George Ellsworth

Who was George Ellsworth?

George A. Ellsworth, commonly known as "Lightning" Ellsworth, was a Canadian telegrapher who served in the Confederate army during the American Civil War, specifically with the cavalry forces under Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan. His use of the telegraph to spread disinformation to Union forces was declared by The Times as the greatest innovation to come out of the war.

Ellsworth was enamored of the telegraph soon after it was invented, and travelled from his native Canada to Washington, D.C., in order to study in Samuel Morse's school. Before the war, Ellsworth took a job in Lexington, Kentucky, where he first met Morgan. In 1860 he moved to Houston, Texas. When the war started, Morgan had the idea of using the telegraph to send disinformation, and he knew he wanted Ellsworth for the job, so Morgan sent for him. Ellsworth joined Morgan and his 2nd Kentucky Cavalry at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Ellsworth was described as having droopy eyelids, a high forehead, an aquiline nose with a bridge bump, and a "disdainful, cynical, devil-may-care" eye expression. He was noted for having astringent humor. Among his positive qualities was resourcefulness and being a swift runner.