Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-30
FEMALE FEDERAL SPIES.
Their Operations in Louisville During
the Mnr.
From TIC Louisville Courier.

ikP war.
From the Louisville Courier.
During the spring and summer Of 1868
the city Of Louisville was lined with spies,
male aud female, who were operating in
the interest Of the United States govern
lnent. These agents did not confine their
labors to Kentucky, but also operated in
Southern Indiana, visiting the towns and
hamlets, wherever any clue conld be
obtained to parties dealing in articles con-
traband Of war. The female spies were
generally disguised in male attire, and 80
complete was the deception that they Wis
tied the Louisville Hotel, Gait House,
theatre, aud other public places, without
attracting any particular attention. or
exciting the slightest suspicion Of their sex.
They appeared like young men Of eighteen
or twenty years Of age, and dressed in the
latest styles, twisting their fancy canes and
smoking cigars ike young bloods of the
first water. With the exception of per-
haps three or four civilians, their range Of
scquaintances was confined 10 the officers
then on duty at this post. 1t was their
custom 10 report at the Provost MarshaPs
Office in female attire every day, and as
there'Were women constantly at the Office
on business, the presence Of these spies
never gave rise to any suspicion.
These females frequently made incur
sions through the lines, and penetrated the
depths Of the Confederacy, gaining impor-
tant information regarding the movements
Of the enemy, etc. OF these the most
daring was handsome young actress, who
had been great iavOrite at Woods The
atre in this city. She has since, we under
stand, published a yellow covered history
Of her operations in the Confederacy. But
the most interesting part of it has never
been written 1t was the manner in which
she was engaged as a spy, and the cunning
plan by which she was delivered through
The lines to the Confederates as an "enemy"
to the Union. If we mistake not she was
playing part in the "Seven Sisters" when
it occurred to the Provost Marshal that she
would be just the "trick" for a spy. Ii
was accordingly proposed to her, and she
accepted the situation in good faith,
agreeing TO abide by and follow out the in
structions laid down. In one Of the scenes
a banquet occurs, at which each of the per
formers gave a toast in which they aimed
to make "local hit" 1t was understood
that this actress should advance to the foot
lights and drink "the health of jeff. Davis
and the Southern COnfederacy," when she
was to be instantaneously arrested by the
Provost Marshal, who was on hand with
his guards for that purpose. The pro-
gramme was carried ont to the letter and
the result was great sensation. The
audience in their bewilderment could
scarcely believe their ears, eyes or senses,
and as she was a fayorite on the Lou
isyille boards, the sympathy for the
supposed rash young lady was deep and
earnest, although her friends were power
less TO help her, or save their pet from the
impending doom. On the following day,
this incident mot set down in the pro-
gramme,) was the topic Of conversation, and
many we're the expressions Of sympathy
for this act of madness in the very teeth of
the blue coats and bristling bayonets. 1t
will be recollected that at that time the
theatres we're under the supervision of a
provost guard, who were ready to snatch !"
the first one who committed, by act or
word, breach of loyalty. The newspapers
recorded the arrest Of the fair actress, and
in due time il was announced that she was
to be sent through the lines for disloyalty
TO the government. This was considered a
lenient sentence, but il was generally sup
posed that she was deemed q monomaniac
by the military authorities. OF course, no
persons but himself and two or three of the
military were supposed to be in the secret,
bad any idea that il was all premedita-
Rn their part. Wv -a = 2
pen the day for her departure ar
she was conducted TO the outposts
41lRthe usual baggage allowed in such
cases, in which were slowed away copies Of
the papers containing accounts of the af-
fair The guards who conducted her to
the line Of Dixie were odnubt in total ig-
norance of the fact that she was on her
mission as a Federal spy. The ruse sue.
ceeded admirably, and she had scarcely
penetrated the Confederate lines until the
much-abused young lady wasreceived with
open armsby adetachment ofthe" enemy"
as a martyr to their cause. Her career in
the South with the armies of Generals
Bragg, Morgan and Others, and her tri-
umphant reception on the Richmond
boards as the persecuted actress Of the
North--together with her subsequent de-
lection, conviction, and sentence of death
as a Federal SPY, are all matters Of yellow
covered history. She was rescued from
prison at the fall Of Murfreesbore, when
the Federals took possession, and sent her
20 Nashville, where she had big recep-
ton and received some handsome presents
from those who appreciated her trials and
faithfulness TO the Union cause The COY
ernment afterward commissioned her as
Major, and for aught we know she wears
the rank to day and receives pay, though
we have not heard Of her ever having been
assigned 10 the command of any depart
ment. The last account we had Of her she
was one of the attractions at Barnum's
Museum, in New York. Here endeth the
FIRST chapter Of the operations OF Federal
spies in this city during the war.