The first American telegraph line, completed in 1843, went from Baltimore to Washington, a distance of 37 miles. The first message, "What hath God wrought?," was sent by the system's inventor, Samuel Morse, on May 24, 1844. By then, Morse had perfected the system of dot and dash telegraph signals that became known as Morse Code. The telegraph completely revolutionized American communications. Messages could be sent instantly, and newspapers, businesspeople, and even ordinary citizens embraced the new technology. The telegraph played a key role in the Civil War as well. For the first time, distantly located officers and even President Lincoln himself could receive timely reports from the battlefield and use them to plot strategy. |
