News: Story of First Dispatch, October 20, 1909, Hanover, York County, PA

Contributed and transcribed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by
Lynn Dolski denandlynn@sbcglobal.net

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/
_______________________________________________ 

STORY of FIRST DISPATCH

Giving to the World News of Battle of Gettysburg

Troubles of the Telegraph Operators sending the Dispatch from Hanover


George H. Grove of Hanover, and Daniel E. Trone, were telegraph operators at 
Hanover, and had a lively experience just before the battle of Gettysburg and 
Mr. Trone sent out the first message of the battle to the world. When Lee began 
his march into Pennsylvania, rumors spread all over the southern part of the 
state that the Confederate would draft into their service all telegraph 
operators.

The late Hugh D. Scott, of the Western Maryland Company, was then the operator 
at Gettysburg.

On the evening of June 26th, he sent a message to Daniel E. Trone at Hanover, 
that the advanced troops of the Confederate Army were entering the western end 
of Gettysburg. "I will leave this place at once. This in my last message. A 
minute later I will have my instrument under my arm ready to drive down the 
turnpike to York, for I do not want to be captured."

Mr. Trone then conferred with Mr. Grove about the advisability of both of them 
skeddaddling from Hanover in the same way that Mr. Scott left Gettysburg. 
Meantime, Mr. Grove packed up his traps, and took his instrument with him to 
York, where he gave it to Albert W. Barnitz, father J. Percy Barnitz, of 
Carlisle street. He then boarded a train from Lancaster with his father. The 
next day he went to Philadelphia, and in the evening took a fast train for 
Baltimore, where his family had gone.

Mr. Trone being in the employment of the telegraph company as well as the 
railroad company, struck to his post of duty until the last. He was sending 
messages on the morning of June 27th when four hundred Confederate cavalry, 
under Col. White, came dashing into Hanover from Gettysburg, up Carlisle Street. 
When they approached the railroad station, one of the officers palled out. 
"Where is the telegraph office?" Mr. Trone had heard of their coming. He threw 
his instrument on the attic of the building, put the sounder in his pocket and 
skipped across the town to his home. A few minutes later several Confederate 
troopers entered his telegraph office. Upon reaching home he went upstairs, when 
he got sufficient cash to assist in his flight to a place of safety from capture 
by the Confederates."

In his narrative Mr. Grove says that Mr. Trone moved out Westminster road, and 
when about one mile from town, a man on horseback approached him.

"Don't go into town" said Mr. Trone to the farmer. "The rebels will capture your 
horse."

"Well," said the farmer, "I must go to Hanover, but I will lend you my horse and 
you can ride to Westminster." So it happened that Mr. Trone Hastened off to the 
Maryland town some sixteen miles away, and placed the horse in a stable. He then 
boarded a train for Baltimore, reaching that city late in the evening of June 
27th.

The following day he met Mr. Grove and some other Hanover people. Rumors of all 
kind were heard about the Southern Army. They were told on July 1st, that a 
battle had taken place at Hanover the day before, and that the Confederates were 
driven back. This news induced them to believe that the coast was clear; so Mr. 
Grove, William Grumbine, Daniel E. Trone and three or four other Hanoverians, 
hired a large omnibus to bring them to Hanover, Each paid the owner five 
dollars. When they approached the Pennsylvania line, they head cannonading in 
the vicinity of Gettysburg and saw a part of Gregg's Cavalry Division, near 
Manchester. The continued to move and arrived at Hanover on the morning of July 
3rd. This was the day that the battle ended at Gettysburg. The telegraph line 
from Gettysburg to Hanover had been cut down, but an effort was already being 
made to have it fixed up between Hanover and Hanover Junction.

Mr. Trone was hourly expected that he could send messages out of Hanover. He had 
already arranged with E. C. Byington, a telegrapher, who had been sent from 
Gettysburg to Hanover by Whitelaw Reid, now the American Ambassador to England, 
but then the war correspondent of the New York Tribune.

Before the line was entirely rebuilt to Hanover Junction, Mr. Trone came up the 
street with a roll of manuscript. It contained messages for the President and 
the War Department at Washington as well as for the New York paper.

"These dispatches,"said Mr. Trone to Mr. Grove, "Should be sent at once. Take 
them down to Hanover Junction." A few minutes later a handcar was obtained. 
GEORGE D.KLINEFELTER, Abraham Baker, Michael Colgan and Mr. Grove boarded the 
car. Some accident happened at Jefferson Station and the car, like a stubborn 
mule would go no father.

Jonas Rebert, of Jefferson, came to the rescue. He told them there was a large 
car on the track filled with lime. "It ought to be sent to Hanover Junction. Get 
on that car, boys and I will send you down the line. It is down grade, and you 
will be at Hanover Junction in a jiffy."

There were no brakes on the car, which moved rapidly to a distance of one half 
mile from the Junction. The up-grade at this place checked the onward progress 
of the car, and by using rails to rub on the wheels they stopped it. A few 
minutes later Howard Scott, the son of the hotel proprietor at Hanover Junction, 
began to send the messages with lightning speed to their destination. One of 
them says Mr. Grove, he remembers contained the statement that General Daniel E. 
Sickles, now one of the two surviving Corps Commanders of the whole Union Army, 
had lost his right leg at Gettysburg.

This dispatch requested that a special train be sent at once, to convey the 
General to his home, or to the city of Washington. Later in the evening of July 
3rd, "these boys of 1863" returned to Hanover. A short time after they had left 
this town, telegraph communications were opened in the meantime, Daniel E. Trone 
had sent with his sounder, in his office at Hanover, the first message to he 
civilized world of the great Battle of Gettysburg.

George R. Prowell.


Gettysburg Compiler, Wednesday Oct 20, 1909