P. H. Watson to The following was my reply, December 3, 1862
Abbeville, Miss., December 3, 1862.
Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLEOK, General-in-Chief : The following dispatch from General Dodge received :
One of our most reliable scouts has just arrived from Huntsville, Ala. Left that place last Tuesday. Says Bragg was at Tullahoma and along that railroad, but that a considerable force of his cavalry are on the road between Decatur, Eddytown, and Columbus, collecting large amounts of forage and subsistence at points from 10 to 15 miles apart. Gives the names of the persons. The citizens and the soldiers say that a portion of Bragg’s army is ordered to Columbus by that road and a portion to Chattanooga, and that one other corps is ordered down to Columbus by a road farther east. He says that the cavalry are scattered along the road in squads for 60 miles, as far as he went, and very active in collecting supplies. He brought in with him seyeral refugees who live in that section of country, who all tell the same story. Up to Tuesday no infantry or artillery had passed Huntsville or Decatur, but says the citizens at those places were looking for them every day.
U. S. GRANT, Major-General.
ABBEVILLE, MIss., December 3, 1862. Col. J. C. KELTON, Washington, D. O.:
I have been constrained to arrest and confine J. C. Van Duzer, superintendent of telegraphs in this department. I felt no disposition co restrain him of his liberty, but I was afraid that if allowed to leave the department unrestrained he would so tamper with the operators along the line as seriously to interfere with the working of the wires. In fact I was told that he made his boast that if discharged he would carry off the operators employed by him. I have ordered that he be sent out of the department immediately and escorted to Cairo, so as to prevent interference on his part.
The difficulty with him has been as follows: When I commenced the move from Corinth and Bolivar to La Grange, Mr. Van Duzer was in Cairo, and I had to superintend and direct the extension of telegraphs and establishment of offices in person. After getting Mr. Van Duzer up to attend to his business he was very obstinate and seemed evidently inclined to the belief that he could only receive directions from Colonel Stager. Any directions that I would give were immediately dispatched to Washington, and a wrong impression of the nature of the directions evidently conveyed.
On completing the line to La Grange I was a whole day prevented from sending a dispatch because the wires were being used from offices along the line sending paying dispatches. I immediately ordered that no private dispatches should be sent. This order was only continued in force, however, one day. I then directed Colonel Riggin, aide-decamp, to write an order (the very wording of it dictated by myself) au378 WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS. Cuap, XXIX.
thorizing private dispatches to be sent over the wires until 10 a. m. when they did not interfere with the public service. The following dispatch was the result of this order:
WASHINGTON, November 14, 1862. To Major-General GRANT:
Some one signing himself John Riggin, superintendent of military telegraphs, is interfering with the management of telegraphs in Kentucky and Tennessee. This man is acting without the authority of Col. Anson Stager, general superintendent of military telegraphs (see General Orders, 38, April, 1862), and is an impostor. Arrest him and send him north of your department before he does mischief by his interference.
By order of the Secretary of War:
Assistant Secretary of War.
The following was my reply:
La GRANGE, TENN., November 14, 1862.
Assistant Secretary of War, Washington, D.C.:
John Riggin, referred to in your dispatch, is my aide. He has given but one order
referring to telegraphing, and that was dictated by myself. It was that private dispatches might be sent over the wires before 10 o’clock a. m. when they did not interfere with military dispatches. F ‘