F. E. Beardslee to Capt., December 18, 1862

December 18, 1862.

Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report:

On the afternoon of the 10th of December, Lieut. A. M. Wright ran out the wire from General Sumner’s headquarters to the road, on the extreme right of batteries commanded by Colonel Tyler, and, leaving the instrument in charge of the colonel of the Thirty-fifth Massachusetts, I returned to camp. At 12 p. m. that night I started with him and his men to open communication from General Sumner’s headquarters to the terminus of the line run out that afternoon. I remained at General Sumner’s, and Lieutenant Wright proceeded to take charge of the other end of the line. Communication was opened about 3 a. m. the morning of the 11th. I then broke up the station at General Sumner’s headquarters to the general headquarters for a short time, to work with Lieutenant Wright, there being but one instrument at General Sumner’s. I then broke up the line from headquarters to White Oak Chapel about 6 a. m., and caused the instrument to be carried on horseback to the Phillips house, General Sumner’s headquarters, to work the line to headauarters, making the lines to Lieutenant Wright and to headquarters each an independent line. °

I also directed that the line from headquarters to White Oak Chapel should be reeled up and taken to the Phillips house, which was done, arriving at the Phillips house about 2 p.m. On arriving there myself early that morning, I found that the instrament had been taken out of the house and placed under a tree in the rear by your orders, and Lieut. William H. Hill in charge. The lines all worked well that day. At7 p. m. a detail of cavalry, composed of 10 men from the Third Indiana, in charge of Corpl. B. S. Bledsoe, and 10 men from the Eighth Illinois, in charge of Corp]. E. Wayne, reported to me to act as a patrol over the various lines. They one and all were of great service to me, reliev- ing my men from repairing the wire when broken, and keeping the lines in good order. ‘

During the evening I received an order from you directing me to run a wire from the Phillips house to the Lacy house by daylight, but, owing to the order being read to me when I was very tired, having been up three nights in succession, I did not fully understand the order until late, when Lieutenant Wright telegraphed for more wire to cross the river, saying that General Franklin wished him to doso. I immediately telegraphed to you asking whether Lieutenant Wright should cross the river, and whether I should run the wire to the Lacy house, as you wished. I meant to have asked the distance to the Lacy house, which I omitted, thinking that I would not have wire enough to extend one line across the river and to run out the other. On receiving your answer referring me to the dispatch from Lieutenant Wright, stating the wishes of General Franklin, which I had not seen before, [ considered that it was best to extend the line to Franklin, across the river, and, if I had wire enough, to return and run out to the Lacy house, calculating to have time enough to do it all before daylight. The men I sent out with the wire to Lieutenant Wright lost their way, owing to a dense smoke, and returned tome. I then concluded it best to go with them myself, and thought I would have time enough to return before daylight, but, I regret to say, I did not; but immediately on my return the wire to the Lacy house was started, and up ready for use within an hour. Meantime I telegraphed to Lieutenant Wonderly, as you directed, to come up to the Phillips house, which he did. I immediately placed him in charge of the station at the Lacy house, sending the instrument there on horseback.

For the particulars of the working of the station at the Lacy house and at Franklin’s headquarters, I respectfully refer you to the accompanying reports of Lieut. A. M. Wright * and Lieut. D. Wonderly.

To work the lines properly, I took the instrument at headquarters that was used on the White Oak Chapel line to the Phillips house, and used it on the line to the Lacy house, making it an independent line. During the day, while the commanding general was at the Phillips house, the station at I’ranklin’s headquarters only communicated to that place; but when the general returned to his headquarters, and while there, the Â¥ranklin station worked through to headquarters, making three stations—one at Franklin’s headquarters, one at the Phillips house, and the other at headquarters. In doing so, I had to disconnect from Belle Plain, so as not to interfere with important messages going to and coming from headquarters. All day during the battle of the 13th we were kept busy sending and receiving messages, many of them very important, and I think that, considering the little practice the operators at the various stations had on lines of more than one station, that everything worked remarkably well.

At 4 a. m., the morning of the 14th December, 1862, I sent wire, lances, and men to Lieutenant Wonderly, to run a wire across the river, to be ready for use if we wished to move the station across the river. This wire was not used at all, but taken up on the night of the 15th of December, 1862.

The wire across the river at Franklin’s headquarters, after doing good service, was also taken up on the night of the 15th, or rather the mornng of the 16th, Lieutenant Wright and party being about the last ones

O Cross. On the 18th of December, 1862, the line to the Lacy house was taken

up. I omitted to state above that this line was entirely run out by means of the hand-bearers. All of the wire, &c., was brought into camp, and communication again opened with Belle Plain; also with the Phillips house, as before.

Too much credit cannot be given to Lieut. A. M. Wright for the able manner in which he managed the laying of the wire from the Phillips house to the left grand division, and in moving his station while there across the river and back, and keeping open communication with the general headquarters while under fire.

Lieutenant Wonderly aJso deserves creditable notice for keeping open communication with the general headquarters all the time, although several times under fire.

Among others of my party, I will particularly notice Operators Hough and Levy for the good service they have done for the last week; also the operators at headquarters—Corrigan, Presley, and Fulton.

The men composing my party were Sergeant Booth, Privates Mabie, Fishback, Clawson, Henginer, Chantillier,and French. They all cheerfully did all that was required of them.

The only loss sustained by my party was a few feet of wire and one horse, which broke loose during the engagement of the 13th of December, 1862.

T send with this the original dispatches received at my station; also the reports of Lieutenants Wright and Wonderly, with the original dis. patches received by them at this station.

your obedient servant,