<P> Samuel Morse independently developed and patented a recording electric telegraph in 1837 . Morse 's assistant Alfred Vail developed an instrument that was called the register for recording the received messages . It embossed dots and dashes on a moving paper tape by a stylus which was operated by an electromagnet . Morse and Vail developed the Morse code signalling alphabet . The first telegram in the United States was sent by Morse on 11 January 1838 , across two miles ( 3 km ) of wire at Speedwell Ironworks near Morristown , New Jersey , although it was only later , in 1844 , that he sent the message `` WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT ? '' over the 44 miles ( 71 km ) from the Capitol in Washington to the old Mt . Clare Depot in Baltimore . </P>
<P> Samuel Morse independently developed and patented a recording electric telegraph in 1837 . Morse 's assistant Alfred Vail developed an instrument that was called the register for recording the received messages . It embossed dots and dashes on a moving paper tape by a stylus which was operated by an electromagnet . Morse and Vail developed the Morse code signalling alphabet . The first telegram in the United States was sent by Morse on 11 January 1838 , across two miles ( 3 km ) of wire at Speedwell Ironworks near Morristown , New Jersey , although it was only later , in 1844 , that he sent the message `` WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT ? '' over the 44 miles ( 71 km ) from the Capitol in Washington to the old Mt . Clare Depot in Baltimore . </P>
the first telegraph message was transmitted between two cities in
the first telegraph message was transmitted between two cities in
1844
1844