F. W. Chesson                                  File: SW\PLUM.HTM
144 Fiske Street,                                            
Waterbury, CT  06710                            Rev: 4-2-1999
  
  
  



                          SECRET WIRES  
                                *    
 
                      Plum Tree Connections 
  
     William Rattle Plum, author of the definitive, two-volume
history of the United States Military Telegraph Corps, was born
March 24, 1845 in Massillon, Ohio.  His parents were Henry Plum,
born November 14, 1813 in Middletown, Connecticut.  He was
descended from John Plum, who settled at Wethersfield in 1636,
the family name being spelled Plumb or Plumbe at times.  His
mother, Nancy North, was born at Staddle Hill, also in Middle-
town, October 21, 1814. Her grandfather was the noted arms maker
of Berlin, Simeon North. They were married in 1835.  William had
two brothers, Charles (died young) and Henry Wilbur (also a
U.S.M.T. member) plus seven sisters.
     The family soon removed to Cuyahoga Falls, where Mr. Plum
dealt in boots and shoes.  While attending high school, William
learned telegraphy during a summer break. In 1860 (at age 15, it
would seem) he was in charge of the Atwater, Ohio office of the
Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad. During his nine month stint, he
became so proficient in sound-reading that he was transferred to
the railroad's Cleveland headquarters.
     The Civil War now ten months old, young Plum went in early
February to  Western Union's Cleveland office and applied to
Superintendent Stager for service in the Military Telegraph. 
Anson Stager was then also Captain and Assistant Quarter-master,
and would be appointed Colonel on February 26th to head the
Service for the duration of the war.
     Stager was initially opposed to the request, due to Plum's
small stature, Plum then made an end-run and telegraphed to
Captain Sam Bruch, who, unaware of Stager's rejection, and much
in need of assistance, accepted Plum on the spot, ordering him 
to start for Louisville that night.  Despite his father's wishes
that he return home and finish school, young Plum was off to
Kentucky and the war.
     He plunged at once into the heady, if dangerous, world of
military telegraphy, with its fraternity of fellow young brass-
pounders.  Interestingly, his first payroll records, covering
February 4-25 and March 1-31, have him under Stager's authority,
at the usual operator's salary of $60 per month.
Subsequent payrolls have him under Captain Bruch for August
through November, 1862, at the same rate.  December is marked
"not found."
     His first assignment contained excitement enough for en
entire career. His superintendent, William G. Fuller, had just
escaped death at the hands of then Captain John Hunt Morgan,
making the first of several infamous raids into Kentucky and
Tennessee, and his construction party had been fired upon by
assorted guerrillas and bandits. Thus it was, just a few days
after Fuller's narrow escape that sixteen-year-old William R.
Plum was indoctrinated into the fellowship of the military
telegraphers.  
     Plum recalled how he and Fuller stopped over night on their
way to Columbia at a collection of hovels called Campbellsville. 
There in a log hut, serving as the town tavern, lighted only by 
a candle stub....
     "Mr. Fuller, very late at night, in an awfully solemn way,
administered to me the Corp's Oath of Allegiance...which he was
not legally qualified to do...and then duly imparted to me the
mysteries of the Government Cipher...."  Thus was young Plum's
initiation into the Military Telegraph Brotherhood and his
subsequent opening of the first military telegraph office in
Columbia, Kentucky.
     In that hectic period, he was also stationed at Lebanon
Junction, where he heard Ellsworth, Morgan's Canadian operator,
playing tricks on the local operators in mid July, shortly before
Plum was sent to the state capital, Frankfort, to assist in its
defence against Morgan.  Again, Ellsworth was active, but his
attempts to imitate the "fist" of operator Woolums was caught 
and important messages were sent in cipher via Cincinnati.
     A nine-month's tour of duty at Nashville followed, Plum
being at General Nagley's headquarters.  The tour included some
six weeks when the city was virtually besieged and Morgan was
active around it.
     Field duty with General Granger in May and June, 1863
followed, then came orders to return to Nashville.  Riding in,
Plum and his fellow teen-age operators got into a friendly race
and soon William's horse was out of control.  Suddenly he came
upon the Brentwood outpost pickets, who first challenged and then
opened fire, fortunately without harm....
     A volunteer stint at Vicksburg was side-tracked when Plum
took over at Columbus again, for John V. Hill, dying of smallpox. 
He was then made manager of the Nashville-Paducah Line, stationed
at Fort Donelson, Fort Henry having been abandoned by the
Federals as of July 17, 1863.
     There was much to keep Plum occupied, as Captain Van Duzer
had placed him in charge of the line south-east of Paducah with
instructions to improve its operation.  The countryside was Pro-
secession and little Charley Bush manned a circuit test station
in the house of Mr. Phillips, the only Unionist for miles around.
     Three times Plum rode over the line, accompanied only by a
division repairer.  On the second occasion, he and repairman
Joice had done a forty-mile inspection  and halted for the night
at a house three miles away from Phillips' place.  Connecting up
his instrument, Plum communicated with Bush, who invited him to
come over to a dance in his honor. It being quite dark out, Plum
very fortuitously declined.
     Quite early next morning, Jack Hinston's guerrillas
descended on the house, capturing Mr. Phillips and Bush, and
destroying the telegraph. A repairer living there was away line-
mending, and thus escaped certain death.  Plum and Joice arrived
on the scene, repaired the line and called Colonel Brott at Fort
Donelson for cavalry to chase the raiders.
     All day they waited, repairer Johnson returning in the
meantime. At dusk, they hid their horses in the woods, preparing
to wait out the long night. Shortly, the sound of horses crossing
a nearby stream was heard and Joice crept out to investigate.  
He returned, reporting guerrillas approaching.  The house being
undefendable, and Johnson also unarmed, they decided to take
their chances outside, Old Mrs. Phillips remaining inside.
     Thus, from a fence corner near the wood, they waited in the
pale moon light, the tramp of horses coming close at times, as
one of the trio kept watch, while the others dozed uneasily. 
Around one in the morning, Plum, who had been frequently nudging
Johnson to quiet his stentorian snoring, spied the form of a man,
standing motionless before them.  Convinced they were spotted,
Plum and Joice crept right and left, revolvers cocked, to
outflank their discoverer. But before gunfire or charge could be
ordered, they perceived the foe to be but Phillips' scarecrow.
     Finally, after a long night of unequal combat with hordes 
of rebel mosquitoes, plus nearby horse and human noises, they
ventured back to the house.  Mrs. Phillips reported that the
guerrillas had been present in numbers, but had not harmed her,
and the weary trio proceeded on to Fort Henry.  Young Bush
returned a few days later, sans coat, boots and eighty dollars. 
Nothing further is known of Phillips, and later on Joice, Johnson
and another repairer were all slain while servicing the vital but
blood-soaked wire.
     Nevertheless, Captain Van Duzer was able to report in
November, 1863, as to Plum's assistance in getting the Fort
Donelson line in dependable service.
     After Plum left, John P. Lathrop took over the line and 
also one from Clarksville to Hopkinsville. He had good service,
partly from expert repairers under William Moak, but especially
from the following widely-disseminated Special Orders No. 158,
issued by Major Polk from Nashville on July 7th, 1864:

     "The telegraph line between Nashville and Smith land being
continually molested by guerrillas, and other evilly-disposed
persons, those disloyal citizens, living within five miles of
this line, will hereafter be held responsible for its
preservation.  And whenever the wire is broken or otherwise
injured, said disloyal citizens will be assessed to pay damages
and be required to make all necessary repairs or assist in making
them when so notified.  
     By Command of General Rosecrans."

     In May, 1864, Plum requested field duty again and was sent
to General Thomas at Chattanooga, where on July 9, 1864 he was
stationed at appropriately-named Signal Hill.  Following Thomas
through Georgia, he was made manager of the important Atlanta
telegraph office on October 1st.  And here another example of
friction between the Army and the Military Telegraph occurred,
with Plum "plum in the middle." 
     On October 8th, an operator near Alatoona informed Atlanta
of a report that had Grant practically into Richmond.  The rumor
got to a newspaper which headlined it.  General Slocum, recently
put in command of Atlanta, felt outraged over this seeming breach
of confidence, and ordered Plum brought before his presence by
two armed guards.  After an exercise of official temperament, 
the young manager was thrown into a common cell, populated with
Atlanta's dregs of spies, thieves and deserters. After two hours,
a combination of solicitations from General Brannan and other
remaining members of Thomas' staff, plus the threat of the other
telegraphers to shut up shop, secured his release.  A telegram
was also on the way to Sherman, but Plum was freed before there
were further excitements. 
      On November 8, Plum returned to Thomas and was present at
the battles of Jonesboro and Nashville with the general.  During
this time, he acted as Cipher Operator and was responsible for
the security of several highly important code books.
     In December, Plum was telegraphing to General Whipple, once
on Christmas Day, 1864.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Richland Creek,
December 25, 1864. 
Col. W. W. WRIGHT,  Carter's Creek: 
     How are you getting along with the rebuilding of the
bridges? Can you form any idea when you will get to Columbia?
Road from Columbia to Pulaski O. K., except bridge over Richland
Creek, which is destroyed. It is of the utmost importance that we
get the railroad through as soon as possible. 
                                                  WM. D. WHIPPLE,
                                               Brigadier-General.

COLUMBIA, December 25, 1864.                           
Brigadier-General WHIPPLE:  
     Railroad repairs progressing well. Bridge over Carter's
Creek, No. 7, will be O.K. to-morrow, then builders will go to
Duck River bridge. Colonel Wright at Carter's Creek bridge, and
has an operator with him, so you can communicate by telegraph.
Line O.K. to Louisville via Chattanooga and Knoxville. 
     Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
                                                   WM. R. PLUM,
                                                  Operator, &c.

     Van Duzer also sent Eckert "Holiday Greetings" from Dixie.

NASHVILLE, TENN., December 25, 1864--11 a.m. 
Maj. THOMAS T. ECKERT:  
     Rebels under Lyon hold Louisville railroad near
Elizabethtown, Ky., having destroyed a bridge and captured a
train. Of course no telegraph at work that way. Just got one wire
through over Chattanooga railroad. General Thomas this morning
eight miles south of Columbia; will be at Lynnville to-night; is
not crowding the rebels; seems to be pushing easy till Steedman
gets his forces into position in their rear. Report current that
Hood has been superseded by Forrest, whose task it is to get the
army out of the scrape into which Hood has fought it. 
                                                J. C. VAN DUZER,
                                                    Captain, &c. 

HEADQUARTERS DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND, Pulaski, December 27, 1864. 
                                                         [94-384]
Capt. E. A. DAVENPORT, Commissary of Subsistence, Fifth Cavalry
Div, Columbia: 
     Come to this place with your train as rapidly as you can
without breaking down your mules. 
                                                 WM. D. WHIPPLE,
                                              Brigadier-General.

Captain Davenport has left Columbia with his train. 
                                                     WM. R. PLUM,
                                                        Operator.

     Early 1865 found Plum coping with encipherment garbles.... 

MEMPHIS, February 6, 1865. (Received 16th.)             
Major-General THOMAS,  Eastport, Miss.: 
     My informants state that all of Hood's army, except
Stewart's corps, have gone to Branchville, S.C., and that Jan
have accompanied Corinth.                         N. J. T. DANA,
                                                  Major-General. 

GENERAL: I think in this cipher "accompanied" should read
"occupied?" I don't know what "Jan" means. Am at a loss to
account for the delay of this message, which was just handed me,
in the handwriting of the Paducah operator. 

NASHVILLE, February 23, 1865.                          
Capt. R. H. RAMSEY,  Assistant Adjutant-General: 
     All ciphers for General Wilson have been detained somewhere.
The operators at Johnsonville found it necessary to give them to
Captain John son, assistant quartermaster at Johnsonville, for
delivery to --steamers, and most, if not all, have been detained
at his office until this evening, when they were sent by steamer
Orr. General Wilson's cipher operator is at G. on his way to
Nashville. I have sent you in English the cipher sent you for
McReynolds to decipher. It is waiting for date at Johnsonville. 
                                                  Respectfully, 
                                                    W. R. PLUM,
                                                      Operator.
  
NASHVILLE, February 23, 1865.                          [103-663]
Captain RAMSEY,  Assistant Adjutant-General: 
     Make cipher dispatch, signed Canby, to General Thomas, from
New Orleans, 16th, read, viz, "to break up the railroad west of
the Alabama," instead of, viz, "of the Mississippi." 
                                                    Respectfully,
                                                      W. R. PLUM. 

     No doubt there was a mix-up in entering codewords for the
Mississippi and Alabama Rivers...!
 
     Plum's payroll records reflect his movements, many 1863
entries being blank or marked "not found."  April is noted for
only $20, so perhaps detached service or a furlough was involved. 
December, 1863 found him under Captain van Duzer, at $75 per
month, indicating greater responsibilities.  For April, 1864 Plum
was listed as Chief Operator, with a pay increase to $100, as of
June 1 to January 31, 1865.  February and March showed Plum's pay
at $125, with "Cipher Operator" following, although he had long
been involved with code work.  His last full month was April,
1865, when he was issued Code No. 4.  He heard of Lincoln's
assassination while at Thomas' headquarters at Nashville.  After
only four days in May, at a $125 per month rate, the Pay Roll
record ends with "Not on succeeding Rolls," indicating William R.
Plum's departure from the ranks of U.S.M.T. 
     Young Plum then attended Yale University in New Haven,
Connecticut, studying law while working as the night manager in
the Western Union office. After graduating with the Law School
Class of 1867, he married Miss Helen Williams of Ledyard, New
York, a descendent of Rhode Island's Roger Williams, on April 10,
1867. That fall, he was admitted to the Chicago Bar and built up
a substantial practice.  
     About ten years later, his telegraphic "connections"
intensified as he gathered extensive information from former
fellow operators and other sources on the history of the Military
Telegraph.  The resulting book, "The United States Military
Telegraph Corps During the War of the Rebellion" was published in
two volumes by Jansen McClurg Co. of Chicago in 1883.  Plum was
also very active in veteran telegrapher affairs and was for some
fifteen years the president of the Society of the U.S.M.T. 
     In 1869, the Plums settled in the western Chicago suburb of
Lombard, where their home became a floral center. This was
especially so for lilac shrubs, which interest they acquired
through their extensive travels.  After retiring from his law
practice, Plum also wrote a Civil War novel, "The Sword and the
Rose," published in 1917.
     Helen Plum died in 1924, and William R. Plum followed her on
April 28, 1927.  At age 82, he was one of the last of the brave,
young "boys who swung the key" of the Civil War.  The Plums were
interred at Cuyahoga, Ohio, and their Lombard home became the
nucleus of the town's library and public gardens, called Lilacia
Park.  Each May, since 1929, a Lilac festival has been held, and
today Lombard is officially known as "The Lilac Town."

                         *         *         *

     Also on the U.S.M.T. payroll was William's brother, Henry
Wilbur Plum.  He was listed as an operator for October and
November, 1862, under Captain Bruch, at $60 per month.  However,
Plum has him reporting to Bowling Green, Kentucky as early as
August 22, 1862.  Soon, he narrowly missed being captured by
Morgan while on a train near the Red River.  He then saw action
at a stockade at Whippoorwill Bridge, with three companies of the
54th Indiana Volunteers.
     Having no instrument, he managed to send a message for aid
by touching the wire to a grounded crowbar.  Plum received the
reply orally, one hand on the crowbar, the wire to his mouth. 
All this took place just outside the stockade, in sight of
Morgan's forces.  Seeing that the defenders were thus prepared,
the raiders soon withdrew. 
     Young Plum had another scare but a few days later, when he
set out by handcar to repair the line back at Red Bridge, twenty
miles away.  Propelled by four, ex-slaves the mini-worktrain set
out through the notoriously unfriendly countryside.  Forced to
examine every trestle before crossing, it was dark before the
destination was reached.
     Upon returning, they were pursued by horsemen who galloped
along the parallel road, firing whenever they got within range,
when up-grades gave the horses the advantage.  At one time, the
crew was about to abandon ship and take to the fields, but Plum
kept his revolver in hand and they rattled on towards Whip-poor-
will in the moonlight.  Suddenly they came upon armed men who
halted them and they prepared to surrender to Morgan's men. But
the troopers were the garrison's own picket guard, and they were
safe.  Shortly after, Plum took a train for Nashville, just
before guerilla raids disrupted the line for many months.

     From April 1 to August 31, 1863, Henry was listed at $80 per
month, under Captain van Duzer.  The year 1864 found him with
both Operator and Manager titles, with pay rates varying between
$50 and $95 per month.  He also appeared in 1865, from February
through November, earning $100 for the first two months. He was
then listed as Operator and Railroad Agent, at $125, through
September, and at $100 for October and November.  Then follows
the notation: "Not on December Roll."

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