nitric acid, sulphuric acid, blue vitriol, Grove zincs, local zincs, message blanks, message paper, envelopes, shovels, &c.

     The public property unavoidably lost, destroyed, or captured by the enemy while in my charge has been small, and its value not to exceed $700.

     No description of property captured from the enemy has come into my possession.

     The accompanying table will show the most important items of property received by me from September 1, 1862, up to June 30, 1863, and the amount of each, respectively, what had been transferred, expended, or lost from September 1, 1862, to June 30, 1863, and what remained on hand at the close of the fiscal year.

     From September 1, 1862, up to June 30, 1863, I received from Colonel A. Stager, acting quartermaster, chief of the U. S. military telegraph, the sum of $80,451.90, which was duly accounted for by me to the proper departments.

     Of this amount I expended during the period above mentioned $71,549.82, and properly the same, leaving a balance of $8,902.08 in my hands June 30, 1863, which was deposited in my safe at Washington D. C.

     Of the $71,549.82 expended, $70,201.30 was applicable to service account, and $1,348.52 to the purchase of property.

     Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

     THOS. T. ECKERT,
     Major, Assistant Quartermaster, and Assistant Superintendent.

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O.R. --- SERIES III-VOLUME I. - page 975
Captian THOS. B. A. DAVID
September 16, 1863 report to the general superintendent of military telegraph lines for duty

     

     OFFICER ASST. SUPERINTENDENT MILITARY TELEGRAPH,
     Clarksburgh, W. Va., September 16, 1863.

     Colonel ANSON STAGER,
     General Supt. Military Telegraph, Cleveland, Ohio:

     COLONEL: In compliance with your order and with General Orders, Numbers 13, I respectfully submit the following report:

     My commission as assistant quartermaster was accepted July 31, 1862, when I was ordered to "report to the general superintendent of military telegraph lines for duty," and received orders to "proceed at once to Saint Louis and reorganize the military telegraph in the Department of the Mississippi." Having been connected with the military telegraph from its adoption, a sojourn of six weeks in that department enabled me to learn the evils the management had fallen into, and how best to overcome them at the least expense to the Government. A lack of system was the may trouble. The plan adopted was designed to lessen the expense, to facilities operations, systematize accounts, and make the telegraph of the greatest possible service for military operations. In this I believe I was successful. The system adopted continues in operation as far as is practicable at the present time. On the completion of the reorganization a division of the department was recommended, and on its adoption

     I was ordered to assume control of telegraph lines in the Department of Western Virginia, to date from September 1, 1862. Having previously acted as assistant superintendent of military telegraphs in this department from the breaking out of the rebellion, it was simply a resumption of my former duties.

     The telegraph in this department has been equal to all emergencies. The first wire was erected in the month of July, 1861, by order of Major-General McClellan, to follow up the army moving on to Cheat Mountain via Buckhannon and Beverly. Being an experiment in military operations, and regarded with disfavor by some old and experienced army officers, it was the desire of the general superintendent that the importance of the telegraph should be felt, and I was ordered to give the construction of this line my personal supervision. The experiment proved successful, as witness the fact that the commanding general was thereby enabled to change the plan of the campaign three times in as many days, a matter then stated to be unparalleled in military history.

     In September of the same year Brigadier-General Rosecrans ordered the construction of a line following his army to Gauley Bridge, via Weston, Sutton, and Summersville, and subsequently ordered it extended during the same fall and winter down the Big Kanawha River to Hamden, Ohio. These lines were constructed under the personal supervision of Mr. W. G. Fuller, of Ohio.

     In May, 1862, Major-General Fremont succeeded to the command of the (then Mountain) department. The plan of the campaign was the movement of two columns-one from Gauley Bridge, via Raleigh and Princeton, under command of Brigadier-General Cox; the other, up the New Valley, via Monterey and Warm Springs, under command of General Fremont.

     The telegraph line was ordered to follow both columns, and we were successful in keeping them in constant communication, notwithstanding the route laid, for the most part, through a wild and heavily timbered country, which increased the ordinary causes of interruption , and afforded hiding places for the guerrillas, who were continually committing depredations on the wires. The line from Hamden, Ohio, to Gauley Bridge, from Clarksburgh to Weston and to Beverly, and from Green Spring Run to Romney are still in operation; all the others are, for the present, abandoned.

     The property which has come into my possession in the year ending June 30, 1863, consists of horses and equipments, telegraph instructments, and telegraph material designed for and applied to the construction, repairs, and operation of military telegraph lines in Western Virginia. A tabular statement of the principal items has been forwarded to the Quartermaster-General.

     The only property lost during the year was by capture, and consists of two horses, one relay magnet and one operating key, the value of which articles does not exceed $200.

     The sums of money which have been received by me from September 1, 1862, to June 30, inclusive, amount to $20,591.10. The disbursements equal the amount received balancing my account with the Treasury Department to June 30, 1863.

     A statement has been forwarded to the Quartermaster-General.

     Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

     THOS. B. A. DAVID,
     Captain and Asst. Quartermaster, Asst. Supt. Military Telegraphs.

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O.R. --- SERIES III-VOLUME I.
Report of Lieut. Milton Benner, Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery,
Acting Signal Officer, of operations May 23-June 5, 1863

     

     HDQRS. SIGNAL TELEGRAPH TRAIN, DEPT. OF THE GULF,
     Springfield Landing, June 10, 1863.

     SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of the signal telegraph train from May 23 to June 5, inclusive:

     On the 23d ultimo, in accordance with instructions from Major-General Augur, the wire was run out on the Springfield road from Springfield Landing (our depot for supplies) to a point on that road where it connects with the Bayou Sara road, and about 1 mile from Placion Church, near Barnes' Cross-Roads. Communications from the telegraph station near the Cross-Roads were conveyed to their destinations by orderlies detailed for that purpose by General Augur. The line was in good working order until June 5, when I was directed by the chief signal officer to turn my wire over to Captain Bulkley, of the United States Military Telegraph, for temporary use, and the same to be worked by his instruments. Up to the time of writing, the wire remains in his possession.

     I inclose copies of a few messages only, as it would require too much space and time to give you complete files of all transmitted. The following shows the operations for each day so long as the wire was worked by my instruments:

May 23, 1863
Number of messages10
Number of words370
Average number of words37
May 24, 1863
Number of messages14
Number of words461
Average number of words33
May 25, 1863
Number of messages18
Number of words580
Average number of words32
May 26, 1863
Number of messages6
Number of words136
Average number of words22
May 27, 1863
Number of messages12
Number of words421
Average number of words35
May 28, 1863
Number of messages20
Number of words813
Average number of words40
May 29, 1863
Number of messages18
Number of words700
Average number of words39
May 30, 1863
Number of messages28
Number of words1,124
Average number of words44
May 31, 1863
Number of messages15
Number of words505
Average number of words33
June 1, 1863
Number of messages14
Number of words382
Average number of words27
June 2, 1863
Number of messages22
Number of words612
Average number of words27
June 3, 1863
Number of messages27
Number of words591
Average number of words21
June 4, 1863
Number of messages30
Number of words702
Average number of words23
June 5, 1863
Number of messages11
Number of words425
Average number of words38

          RECAPITULATION.

               Number of messages................245

               Number of words.................7,822

               Average number of words.........31

     Respectfully submitted.
     Your obedient servant,

     MILTON BENNER,
     Acting Signal Officer.

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