War in any age has depended on the flow of information to and from the decision makers, information passed from the scouts, spies and horse bound messengers to the generals and statesmen in charge. Speed is always key, and in the day of the Civil War, the fastest transmission was by telegraph. As the frontlines advanced and retreated, the wire would have to be strung to the front lines. In this fascinating volume, Alvin Harlow, recounts many of the adventures of the Civil War telegraphers, who despite their civilian status shared the dangers of the soldiers as they sent massages back to the various headquarters and generals. As the title suggests the telegraphers were often no more than teenagers, and their stories form an interesting sidelight on the Civil War.
