Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-07-20
"BELLE BOYD.n
A HISTORY WHICH READS LIKE
A ROMANCE,
THE EX-CoYFEDERATE AGENT WHO LIVES
IN THIS CITY AND HAS "DoUBLEs"
IN EVERY PART OF THE
COUNTRY,

IN THIS CITY AND HAS DOUBLES
IN EVERY PART OF THE
COUNTRY.
Sitting last evening on the porch o
a comfortable residence in the extreme
northwestern section of the city, will
q sweet little miss Of three and anC
another of seven Summers playing
hide.and.seek around her chair, was q
lady who a score of years ago bore al
international reputation. Few, ifany
of those who knew her once would
now recognize in the handsome, well
preserved woman, Of commanding
presence and high.bred bearing, with
a complexion like rose and hly com,
bined, u wealth of sunny, chestnut
brown hair, sparkling eyes, sweet
mobile mouth, and a face capable oi
mostvarying expression-the vivacious,
daring girl who in war times had but
one name, and that "Belle Boyd, the
Confederate spy"
The story Of Belle Boyd's life reads
like romance. Born in Virginia Of
good old cavalier stock, she had barely
graduated and made her debut in
Washington society when the warcom.
menced, and her father with several
others of her kindred, took up arms in
the Confederate cause. When General
Robert Patterson with his troops on.
tered Martinsburg, her native place,
she was acting the part of tho minis
tering angel to the wounded il the
improvised hospital. While engaged
in these duties many scraps Of informa.
tion concerning the movements of the
Federal army came TO her ears, and
thus it was that, with an impulsiyeness
and ardor due largely to her youth,
she entered upon the task with which
her name became so prominently ident.
flied. Several ladies Of the place, who
had also been picking up scraps OF news,
held u meeting at her house, the items
were punched together, put upon pa
per and the document placed in tho
hands of a trusty colored servant for
transmission TO General jackson. This
went on safely for some time, until ono
day the messenger was captured by
the Federal pickets and compelled to
disclose his mission. Thereupon "Belle
Boyd" was arrested, taken before Gen.
eral Robert Patterson, enlightened as
to the nature and penalties of the ar
ticles OF war, and finally placed under
espionage during the remainder of the
Generals stay in town.
From this time onward she devoted
herself 10 the task of furnishing lnfor-
nation to the supporters OF the Lost
Cause. Scores of times she was placed
under temporary arrest, and on two
occasions she was incarcorated for
months in the Old Capitol and Carroll
prison at Washington. Oftentimes she
was found in the middle OF the hottest
fights, but, although on many occasions
her clothing was literally riddled with
bullets, she invariably escaped personal
injury. 1t is related of her that on
one occasion, when taken prisoner, she
was taken before General Butler at
Fortress. Monroe. Observing her agi.
tation, Ben remarked
"Pray be seated. But why do you
tremble so. Are you irightened2"
"No, ah-that is, yes General But
Ter; must acknowledge that do feel
frightened in the presence of a man of
such worldwide reputation as your
sell, " was her reply.
"What do you mean p remarked the
General, as he rubbed his hands to-
gether and smiled benignly.
81 mean, General Butler" she re-
piled, "that you arc a man whose
atrouous conduct and brutality, es.
pccially to Southern ladies, is so in.
famous that even the British Parlia.
mont commented upon IT, | naturally
feel alarmed at being inyour presence"
With rage depicted upon every
lineament Of his features the General
arose from the table, and ordered her
to be taken from the room.
During her residence in Washington
"Bello Boyd" formed an intimate &c.
quaintanco with President Lincoln,
and a friendly correspondence was
kept up between the two during the
greater portion Of the war. On one
occasion her letter paper was adorned
with the Confederate motto, snake
entwined around q Confederate flag,
and tho inscription: "Don't tread on
us, or we will bite" when Lincoln
replied to the mssivo, he sent back the
motto with "bite" erased and the word
"but" substituted"
Broken down in health and bereaved
by the loss Of her father, who had died
in the endeavor TO effect her release
from captivity, "Belle Boyd" deter.
mined toleave for foreign shores, and in
May, 1874, she embarked on the Grey-
hound at North Carolina as the bearer
of important dispatches from Jeifer-
son DAVIS and Judah p. Benjamin TO
the friends Of the cause in London.
In ondeavoring to run the blockade,
however, the Greyhound was captured
by a United States steamer. Belle |
Boyd was taken to Boston, kept n
prisoner for some time, and finally |
banished to Canada. From there she !
went to England, where she passed |
the second epoch Of her life, She was
married at the aristocratic church of |
st. James, PicadilIy, received with |
open arms in titled society, became a
widow, and finally, having q natural
talent for the theatrical profession,
took to the stage.
Probably no person in the country |
has been afflicted with so many doubles
as this lady. Since her return to
America and marriage to Colonel ]. 5.
Hammond, an English gentleman, once
q member of tho noted Louisiana
Tigers" she has completely sunk her
identity with that of her husband, and |
with the exception Of u few occasions,
when she has appeared upon the plat
form as the talented reader and olocu.
ZIONIST "Marie Isabelle Hammond her
mind has been engrossed with domestic
affairs. Yet every few months she is
vexed and annoyed by coming across
an announcement that "Bellc Boyd
the cx.C Confederate spy, has turned up
IN some part Of the country. Now the