The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-08-03
ROMANCE OF THE WAR
GcbNcLUDED.]

MISTAKEN NOTIONS OF THE WAR NORTH
AND SOUTH.
How little the South dreamed of the
fearful struggle it had provided. is appa-
rent from Miss BOyd's description OF
camp life in the first flush of the war,
and before anything was visible but it's
pomp and circumstance. 1t Is said that
our soldiers opened the first battle of
the war as if they were going to pic
mic. 1t is by no means clear that they
differed at all in this regard from their
on"rnents. We quote;
- had no difficulty in prevailing upon
some of my friends To accompany me in
an expedition to headquarters. Like
myself, they had friends and relations to
whom they felt their occasional presence
would be source of encouragement
and solaco and we all know that such a
roodly company as we formed could re-
turn safely to Martinsbarg at almost any
hour of the day or night. The camp at
Harper's Ferry was at this time an ami
mated scene. Officers and men were as
CAV and joyous as though no bloody
strife awaited them. The ladies, mar
ried and single, in the society OF hus-
bands, brothers, sons and lovers, cast
their cares to the winds and deemed on
" one and all resolved that whatever ca
lamity The future might have in store for
them, it should not mar the pleasure OF
the hour. Since then | have had Occa-
sion to observe that such state of feel.
ing is not unnatural or unusual in the
minds of men standing, as it were, on the
brink of a precipice, or walking, as 1t
were. over the surface of mine. Per
ills commonly ask to be paid in pleasure
and payment is donbly sweet when IT is
taken in anticipation of the debt. l
fear that at this time many fond vows
were exchanged aud many true hearts
pledged between the girls of the neigh
borhood and the occupants of the camps;
but it may be pardoned to beauty and in
nocence if they are not invulnerable TO
the virtues of courage and patriotism. "
The billing and cooling at Harper's
Ferry was very soon brought to close,
by the advance OF the Union forces I'M
der Gen. Patterson, Jackson fell back,
down the valley, and joined the main
rebel army, under Gen. Joe E. Johnston,
who was falling back on Winchester
This movement left Martinsburg-the
home of Belle Boyd-for the first time,
i'm the possession Of the Union forces.
Belle, busted herself in attending to
wounded Confederates She records,
with great apparent satisfaction, her in
dependence" in her intercourse with the
Invaders" who seemed to take her pert
ness in good part. Indeed, the tolerance
of our soldiers was not little remarka-
BILE, even according to Miss Boyd's ac-
oh 10 ut
planning of their insOlence and cruelty.
Take an instance; on the Fourth OF July,
1861, Union flags were raised over Mar
tinsburg by our troops. A party of sol
diers entered the Boyd College to put up
a flag. Mrs. Boyd said the flag should
not go up An alteration followed.
Belle says, 81 could stand it no longer (;
nv iudi gnation was reused beyond con.
rol my blood was literally boiling in
nv veins; / drew out my pistol and
shot him. He was carried away NOR
tally wounded and soon after expired"
The soldiers left {; such an instance of
forbearance is very rare in the war. An
officer inquired into the facts, justified
Belle Boyd, and put guard around her
house to protect it, The officer called
every morning to know iftheir was any
complaints against the sentinels! Evil
IDENTIFY Bellies black eyes and winsome
WAYS were not lost on this officer whoev-
er he was While thus protected Belle
busted herself in picking up information
respecting our forces, all of which she
sent to the enemy One of her missions
fell into the hands of our soldiers and
Belle fell, "a she puts it, under suspi
cion."
We cannot follow Belle in her a6ven-
lures in entrapping Union officers Within
rebel lines, and in her hair-breadth es-
capes while securing and finding infor-
nation to the enemies In 1861 she was
arrested as spy, sent to Baltimore, but
was finally relieved in time to help her
rebel friends in the famous march of
jackson against Banks and Shields down
the Shenandoah.
SHE OvERHEAIS \ COUNCIL OF WAR.
The night before the departure of Gen.
eral Shields, who was about, as he in
formed us, to whip" Jackson, . council
of war was held in what had been my
aunt's drawingroom. Immediately above
this was bedchambsr. containing a
closet, through the floor of which l OBJ
served q hole had been bored, whether
with view of espionage or not have
never been able to ascertain. 1t occur
red to me, however, that might turn
the discovery to account; and as soon as
the council of of war had assembled, l
stole softly up stairs; and lying down on
the floor of the closet, applied my ear to
the hole, and found. to my great joy,
could distinctly hear the conversation
that was passing below
The council prolonged their discussion
for some hours; but i remained motion-
less and silent until the proceedings were
brought to conclusion, at one in the
morning. As soon as the coast was
clear crossed the court yard, and made
the best of my way to my own room and
took down in cipher everything l heard
which seemed to me of any Importance
felt convinced that torouse q servant.
Or to make any disturbance at that hour,
would excite the suspicious of the FEEDER
ais by whom was surrounded; accord
ingly I went straight to the stables my
sell, saddled my horse, and galloped away
in the direction of the mountains.
Fortunately ] had about me some pas.
ses which ! had from time to time pro-
cured for Confederate soldiers returning