The National tribune., 1886-04-08
A BEAUTIFUL REBEL.
A Woman TO Whose Charms Officers
Yielded their Loyalty.


White House now than under President Arthur,
who never pretended TO like anything else
Under Gen Grant, the Private secretary
of the President always assisted MIN upon
occasions of ceremony, and made the ON
cial introductions. Under Hayes tins duty
yras oss;gned To Col Rockwell, Superln-
tendent Of Public Buildings and Grounds,
probably because Mr.. Rogers, who was the
Presidents Private Secretary, was not u socIety
man. and the United States Marshal OF the l'is-
trict, who had otficated III the days OF Lincoln
and Johnson, was q negro. President arthur
returned TO the ancient custom, ana MORTON
McMichael. United States Marshal, acted as
Grand Chamberlain for him. Mr.. McAllchaei
successor is not a very fly" society man, so
the President has directed Col. John NJ W iiSoh'
of the Engineer Corps, who succeeded Coi. ROCK
well to act as master Of ceremonies on STATE
occasions at the White House. o..
Until this Winter the presence OF the Hranu
Chamberlain was required only at the pubic
recentions of the President, and II mlntary
officer happened to be assigned TO that duty ne
ALWAYS has appeared in citizens dress, except
upon New Years Day and AT the annual evening
reception given by the President to the oinceFS
of the Army and Navy. NOW Col. Wiisoh
officates at all official gatherings, At uiliei
parties at Miss Cleveland afternoon receptions,
and upaa all occasions when the White House
is opened for guests and he always appears IN
the full dress of a Iieutenant-COlonel oil En-
gineers. wearing his sword, his cooked hat ana
white plume and gold lace enough TO make MIN
a Respondent picture of
DEFENDER OF HIS COUNTRY ON PARADE.
The Administration has gone little farther,
too, in violation of the "JeferSonlan SIM
plicity program, by introducing an innovation
in the shape OF an assistant to Col. wilson, or
a"First Gentleman in Waiting" as he would
be called al the Royal Courts of Europe. The
man who is selected for this duty is First Lieut.
Duyall of the 4th Art, and while Col. Wilson
presents people TO the President, he does similar
service for Miss Cleveland. lie also ATTENDS
the Presidents sister wherever she goes, ana
on Wednesday, when the wives of the CABINET
receive. he appears in the full-dresS uniform oil
an artillery officer at the residence of the Sec
rotary OF War, and introduces callers to Mrs.
Endicott
Lieut.. Duvall is on duty at the War Depart
ineut, and was selected as Col. Wilson's assist
ant on social occasions because of his superior
qualifications. He is avery accomplished society
man, I'D in all the "capers of social etiquet,
graceful and self-possessed, apt at saying and
doing the proper thing at the proper time,
skillful dancer and an ideal cavalier. lie
comes from Maryland, and graduated at the
West Point Military Academy in 1868, where
he was known among his chums as "Ducky
Duvall." He has the reputation OF being a good
officer. and is popular in and out of the Army.
l was asking one of the older officers about
him the other day, who said:
There is tragic story connected with
Duval and his marriage that / have never
seen in print. and although in the early days of
the war it was known and talked about by
everyone, most people have forgotten it.
"Duvalls wife, continued the veteran, " was
the youngest daughter of Mrs Rose Greenough,
one of the most beautiful and accomplished
ladies ever seen in Washington society, and
the
WORST REBEL WE HAD IN THIS CITY
during the war. That woman was perfect
terror Her social position and connections
were of the most aristocratic Her family
We're old, wealthy and influential Virginians.
Her sister married Madison Cults, who was
nephew of President Madison and born in the
White House during his Administration. Her
niece was Mrs. Stephen A. Douglas, who was
daughter OF Madison Cults and enc of the most
beautiful women ever seen In Washington.
She is now the wife of Gen. Robert Williams,
Adiutant- General On Schofeld's staffat Chicago.
Gen Williams was in love with Miss Cults
before she married Douglas, but he was only
poor Second Lieutenant, while his rival was
one of the most famous men in public life,
leader in the Senate, and candidate for the
Presidency.
Mrs Greenough had three daughters, Alice,
Florence and Gertrude; she was widow at the
time / speak of, and had lots of money. She
lived at the corner Of Thirteenth and l streets,
10 the house that Gen. Garfield owned and oc-
cupied before he was elected President, and il
was one of the finest residences in the city those
DAYS. Here Mrs. Greenough held court, enter
tanning lavishly, and her guests were members
of the Cabinet, Justices of the Supreme Court,
Senators and Representatives in Congress,
prominent officers of the Army and Navy, and
everybody else who pretended to have social
position She was SO beautiful and attractive
that
HALF THE MEN IN WASHINGTON
were in love with her, and all the women jeal-
Gus of her popularity and prominence as
belle.
"Those were exciting days The sympa-
thies of the society people of Washington were
entirely with the rebels. and the women were
invariably the worst. They would do the most
astonishing things, expecting their petticoats
to protect them from punishment that men
would have suffered. I've had some expert
ence with them myself and every officer who
has had will agree with me that one woman
rebel was worse than 40 men, and i think that
Mrs. Greenough was the most virulent rebel |
ever knew.
although she was outspolSen in her senti-
ments always wore the rebel colors, and taught
her daughters TO say the most bitter and trea-
sonabIe things, she was tolerated by the authori-
ties and Congressman, Army officers, and 9TH
ers in official life continued TO visit her usual
Along in the early days of 90 Secretary Stan
ton discovered that the rebels at Richmond
were receiving immediate and accurate nfor-
nation of what was going on here and in the
army. They had copies of confidential orders
maps OF Notifications around Washington, and
knew almost everything of Importance almost
as soon as it occurred. Where the leak was
puzzled everyone, but there seemed to be some
very close communication between the War De-
partInent in Washington and the War Depart
ment in Richmond. Thomas A Scott, who was
then Assistant Secretary of War, undertook the
job of discovering the leak, and sent for Allen
Pinkerton, the famous detective who was then
at the front, operating under the name of Maj.
Allen.
"Pinkerton came to Washington, and when
the subject was explained TO him sent for some
of his best operatives. In few days he reported
to Mr. Scott that he believed certain officers at
the War Department were giving information
TO rebel families in Washington, who had means
of sending it through the lines. He was not
prepared to name the officers or the families,
but he thought
MRS. GREENoUGHs HOUSE
was the likeliest place to look. Mr. Scott ordered
him to watch the house, the occupants, and
everyone who visited there, and bring the
list of the lady's callers to him. The same
night the trap was SET and the game
ner. Mr.. Pinkerton with a squad of detect
ives established watch over the house. The
detectives were not only to report what was to
be seen there and the movements of Mrs Green
ough and her family, but they were directed