OOLUMS.'

"The operator in Cincinnati then called Frankfort. I answered and
received about a dozen unimportant dispatches. He had no sooner finished
than Lexington called Frankfort. Again I answered, and received the
following message:

'LEXINGTON, _July 15, 1862_.
'_To General Finnell, Frankfort_:

'I wish you to move the forces at Frankfort, on the line of the
Lexington railroad, immediately, and have the cars follow and take them
up as soon as possible. Further orders will await them at Midway. I
will, in three or four hours, move forward on the Georgetown pike; will
have most of my men mounted. Morgan left Versailles this morning with
eight hundred and fifty men, on the Midway road, moving in the
direction of Georgetown. 'BRIGADIER-GENERAL WARD.'

"This being our position and intention exactly, it was thought proper to
throw General Ward on some other track. So, in the course of half an
hour, I manufactured and sent the following dispatch, which was approved
by General Morgan:

'MIDWAY, _July 15, 1862_.
'_To Brigadier-General Ward, Lexington_:

'Morgan, with upward of one thousand men, came within a mile of here,
and took the old Frankfort road, marching, we suppose, for Frankfort.
This is reliable.

'WOOLUMS--_Operator_.'

"In about ten minutes Lexington again called Frankfort, when I received
the following:

'LEXINGTON, _July 15, 1862_.
'_To General Finnell, Frankfort_;

'Morgan, with more than one thousand men, came within a mile of here,
and took the old Frankfort road. This dispatch received from Midway,
and is reliable. The regiment from Frankfort had better be recalled.

'BRIGADIER-GENERAL WARD.'

"I receipted for this message, and again manufactured a message to
confirm the information General Ward received from Midway, and not
knowing the tariff from Frankfort to Lexington, I could not send a
formal message; so, appearing greatly agitated, I waited until the
circuit was occupied, and broke in, telling them to wait a minute, and
commenced calling Lexington. He answered with as much gusto as I called
him. I telegraphed as follows:

'_Frankfort to Lexington_:

'Tell General Ward our pickets are just driven in. Great excitement.
Pickets say the force of enemy must be two thousand. 'OPERATOR.'

It was now two P.M., and General Morgan wished to be off for Georgetown.
I ran a secret ground conn