Today in History:

777 Series I Volume XVI-I Serial 22 - Morgan's First Kentucky Raid, Perryville Campaign Part I

Page 777 Chapter XVIII. MORGAN'S FIRST KENTUCKY RAID.

In this office I found a signal-book, which by the way came very useful. It contained the calls for all the offices. Dispatch after dispatch was going to and for from Lexington, Georgetown, Paris, and Frankfort; all contained something in reference to Morgan. I tested the line and found by applying my ground wire it made no difference with the circuit, and as Lexington was headquarters I cut Frankfort off.

I omitted to state that on commencing operations at this place I discovered that there were two wires on this railroad. One was what we term a through wire, running direct from Lexington to Frankfort and not entering any of the way offices. I found that all military business was sent over that wire, and as it did not enter Midway office I ordered it cut, thus forcing Lexington on the wire that did run into this office. Midway was called and I answered, when I received the following:

LEXINGTON, KY., July 15, 1862.

J. W. WOOLUMS, Operator, Midway,, Ky.:

Will there be any danger in coming to Midway? Is everything right?

TAYLOR,

Conductor.

I inquired of my prisoner if he knew a man by name of Taylor. he said Taylor was conductor. I immediately gave Taylor the following reply:

MIDWAY, KY., July 15, 1862.

TAYLOR, Lexington, Ky.:

All right. Come on. No signs of any rebels here.

WOOLUMS.

The operator in Cincinnati then called Frankfort. i answered and received about a dozen of unimportant dispatches. he had no sooner finished when Lexington called Frankfort and again I answered, receiving, the following message:

LEXINGTON, KY., July 15, 1862.

General FINNELL, Frankfort, Ky.:

I wish you to move the forces at Frankfort on the line of the Lexington Railroad immediately, and have the cars follow and take them up as soon as possible. Further orders will await them at Midway. I will in three or four hours move forward on the Georgetown road. Will have most of my men mounted. Morgan left Versailles this morning at 8 o'clock with 800 men on the Midway road, moving in the direction of Georgetown.

WARD.

This being our position and intention exactly, it was thought proper to throw General Ward on some other track. So in the course of half an hour I manufactured the following dispatch, which was approved by General Morgan, and I sent it:

MIDWAY, KY., July 15, 1862.

Brigadier-General WARD, Lexington, Ky.:

Morgan, with upward of 1,000 men, came within a mile of here and took the Old Frankfort road, bound, as we suppose, for Frankfort. This is reliable.

WOOLUMS,

Operator.

In about ten minutes Lexington again called Frankfort, and as I was doing the work of two or three offices, I answered the call and received the following:


Page 777 Chapter XVIII. MORGAN'S FIRST KENTUCKY RAID.