The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-02-08
Female Spies.
Their Operations o.. Louisville. Daring the

During the Spring and Summer Or 1868. the
city Of Louisville was lined with spies, male and
female, who were operating in the interest of the
United Stntes Government. These agents did not
coninc their IabOrs to- Kentucky, but also operated
in Southern Indiana, visiting the towns and ham
let's, wherever any clue could bc obtained to
Jartics dealing in articles eOntraband Of war.
The female spies were generally disguised IN male
attire, and 80 complete was the deception that
they visited the Louisville Hotel, Calf House,
theatres, and other public places, without attrac-
ting any particular ~attcutiOn or exciting the slight
eft suspicion Of thcirscx. They appeared like Young
men Of eighteen or twenty years Ut age. fancy
canes, and smoking cigars like Young bloOis of
the first water. With the exception Of, perhaps,
three or fOu civilians, their range OF acluaintan-
ccs was confined to the officers then ON duty nj this
POST. IL was their custom 10 report ut the Provost
MaTshals Ofhce IN female attire every day, and as
there were women constantly ut the Office ON bus
iness, the presence Of these spies never gave rise To
any suspicion.
These females frequently made incursions
through the lines, and penetrated the depths of
the COnfcdeTacy, gaining important information
regarding the movements OF tho enemy, &c. OF
these the most daring was n handsome young ac-
trcss, who had been n great Eyorite ut Woods
Theatre in this city. She has since published u
history Of her operations in the COniedcrIcy.
But the most interesting part Of IL has never been
written. Ii WAS the manner IN which she was en-
gagged n n spy, and the cunning plan by which
- 49,
crates n an (. enemy to the Union. If we
mistake not, she was playinga part in the. Seven
Sistcrs, when il occurred "a the Provost Marshal
that she would be Just the q trick for a spy. IL
was accordingly proposed to her, and she : accepted
the situation in good faith" agreeing to abide by
and follow out the instructions land down. In
ono OF the scenes "a banquet occurs at which caclI
of the performers gave n toast, in which they aimed
To make n . b. local hit" Ii was understood that
this actress should advance to the t~o0tlights and
Nr,nI. 4. - - I.a1sI..T Of hntfEnpI flnS -, M,
COnfederaey," when she was to be instantaneous
ly arrested by the Provost Marshal, wLo was ON
hand with his guards for that purpose.
Tine programme was carried out to the letter and
the result was n great sensation. The audience
i'm their bcwilderlncnt could scarcely believe their
ears. eyes or sensas. and ~ she was n fayOrite on
the Louisville boards, the sympathy for the sup
posed rash young lady was deep and earnest.
although her friends were pnwerless to help her.
or save their pet from the impending doom. On
the following day this incident mot set down in the
ProgramnIe.) was the topic of conversation, and
many were the expressions of sympathy for this
net Of madness in the very teeth of the blue coats
and bristiing JayOnets. 1t will be reoDllectcd that
at the time the theatres were under the supcrvis-
ION Ofa provost guard, who were ready 70" snatch
the frsI one who committed, by act or word, n
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 disioyalty To the Government. This was
~ GAAA@h tAAAtbNEr "a - VAC az
supposed that she was deemed i monomaniac by
the military authorities. Of course, no persons
but himself and two or three Of the military were
supposed 20 be IN the secret or had any idea that
ia wa all perneditated on their part.
When the day for her departure arrived, she
was conducted to the outIests with the usual
baggage allowed in such eases, IN which was
slowed away copies of the papers containing ac-
counts Of the affair. The guards who conducted
her to the line Of Dixie were no doubt in total
Of the fict that she was on her mission
rs n Federal spy. The ru-e succeeded admirably,
and she had scarcely penetrated the Confederate
thc much abused young lady wasreceiyed
with open arms by n detachment of the .. enemy"
~ n martyr o. their cause. Her career in the
South with the armies of Generals Bragg, Morgan
and Others. and her triumphant reception on the
boards a the prosecuted actress of the
with her subsequent detection,
conviction, and sentence Of death asa Federal spy.
are al matters Of yellow covered history. She
rescued from prism at the fall Of MurfrccS
boro, when the Feieals took possession, and sent
to Nashville, where she had n biz reception and
received some handsome presents from thoee who
appreciated her trials and Eaithfulness to the
Union cause.