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Ciphers
One of the best features of the telegraph was its a ability to use ciphers. This allowed information to not only be sent quickly and efficiently, but also safely. Sending battle plans or other top secret information via telegraph lines was so safe, that not a single encrypted Union telegram was ever decoded by the Confederates. The Confederates were so desperate to crack the code on a Union telegram, that southern newspapers would post the messages in hopes that someone would be able to figure them out. The reason the Confederates never unlocked any of the Union ciphers was because access to the codes was extremely limited. The telegraph operators themselves were the only people who ever knew them. Their commanding officers and generals had no access to them. Even General Ulysses S. Grant and President Lincoln were barred from these codes. This secrecy ensured that no codes would ever be leaked out to the Confederates and be used against the Union.	International Code (Click picture to see larger version) Radio Mix
[ Telegram. ] To Major-General Wool, Commanding NEWPORT NEWS, March 8, 1862. The Merrimack is being towed down by two steamers past Craney Island toward Sewell's Point, so reported to me from the Cumberland. MANSFIELD, Brigadier General. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Telegram. ] To Major-General Wool, Commanding NEWPORT NEWS, March 8, 1862. The Merrimack is close at hand. MANSFIELD, Brigadier General. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Telegram. ] To Major-General Wool, Commanding NEWPORT NEWS, March 8, 1862. The Merrimack is engaging the Cumberland at close quarters. MANSFIELD, Brigadier General. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Telegram. ] To Major-General Wool, Commanding NEWPORT NEWS, March 8, 1862. The Yorktown [C.S.S. Patrick Henry] is passing with two other steamers. MANSFIELD, Brigadier General. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Morse Code (Click picture to see larger version) Universal Interface Code
[Telegram.] To General Wool. NEWPORT NEWS, March 8, 1862. General Mansfield has gone to visit the pickets. A shot from the Congress just struck the upper wharf. W. D. WHIPPLE, Assistant Adjutant-General. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Telegram.] To General Wool. NEWPORT NEWS, March 8, 1862. The Congress has surrendered, but aground at Signal Point. I expect to see her in flames soon. We had driven off. from her the gunboats. We want ammunition for all our guns at once by land. MANSFIELD. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Telegram.] To General Wool. NEWPORT NEWS, March 8, 1862. We want powder by the barrel. We want blankets sent up to-night for the crews of the Cumberland and the Congress. The Merrimack. has it all her own way this side of Signal Point and will probably burn the Congress, now aground, with white flag flying, and our sailors swimming ashore. These must come by land tonight. MANSFIELD. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Telegram.] To General Wool. NEWPORT NEWS, March 8, 1862. We have no more ammunition and the Merrimack and Yorktown are off Signal Point. Send us cartridges and shells for 8-inch columbiad and howitzers by land. MANSFIELD. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Telegram.] To General Wool. NEWPORT NEWS, March 8, 1862. The Congress is now burning. The enemy's steamers have hauled off. toward Pig Point. Captain Whipple is here, and so is Max Weber, the Twentieth, and the coast guard, and cavalry. We should have another light battery to resist attack by land if they come. MANSFIELD. Brigadier- General.	Morse, Navy, and Continental Codes (Click picture to see larger version) The Quarter Century Wireless Association