Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-07-30
.BELLE BOYD"
A HIsroRY WHCH READS LIKE Ro-
NANCE.

NORTHWESTERN SECTION OF Tue CITY, Will
a sweet little miss OF three and another
: of seven summers playing hide and seek
around her chair, was a lady who n score
of wears ago bore au international repu.
talion. Few,i if any, ot these who knew
her once would now recognize in the
handsome, well-preserved woman, of
commanding presence aud high.bred
bearing, with complexion like rose
and lily combined, wealth of sunny,
chestnnt.brown hair, sparkling eyes,
sweet mobile mouth and face capable
| of most varying expression the viva
cious, daring girl who in MAR times had
bu, one name, aud that "Belle Boyd"
the Confederate spy.
The story of Belle Boyd's life reads
like a romance Born in Virginia, Of
good old cavalier stock, she had barely
! graduated and made her debu, in WASH
| lngton society, when the war COM
meuceG, and her father, with several
others of her kindred, took up arms in
! the Confederate cause When General
Robert Patterson with his troops enter
( cd Marlinsburg, her native place, she
/ was acting the part Of the minisierlng
! angel 10 the wounded in the improyiseJ
hospital. While engaged in these duties
many scraps of information concerning
! the movements of the Federal army
came 10 her ears, and thus il was that,
! with an impulsiveness and ardor due
/ largely 10 her youth. she entered upCn
! the task with which her name became
so prominently identified. Several ladies
OF the place; who had also been picking
up scraps of news, held n meeting al
! her house, the items were punched To-
eether; put upon paper and the dOcu-
ment placed in the hands of a trusty
colored servant for transmission 10 Gen.
Jackson. This went on safely for some
time, until one day the messenger was
captured by the Federal picke,s and
compelled 90 disclose his mission.
Thereupon "Belle Boyd" was arrested,
taken before General Robert Patterson,
enlightened rs 10 the nature and penal
ties OF the articles of war, and finally
placed under espionage during the re-
mallNNI VI liS y caaO w. sONh'
From this time onward she devoted
herself 20 the task o! furnishing informn
tion 10 the supporters OF the Lost
Cause. Scores OF times she was placed
under temporary arrest, and on two oc-
casions she was incarceratcd for months
ir the Old Capitol and Carroll prisons
at Washington. Ollentimes she was
found in the middle ofthe hottest iigbts,
but, although on many occasions ber
clothing was literally riddled with Jul
lets, she invariably escaped personal iu-
jury.
During her residence in Washington
"Belle Boyd formed an intimate &C
quaintance with President Lincoln, and
) a friendly correspondence was kept up
between the two during greater per
ton of the war. On one occasion her
letter paper was adorned with the Con-
federale motto, snake entwinod around
a Confederate flag, and The inscription
"Don't tread on US, or we will bite"
When Lincoln replied 10 the missive, bo
sent back the motto with "bite' erased
and the word "bust" substituted.
Broken down in health and bcreavcd
by the loss OF her father; who had died
in the ondeayor 10 effect her release
from captivity, "Belle Boyd" determin-
cd 10 leave for foreign shores, aud in
May, 1864, she embarked on the Grey
hound at North Carolina as the bearer
of important dispatches from Jefferson
Davis and Judah i. benjamin 10 the
friends OF the cause in London. In en-
deavorng TO run the blockade, howcy-
er, the Greyhound was captured by
United States steamer. Belle Boyd was
taken TO Boston, kept prisoner for
some time, and finally bonisbed 10 Cana.
/ do. From there she went 10 England,
where she passed the second epoch Of
her life. She was married at the aris,o.
cratic church Of ST. James, Piccadilly,
received with open arms 10 titled socie-
", became widow; and finally having
a natural talent for the thcatiica pro-
iession took to The stage
Probably no person in the country
has been afflicted with 50 many "doubles'
as this lady. Since her return TO Amer.
lea and marriage 10 Colonel J. ). Ham
mond, an English gentleman, once a
member Of the noIed Louisiana Tigers,
she has completely sunk her identity
with that of her husband, aud, with tho
exception Of few occasions; when she
has appeared upon the platform ss the
talented reader and elocutionist "Marie
Isabelle Hammond" her mind has been
engrossed With domestic sfais Yet
every few months she is vexed end AZ
noyed by coming across m announce
ment that "Belle Boyd" the ex Copfed-
crate spy, has turned Up IN some part Of
the country.
As long ago as 1875 the Masops Of
Martinsturg; Va, found it nectssaryto
send circular 10 the craft sll over the
country warning them against persons
pretending TO be the daughter OF their
deceased brother, Il. T. Boyd, Esq.
The genuine "Belle Boyd" has Just cou,-
pleted play which is highly spoken OF.
and contemplaics making her snfrs
upon the stage in tbhrcity 10 The coming
aatamn.-Rseord, PMl.
General Joe Johnston Ia at the Warm
Springs, In Bath County, Virginia. a