Telegraphic Miscellanea

Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", November 1983, page 26

The Pacific Telegraph -- The late Indian depredations upon the Overland Mail and Telegraph are at an end. On the 7th ult. the savages attacked the mail station at Julesburg, where the branch lines to Denver connect with the main line to California, killing and wounding a number. The survivors retreated to the military post, 1-1/4 miles distant, where they established communication with the outer world, and at midnight erected a pole, adorning its top with a tailored flag and an Indian arrow pointing west, and burying at its foot a paper signed by all within the walls of the post. The paper contained the following:

"This pole is erected by Philo Holcomb and S. R. Smith, operators Pacific Telegraph Line, and J. F. Wisely, Surgeon, U. S. A., six days after the bloody conflict of Jan. 7th, 1865, between 1200 Cheyenne warriors and 40 brave boys of the 7th Iowa Cavalry, under command of Captain V. C. O'Brien. On this occasion the telegraph Office and Hospital at the Mail Station were totally destroyed, and both Institutions re-established at this Post.

"The lives of 15 soldiers and five citizens were lost during this terrible raid, and their remains are interred near by. While this pole stands the wires will whisper a mournful requiem over the graves of the gallant dead; and when it falls, the same wires shall bear to a happy Nation, tidings of the destruction of its enemies.

"With a fervent prayer for the success of the Union cause and shouts for victory to our arms, we raise this humble memorial, high in the free air.

"Julesburg, Jan. 17th, 1865." 

The Telegraph Operator from Junction Station arrived at Valley City on the morning of the 7th Jan. He had an escort part of the way. He came the last 22 miles alone in the night. He found two wounded men at a ranch five miles west of here. They had crawled a distance of some ten miles. An escort was sent from here who brought the wounded men in. He found American Ranch, fourteen miles west of here, again on fire, and seven bodies burned to cinders. Among them were two children and one woman.

A large number of Indians are all along the road. Signal fires are burning at night in every direction.

It is expected that the Indians will butcher every person on the road unless speedy assistance is sent.

Communication was re-established with Denver on the 12th inst., and California on the 19th. 

Hon. Henry O'Reilly, 26 Pine Street, New York, projector and constructor of the first great range (8,000 miles) of telegraph that connected the different sections of the United States, is out with a prospectus for the construction of the first division (3,000 miles) of the Home and Foreign Telegraph, between cities on the Atlantic, the Lakes, and the Mississippi, new double lines of telegraph on each of the two great commercial routes (with connecting cross-lines) between the Eastern and Western States, with design of ultimate extension to the Pacific Coast, and to connect with the Russo-American line for Europe, under contract with the Home and Foreign Telegraph Company.