"■»<-;, ^^'^r^ ■'" ^ •„ ,,»',' ^^ -^^ -^^ '■'j|^^»^i^A>-'li*t^-' ^^hSt ::rv\: '^^ .^^'^^-^'^ ■Vt-: ^ «V X'<*H,> ;&..m OJornell IntuetBttg ffithrara Strata, Netn ^ark BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF T«E SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF HENRY W. SAGE 1891 E608 .836°™" ""'™""'' '-""^'^ ^eardslee's militan/ telegraph : olin 3 1924 030 908 630 % Cornell University k] Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030908630 eeiiiSL ^ eWs THE HISTORY OF I'JS INVENTION, INTRODUCTION, AND ADOPTION BY THE GOVERNMENT OP THE UNITED STATES. OFFICE OF THE BEARDSLEE MAGNETO-ELECTRIC CO. ■4=4. OIjI:H^:F' STrLEET. JOHN A. GRAY k GREEN, PRINTERS, STEREOTYPERS, AND BINDERS, PIEE-PROOF BUILDIKOS, CORNER OF FRANKFORT AND JACOB STREETS. 18 6 3. BEARDSLEE'S lYxxljtX X uniJtv X X JuXjiJuurJbviiJrjrl. A PORTABLE telegraph for military and naval purposes has long been a desideratum, and the want of such an apparatus became more apparent during the early stages of the rebellion in the United States, which soon spread over a vast area of both land and water, where the Federal armies were required to extend their operations in the midst of a population more or less in sympathy with the rebels, and from whom reliable in- telligence, as to the movements of the enemy, could not be obtained. This suggested the necessity for some more reliable and expeditious method than any then known, of communicat- ing orders and intelligence between the different corps of an army, and between the land and naval forces cooperating, as also between vessels and reconnoitering parties sent on shore. The then known system of telegraphing was, during the commencement of the war, tried with indifferent success ; but the objections to this system proved to be numerous and seri- ous, and rendered it impracticable for active service in tbe field with a moving army, or with a nav}'. The most serious ob- jections to this system were found to be : First. Galvanic batteries, necessary to this system, were not adapted to active service in the field, were difficult of trans- portation, and oflen failed to work when most wanted, and required great skill to manage them. Second. None but skilled operators could transmit the mes- sages and work the instruments, hence civilians were required to be put into the army to work them, and they, ha\'ing none of the training and discipline of the soldier, were not reliable, par- ticularly on the battle-field, exposed as they were to all its dangers. In time of action, with the roar of cannon and the din of war, the click of the instrument could not be relied on by the operator, thereby transmitting uncertain and unreliable information. Third. No adequate means for establishing the lines and moving the stations and the conducting-wires were known. Fourth. The enemy being versed in the same system, and being po.ssessed of like instruments and operators, and the con- ductiug-wires being fixed on poles, they could connect their in- struments with the wires of the Union lines, and be thus en- abled not only to receive and become possessed of the orders sent from the several posts of the Union army, but at the same time could prevent such orders from reaching their intended destinations, and instead transmit false orders to mislead. Fifth. The messages being recorded by such system, it occa- sionally happened that a telegraph station was taken by the enemy, who thus became possessed of the messages which had been received, or which had been sent there for transmission. Sixth. The galvanic battery, unless composed of many cells, to give very high intensity, which would be too unwieldly for trans- portation, requires very large conducting-wires, which would be rendered still larger by being covered with India-rubber or gutta-percha, to insulate them from the supports on which they are to be placed, whether such supports be trees, poles, lances, ground or water, as it will be obvious that it would be wholly impracticable in the field to adopt a separate insulator at each place of support, as in the case of stationary telegraphs. Such wires would be too rigid, bulky and heavy, to admit of being wound upon reels of any suitable size for transportation. Seventh. The acids required for the galvanic battery can not be transported in metallic vessels : they must be carried in glass or earthen vessels, which are very liable to be broken in trans- portation, particularly on the battle-field. And as all the ma- terials used in the galvanic battery, such as the acids and plates, are rapidly consumed, considerable supplies would have to be provided, which would greatly increase the bulk of transportation. The Beardslee Magneto-Electric Military Telegraph, as it has been fully demonstrated in active service during the past year, presents none of the above objections, because — 1st. It is worked without a galvanic battery. The move- ment of the index handle by the operator from one division of the dial to another, generates a sufficient electric current, to ad- vance the needles of all instruments in a given circuit, to the same division of their respective dials. There being no ad- justment of the instrument required, any one skilled in his own language can become an expert operator after a few hours' practice. 2d. These instruments, both for transmitting and receiving messages and for generating the electric currents, contain within the case all that is requisite' to perform these functions ; they are compact, strong, and in no way liable to be deranged by severe transportation over a rough and rugged country. 3d. Officers, and even soldiers from the ranks, become expert operators with these instruments after a few hours' practice, hence there is no necessity for the employment of civilians for the purpose. 4th. They can be put into operation with the grieatest facility. "When the stations are made, all that is required is to open the case, and it is ready for the transmission of messages; but a galvanic battery requires cleaning, charging, and arranging for use, and then frequently will fail to generate the current by reason of the derangement of the chemicals used. 5th. The conducting-wires, thoroughly covered with vulcan- ized India-rubber, which is a good insulating substance, are wound upon portable reels carried in a wagon or by hand, so that they can be readily laid and taken up to be moved as cir- cumstances require, and being thoroughly insulated, they can be laid directly on the ground, or in the water. The current gen- erated by the machine is such, that very fine cdnducting-wires can be used, so that when coated with an insulating substance, they are of such a size that, one mile of such wire is wound on a reel of moderate size, easy of transportation, for both laying and taking up a line. : And the wires of several reels are readily splicedj so as to make a line of considerable length. In crossing camps and roadways, the wires are put on portable lances, a few such lances being sufficient for a complete train. For naval purposes such lances are unnecessary. The principal features in these instruments, which relate to the means of generating the current, were several years before the commencement of the present war, discovered by the in- ventor, and patented and put into practical use as a substitute for the galvanic battery for various purposes, and so continued to the present time. In the fall of 1861 the inventor's attention was called to the importance of adapting these discoveries to a military field telegraph by one of the oldest telegraphic engineers in the United States, and in the course of a short time he succeeded in inventing the instrument in question. Two field instruments were constructed and provided with five miles of insulated wire. In the early part of May, 1862, they were experimented with at the President's Mansion at Washington, before His Excellency the President of the United States, and so satisfactory were these experiments that the President requested to have them put into the field in active use with the army of the Potomac. They left Washington in charge of a party of signal-officers and men, on board a steamer. During the few days of the voyage a few hours were devoted each day to practice, by the party to work the instruments, in which time they became experts, and were enabled to work them with certainty and ease when first put into the field. Arriving at the Lee White House on the Peninsula, in Vir- ginia, they were put in charge of the Chief Signal-Officer of the army. Major A. J. Myer, who ordered one station to be made at the headquarters of the Commanding General, at the White House, and another three miles distant at General Stoneraan's headquarters. This was accomplished in one and a half hours by the officers and men in charge. This experiment proved successful. Messages, official and other orders, were sent and received over this line to, and from the respective headquarters with certainty, and transmitted with great rapidity. The following communication will show how this experi- ment was viewed by the Chief Signal-Officer of the army : " Headquarters Army of the Potomac ) IN THE Field, May 17, 1862. f " I have seen some trials of Mr. Beardslee's disk instruments submitted by him. These trials have been made to-day ; al- though I have not sufficiently tested the instruments to be per- fectly assured of their strength and reliability, it appears to me so far superior in the requisites for a military telegraph, that I would like to have with this army a portable lance line equip- ped with these instruments, and have no doubt that many such lines might be used with valuable results. (Signed) "Albert J. Mter, " Signal- Officer and Major U.S.A." Subsequent to the above experiment, the instruments wer? in constant use with the army of the Potomac. Just previous to the battle of Hanover Court-House, General Stoneman communicated through these instruments from his headquarters to General MoClellan important information as to the movements of the enemy, which resulted in a victory by the Union forces, and the capture of one thousand men and officers. After this, the following communication was received from the Chief Signal-Officer : " Headquartees Aemy of the Potomac, ' June 5, 1862. ] " Mr. Beardslee's magneto instrument has been tried with the field-telegraph of this army ; I regard it as preferable, for field uses, to any instrument I have seen. " The fact of its operation without a battery gives it marked preeminence. The instruments in use have been carried over rough roads without injury to their working. "In conclusion, I would say that the only point where I observed any difficulty is the occasional liability of the opera- tor going to the next letter to the one intended, which, if rem- edied, would render it a most reliable instrument for the pur- pose for which it is intended. (Signed) "Albert J. Mtek, " Signal-Officer and Major U.S. A." In all the instruments subsequently constructed, and now in the field, the above difficulty was entirely obviated by an im- provement. The operator does not now fail to transmit the letter or sig- nal indexed by him ; and by this improvement they have be- come the most accurate instruments now known for transmit- ting and receiving telegraphic messages. There are now in use in the army of the Potomac eight in- struments and thirty miles of wire. A number of the opera- tors (enlisted men) transmit and receive messages at the rate of from sixty to seventy letters per minute, without error for days together. On the eve of the seven days' fight on the Peninsula, the following letter was written by the officer in charge of the trains ; 8 "General Smith's Headquarters, ) Advance, Army of Potomac, r Camp Lincoln, June 21, 1862. ) " G. W. Beardslee, Esq. : "Dear Sir: I had expected that you would write to me soon after you arrived home, a3 I supposed you were anx- ious to hear about the success of the new instruments; but I was disappointed, not having heard any thing from you since you left us at the White House. It gives me much pleasure to say that we have had the instruments at work with entire success since your departure. Up to last Friday, (thirteenth instant,) we had the line running from Mechanics- ville (advance) to General McCIellan's headquarters, a dis- tance of about four and a half miles. The line connected these two stations for nearly three weeks, during which time a large number of dispatches were sent to, and received from, the Commanding General, thus always keeping the General acquainted with the movements of the enemy on our right. When the General moved to this side of the Chicka- hominy, last Saturday, he ordered the wire to be taken up and a connection made between General Smith's and his own head- quarters, they being about three miles apart. During an ex- citement on last Thursday, when the enemy was making pre- tensions of an attack on our front, I transmitted eighteen (18) official messages in less than two hours, each message averaging about forty words. " Many ofBcers, from Brigadiers to Captains, have been to see these instruments, and they all express themselves much pleased with their operation, and trust that the Com- manding General will have them speedily introduced into the different army-corps. One thing is certain — the instruments have been tested, and the -practicability of the field-telegraph demonstrated. " Very respectfully your obedient servant, (Signed) Milton Benner, " Commanding Telegraph- Trains." The messages referred to in the above letter were of the most important character. The General-in-Chief having gone to General Smith's head- quarters, three miles distant from his own, found there such a state of things that it became necessary to instantly make com- munication with his own headquarters, that orders might be im- 9 mediately sent to all the divisions of his army to prepare for the coming contest, whieh lasted seven days. The Union army was saved, and found a resting-place on the James Eiver. History will show how important a part these two instru- ments played in that dreadful conflict. How important it was to make the communications referred to in the above letter ; and how much depended upon the means at hand to send all orders with certainty and dispatch. The fate of the Union army de- pended upon the orders so transmitted, and it was saved by the timely disposition made by the Commanding General, through the aid of these instruments. The following communication, made by the signal-officer who had command of the trains from the time of leaving Washington to the battle of Mechanlcsville, speaks for itself. This of&cer has since been ordered to the command of three trains and party (by the Chief Signal-Officer of the army) for the Department of the Cumberland, under the command of General Eosecrans, and he has now proceeded to that depart- ment with the trains, consisting of six instruments and fifteen miles of wire, with the appendages. " Philadelphia, June 23, 1862. " Sir : I arrived in Philadelphia on Friday evening last very sick indeed, and I am still confined to the house, but hope in the course of a few days to be out and about. " I was sent to hospital at White House, from there to Fort- ress Monroe ; from there to Baltimore ; then to this city. When I left, the line and instruments were working beautifully, and the instruments have been fully proved, and demonstrated themselves to do more than you represented they would do. " Major Myer was so pleased with their working that he told me, before I was sent to the hospital, that he would order two more, and when I return I shall make out my report and ask. him for two more instruments and four lieutenants to work them. I would like to see you personally and have a talk with you, for I really think in this -fight .before Eiohmond they will be used to advantage; . " I have the honor to be " Your obedient servant, (Signed) :, " Lieutenant D. Wondeely. " To George W. Beabdslbb, Esq." 10 When the seven days' fight was ended, and the army rested on the banks of the James Eiver, at Harrison's Landing, the officers were enabled to judge accurately of the utility of the various military equipments used during the severe conflicts and marches through which they had passed. And the favor with which these instruments were regarded after such trials and investigations will be judged by the following official communications : " Headquabteks Army of the Potomac, [ July 5, 1862. f "Sir: I have forwarded your letter of the twenty-ninth June to the Adjutant-General of this army, with the following indorsement : " Eespectfully forwarded for the consideration of the General- in-Chief. I recommend that two trains of the character within described be ordered for the use of this army. I am satisfied with my trials of the instruments mentioned. " During the recent rapid movements of this army I caused the instruments to be carried on horseback ; they arrived in camp in good working order. " Occasions must often occur with an active army when none but portable telegraph-trains can be used. " I am, sir, respectfully, " Your obedient servant, (Signed) "Albert J. Myer, " Signal- Officer and Major U.S.A." The following indorsement was made on the above : " The Commanding General directs that the Chief Quarter- master provide the (2) within-mentioned trains upon the terms stated. " By command of "Major-General George B. McClellan. (Signed) " S. "Williams, Acting Adjutant- General '' Headquarters Army Potomac, July 21, 1862." The two trains were completed and put in active service in the month of October, at the North-Mountain, in Maryland, with the army of the Potomac. These trains were constructed with all the improvements indi- cated by the use of the first train in the previous active serv- ice. Each train was equipped as shown in the following sche- dule: 11 SIGNAL TELEGEAPH-TEAIKT, ITMriTED STATES AEHT. EACH TEAIIf CONSISTS OF: 5 miles vulcanized rubber insulated wire. 150 lances 15 feet long. 50 lances 18 feet long (6 and 12 feet) and TWO WAGONS, EACH CONTAINING: 1 Beardslee's Patent Magneto-Electric Field-Telegraph Ma- chine, (Portfolio inside.) 5 reels with 4 small and 1 centre reel-stand. 25 notices and snaps. • 4 bearers for carrying reels with 3 straps. 2 galvanized crowbars with binding screws for ground con- nections. 1 iron crowbar. 1 grease-pot and 1 pail. 2 lanterns. 2 poles with hook and fork 18 feet long. 1 ax. TOOL-BOX, CONTAINING: 3 spikes for ground connections in trees. 100 small iron spikes to hang wire on trees, etc. 2 lbs. No. 16 copper wire. 3 four-inch f rubber sleeves to run the wire through the hand- One set climbing irons. «* FOB MAKING CONNECTIONS, JOINTS AND REPAIRS. 10 insulated binding-screws. 10 feet rubber for joints. 1 flask rubbeu cement. 1 lb. gutta-percha in sheet. 12 sheets sandpaper. 1 spool No. 30 ) „ . - . . . . 1 spool No. 23 [ ^°PP^^ ^'"^s ^°^ making joints. 1 ball twine. 1 pair cutting plyers. 1 screw-wrench, (large.) 1 screw-wrench, (small.) 1 screw-driver. mie. 1 machinist hammer. 1 hatchet. 12 1 pruning knife. 1 auger. 1 saw. 1 oiler. FOR SOLDEEING. 1 spirit-lamp with cap and shield for melting solder. 1 bottle soldering acid. 1 soldering iron, 2 bars solder, DUPLICATE ARTICLES. 1 small gear, 1 linch-pin and washer, 5 iron binding screws. 10 iron washers, galvanized. 1 large gear. 2 iron rings for reel-stands. 1 handle for reels. The headquarters of the army of the Potomac having been soon after removed from the North-Mountain to Pleasant Val- ley, the trains were also removed to the headquarters at that place, and the Chief Signal-Officer having detailed oiHcers and men to work them, after one day's instruction (none of the of- ficers having before worked the trains) they were ordered to make a station eight miles up the valley, which was performed in three hours, and successful communication opened, official and other messages being transmitted to, and received from the respective stations with certainty and dispatch. The trains on the next day were ordered in, which was ac- complished in less time than was occupied in laying out. They were then ordered over the North-Mountain, five miles distant, which was accomplished in two hours and a half; they worked with entire success till the next day, when they were ordered in and, again run out over the South-Mountain, the same distance and with the like success, after which trials they were accepted by the Chief Signal-Officer. The result of these trials was the following order ; " Headquarters Army of the Potomac, ) October 27, 1862. ) "Brigadier-General JRufiia Ingalls, Chief Quartermaster Army Potomac : " General : The Commanding General directs you to pur- 13 chase for the use of this army one signal-telegraph train similar to those recently furnished, and at the same terms. It is de- sirable to have the trains delivered as early as possible. " I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant, (Signed) , " E. B. Marcy, " Chief of Staff." Under the order to construct the two above-mentioned trains, three wer6 made and forwarded to Washington, in consequence of which the last above order for one additional train was im- mediately filled, and this third train was put in active S( with the two others, making six instruments and fifteen of wire. The army commenced moving from Berlin, Marylai Fredericksburgh, Virginia, and along the whole line of that march, from the extreme right to the left, the Commanding Generals were kept advised of all important information, and ofiS.cial orders were communicated throughout all portions of the army by this flying telegraph. The six instruments and fifteen miles of wire extending from the rear to the front, at all times being the last to leave, and the first. to enter, any point upon that line of march. At all hours, day or night, communication was open to all the divisions of the army ; by this means all the commanders were, so to say, within speaking distance of each other. What was known at one point, was instantly communicated to the most distant station along the line. What could be more perfect than this ? What more useful to a large army moving in an enemy's country ? The successful working of the trains thus far, induced the Chief Signal-Officer to request the appointment of the son of the inventor to a Captaincy in the army, to be detailed to service in the Signal Corps. On the 19th of November, 1862, the appointment was made, and he was immediately put on duty with the. trains in the army of the Potomac. ^ . With what success the trains worked during the severe bat- tle of Fredericksburgh, the following communication will show: " Station at Phillips' House, General Sumner's ) Headquarters, December 14, 9 p.m., 1862. f " Dear FATHER : I suppose you are anxious to hear from me, and to know that I am safe and sound yet, although I fear that not many around hei'e can say the same. 14 " The telegraph could not have worked better, and has been of great service to the country the last few days. At present we are working a line from headquarters to Belle Plain, from headquarters to this place, (General Sumner's headquarters,) in full view of Fredericksburgh, from here to Franklin's headquar- ters, across the river on the left, and from here to Fredericks- burgh in front, making four lines and five stations. " The line to Belle Plain and Sumner's headquarters from headquarters was in operation when I came here. " On the eighth instant, a line was run out to Franklin's head- quarters, before he moved, and was taken up on the eleventh, after doing good service, as Franklin moved at half-past five A.M. that day to cross the river, but did not do so, as the pa- pers said he did ; only a small force of Franklin's crossed on the afternoon of the eleventh, to protect the pontoon-bridge. " On the afternoon of the tenth, Lieut. Wright started a line from here to the left, where Franklin was to cross, but the in- struments were not taken there until one p.m. that night ; the line was in good working order at daylight on the eleventh. I was sending the first message when the guns were let loose on both sides, which made the ground tremble. Lieut. "Wright can not be praised too much for getting this line into position behind one of our batteries. He took it in a straight line from here with the hand-bearers, and, where lie took it, it was im- possible to ride on horseback, but it was the shortest route by two miles. His station was under fire all that day, but worked well without interruption. " At four A.M., in the morning, I took one reel of wire and twenty-five lances, with three men on horseback, and went to Wright's station, and run the line over the river, by request of Gen. Franklin, and established a station in a small cottage- house, which had been completely riddled by our shot. This was done before Franklin crossed. "The line from there has been of the greatest service to Gen. Burnslde, who, during the fighting, established his headquar- ters here. He has often thanked us for the promptness with which dispatches were sent and answers received, and has one of his aids in our tent almost all the time to receive dispatches for him. " At the present station, where Wright is, in the cottage on the other side, yesterday the shells fell thick and fast all around it. During the thickest of it, Gen. Franklin sent one of his aids to Wright saying, if it got too hot for him, and he 15 intended to movoj he wished him to notify him. Wright told the aid to tell Gen. Franklin, that he did not intend to move from there until he received orders from Gen. Franklin to do so ; that he could stay there as long as the rest could ; and he did stay there, and is there yet. " On the morning of the thirteenth, after returning from Wright, I started a line from here to the De Lacy House, di- rectly opposite Fredericksburgh, and placed Lieut. Wonderly in charge. He has done well, staying at his post although shells were falling all around the house he was in, one shell burstintr in the cellar of the house. "I have been stationed most all the time here to recei dispatches, and to manage the hitches, we having two i ments here, one connecting with Wonderly, and the othei .. ^v^ Wright and headquarters, thus : mm&PH LINES UMtTon SNc.n:f. *' When the General was here, we only communicated from liere to Wright and Wonderly ; when at his headquartel's, Wright worked through, making three stations. " This morning Wonderly's line was run across the river to 16 Frederieksburgh As I am very tired, and it is get- ting late, and have had very little sleep, (about nine hours in the last four days,) I can not write more ; therefore, good night. " Your affectionate son, " Feedekick." The following is an extract from a communication subse- quently made by Capt. Frederick E. Beardslee : " Headquabters Aemy of the Potomac, ) Dec. 21, 1862. f " The night our troops recrossed the river, Gen. Franklin wished Lieut. "Wright to keep his station open until the last thing, which was done, and, when be crossed, as fast as he un- hitched the wire from a pontoon-bridge, the boat was swung loose, and floated down the river. " Our party were the last to cross, and in less than twenty minutes connection was again open at the old plaee behind a battery. . . ." ^' Immediately following these trials of the trains in use, ari order was made by the Chief Signal-Officer for two additional instruments and fifteen miles of wire, for the use of the army of the Potomac, which were furnished, and are now in use, to- gether with the previous six instruments. An order was also given by the Secretary of War, on the recommendation of the Chief Signal-Officer, for the furnishing of one train for the Banks expedition, which train was fur- nished, and is now in active service in that department, under the command of Lieut Benner, Signal-OfScer. The following order from the Secretary of War, on the re- quisition of the Chief Signal-Officer, for the famishing of fifteen additional trains, for the use of the various departments of the military operations, is inserted. The three trains in the department of the Cumberland, be- fore mentioned, and one at the Signal Camp of Instruction at Georgetown, D. C, are a part of the fifteen trains referred to. The remaining portion of the fifteen trains are now ready for delivery, and will soon be in active service. "Office of the Signal-Offioee, ] Washington, December 22, 1862. J "To Son. K M. Stanton, Secretary of War : " SiE : I recommend that there be furnished, for use with the signal corps serving with the armies of the several geograph- ical military departments of the United States, (15) fifteen sig- 17 nal telegraph-trains, similar iu character to those now in use with the army of the Potomac. " These trains to be delivered within ninety days, to be com- pleted with such improvements as the use of those now in the field has indicated, the cost not to exceed ($ ) per train, and to be paid for by the Quartermaster's department, upon the certificate of the Signal-Ofiicer of the army, or of an inspect- ing officer designated by him, that they have been received, inspected, approved, and are ready for use. " I remain, very respectfully, your obd't serv't, (Signed) "Albert J. Mter, "Signal- Officer of the Army. "Approved. (Signed) " E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War. "Dec. 22, 1862." On the 30th of March, 1863, the Chief Signal-Officer of the army made a requisition, on which the Secretary of War has ordered twenty additional trains for the use of the various military departments. From the following account of some experiments made' with these instruments at the fortifications in front of Washington, it will be observed that the transmission of messages is not the only use to which they are adapted in the military service, as they can also be effectually applied to the destruction of the enemy. Captain Frederick E. Beardslee made the discovery of a simple cartridge for the ignition of gunpowder by these instru- ments, which has been tested to the fullest extent in the dis- charge of over one thousand cartridges, at various distances, from one to fifteen miles away from the instrument, without failing in a single instance. There is no percussion or other detonating powder used, but simple gunpowder, which is instantly exploded, under all circumstances, under water or on land. With these cartridges and these instruments, through a cir- cuit of three miles, the mines referred to in the article copied below were exploded with entire success : "experiments in exploding field-mines by electeicity. " The editor of the Washington Chronicle gives the following description of some experiments which he recently witnessed with field-mines which were exploded near the forts, on the Virginia side of the Potomac, by means of electricity : 18 " 'Arriving on the ground, we learned that his Excellency the President was there, accompanied by the Secretary of War, General Heintzelman, Greneral Barnard, General Abercrombie, and many other officers of less note. Soon after there was a great explosion immediately in our front ; the earth opened and vomited forth stones, shot and shell, vertically, horizontally, and, in fact, in all directions. " ' Immediately around us were a number of the officers of the signal-corps, busily engaged in connecting the wires of a field-telegraph to its support, and among them we saw Mr. Beardslee, the inventor of the telegraph apparatus now used in our armies. From him we learned that he was exhibiting the application of his new electro-magnetic machine to the explo- sion of mines, and that he was now ready to fire another. " ' Quick as the wires could carry the spark, there was another explosion, even greater than the first, and the air was again filled with earth and smoke, stones and exploding shells, some of the latter falling in uncomfortable proximity to our per- son." " A third mine was exploded in the same manner. In fact, we should judge by appearances that the ground in front of our forts had been extensively mined, and it is only necessary for Mr. Beardslee to connect his apparatus with them, pass the word, and they will be exploded. " An order was now passed from Colonel Alexander, of the Engineers, who appeared to have charge of the operations, for the crowd to fall back to a greater distance, as a fougasse was about to be fired. "Taking up our position close to the President, we watched for the fougasse. We heard a heavy explosion, as if some of the internal fires of the globe were escaping, and the earth belched forth a volcano of smoke, stones, and exploding shells, even more fearful than before. It rained stones for acres around and in front of it, and must have carried annihilation to any assaulting column in the neighborhood. Immediately after this explosion there was a rush of the soldiers to see the fougasse, but a heap of ruins only showed where it had been placed." The wires used for these trains are composed of seven strands of No. 26 twisted, tinned iron wire, covered with a waterproof coating of vulcanized India-rubber, rendering it im- pervious to moisture and corrosion. It is exceedingly flexible 19 for field purposes. Its insulation allows it to be used across rivers, submerged in water, as well as on land. To test it in tbat particular, the Government ordered it to be tried between the different war vessels composing the flotilla on the Potomac- The experiment was successful, the instruments working equally well with the wire submerged in water between the vessels as on land, to the delight of the naval of&cers and the satisfaction of the Government. For the uses of the navy for reconnoissances on shore, and to keep up communication between the several vessels of a fleet, there are now being constructed small, light, and portable instruments. These are also to be used on the forts, in the army for reconnoitering parties, picket-duty, and to ignite mines, etc. During the months of February and March of this year the telegraph-trains in the army of the Potomac connected together in one line, of eleven miles in extent, all the divisions of the army, making four stations and sending over the lines each month over thirteen hundred messages, many of them covering a foolscap sheet of paper for each message. This line has been of great service to the army, being all the time within sight of the enemy. The following communication from Captain F. E. Beardslee will indicate how rapidly and successfully the instruments are now working : " Headquarters Army of the Potomac, ) Saturday, April 4, 1863. j " Conrad PoppenhusejST, Esq., 44 Cliff street, New-York : " Dear Sir : Your favor was received day before yesterday. Every thing here is working well, keeping us pretty busy. In regard to speed, last evening I sent a long message about the usual rate, and I found that I sent eighty-five letters in seventy-five seconds. I also sent another a little faster, and sent ninety letters per minute. Then I received one from one of the best operators I have, from the Sixth corps ; he sent me one hundred letters per minute throughout the whole message. The average rate we send on all the stations is from sixty to seventy letters per minute, but in sending a message we do not send over half the letters in it, as we abbreviate almost every word. . . . Last month we sent fourteen hundred messages. " Your obedient servant, "F. E. Beardslee, ^'Captain and A. S-Q.'' 20 The two following official communications are given to show the great importance of these telegraphic trains to an army m the field : " Office of Commissaet or Subsistence, ) Headquarters Army of the Potomac, Dec. 7, 1862. J " Captain : It gives me much pleasure to inform you that the signal-telegraph line from these headquarters to Belle Plain has been of great service to me in transmitting messages to, and receiving them from, the subsistence d^pot at the latter- named place. " The messages have been transmitted quickly and accurate- ly, and I regard the line as of much importance to operations in the field. " I am, Captain, very respectfully, "Your obedient servant, (Signed) " H. T. Clark, ''Colonel and A.B.C. and G.S. "Captain S. T. Gushing, ''Chief Signal-Officer Army of the Potomac.^'' "Headquarters Army of the Potomac, | Office of Chief Quartermaster, >■ Camp near Falmouth, Ya., Dec. 8, 1862. ) " Captain : I desire to than:k you for the very prompt manner in which you extended your field signal-telegraph line from this camp to Belle Plain, and to express to you my perfect satisfaction with the great usefulness and accuracy of the line. I have used it daily, and I have found it a rapid and efiioient mode of communication with that d^p6t. " It uMist necessarily be of infinite service and importance to an army in the field, furnishing as it does a prompt and sure means of communication between the different depots, corps, grand divisions, and general headquarters. I am, respectfully, your most obedient servant, (Signed) "EuFUS Ingalls, "Lieut- Colonel and A.D.G. and Chief Quartermaster. " Captain Cushing, "Chief Signal- Officer Army of the Potomac." The unvarying strength and power of these instruments are their chief recommendation. So far no deterioration has been apparent; they work alike in all conditions of the atmosphere, and unchanged by the severe trials of transportation over rough and rugged roads. Throughout the whole Peninsular 21 campaign the instruments were put to the severest tests, they having been on one occasion struck by lightning without re- ceiving injury or being reduced in power. "When returned to the factory from Harrison's Landing, they were found to have lost none of their power, nor to have been in any manner in- jured or disarranged, although this, was the first pair of instru- .ments ever made. After being cleaned, they were returned to the field, and have been in use ever since. The radial magnet, which is the most important element of these instruments, is constructed on a plan and prepared by a process invented by Mr. Beardslee. Such magnets have been in constant use for about four years, in magneto-electric ma- chines for plating and other purposes, and after that length of time are found to be as good and as powerful as they were when first made. The illustrations on the following pages represent the field- telegraph in operation on the field, as taken at the time of the battle of Fredericksburgh. Although the primary use of these telegraph instruments at the present time is for field operations, yet this is not the only purpose to which they can be usefully applied. Instruments are now being constructed for local purposes, for domestic, railroad, and main-line telegraphs. The various de- partments of the Government are desirous of having them in- troduced to open rapid, safe, and secret communication be- tween the different departments at the seat of government. The present instruments, and those being constructed for the above purposes, each contain a bell to call attention when it is desired to transmit a message. In a few hours any one can be instructed in the use of these instruments. New-Yobk, April, 1863. [See over.] ,^,v^ ■v-;>^ :h^ ^v^ -s ._, ^f^ A^^-^t .f^' ^^■-tC