The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-01-21
A SPY'S PLAN.
HOW MRS. VIRGINIA MASON HOOD
WINKED THE UNION OFFICERS.
She Hid Papers Which Were of Great
Importance to the Southern Army
Between Two Dog Skins.

Between Two Dog Skins.
Some of the most valuable. as well
as courageous, secret agents of the
south during the war were ladies.
| Possessing. as many of them did,
| beauty, finesse, the instructive knowl-
edge of human nature that enables the
sex to penetrate the weakest points of
mans armor, and Il patriotism that
made them proud to assume any risk
that would benefit their cause, many
undertook missions so desperate that
only their womanhood saved them
from short shrift when discovered.
A case in point occurs to me, writes
Felix 6. de Fontaine in the N Y.
Press. We had fallen back from Fair
fax Court House, and gone into camp
at Centerville.- Winter was at hand.
and smoke curled lazily upward from
10000 clay-built chimneys. Every
tree had been leveled by the soldiers
ak; the old turn-pikes were lost in
labyrinth of foot-worn paths and fields,
where only a little while before the
wind PLAYED hide and seek among the
growing corn, were now as hard as
the bed of a billiard table. The head
quarters of Beauregard were in Il farm
house. uupainted and unpretentious,
that once had been the home of famous
Virginia hospitality, but ''the boys had
gone to the war;" the old folks had re-
tired to more congenial scenes in the
interior of the state, and all around
were signs of ruin.
The plans of Mcclellan, whose army
was encamped in our front, his fight
ing strength and the disposition of his
forces, together with the new phase of
public sentiment in the north that was
then beginning to take shape, were at
this time subjects of grave concern to
our commander, and it was important
to obtain more definite information
than had been furnished by the reg
ular spies. How to get it, however,
and through whom was the question.
l The problem was solved while at
breakfast one morning by a member OF
Beauregard's staff. 1 know lady"
: he said ''in the neighboring county OF
London, who possesses every qualitca-
; ton of successful secret agent. Her
name is Mrs. Virginia Mason. She is
young. fascinating, highly educated,
a welcome guest in many Washington
: families, and acquainted with large
S number of northern people who spent
their winters in the capital before the
war. Withal, she is q widow, her hus'
Il Il band having been killed at the battle
of Manassas, and brave enough to un
q dertake anything that will serve the
II land she loves"
e Beauregard instructed the officer tc
ride over to London and invite the
; lady to visit headquarters, and in {
: day or two she appeared. In the in
"a terview that followed he told her wha
II he required-a report from McClel
L lan's army, its condition. the disposi
d ton of his forces, and the plans dis
~ cussed by the military authorities il
u Washington. For this purpose sh
u was to ingratiate herself with promi
i9 nent officers, visit New York, Balti
~ more, the various departments. or an.
L other points where information coul
u be procured. She was also to commu
ie nicate with the representatives of th
!e confederate government in differen
rs cities of the north.
eI The lady eagerly accepted the proI
i ie osition, and supplied with an abund
is auce of money, started at once on th
st perilous errand, which meant glory
+. She was successful, and prison if sh
TO failed. She returned after an absenc
of several weeks, crossing the Potoms
opposite Dumfries. and arrived at tE
camp of Col. (now senator) Wad
lr Hampton. Thence, escorted by or
as of his officers, she was driven to heaC
i'd quarters at Centerville.
ed l can see her now as she alighte
ed from the ambulance on the piazza
es the little brown farm hoGse-a youn
al but matronly-looking lady, handsome
IS, too, with glowing dark eyes that look
IN ed as if they had fireworks in then
at She was dressed in black, and her on
n baggage was small hand-sachel. Sh
he was also accompanied by a shagg
10 skye-terrier, mere armful that mad
~ a soldier who hadn't seen prett
OF woman for a month of Sundays el
e. vious.
What occurred within the doors tn;
ed closed upon her was related to N
81 afterward by Gen. Jordan, then an
~ subsequently Beauregard's adjutan
ID general. Beauregard was. of cours
ay delighted to see her, and with
ny woman's volubiiity she told him MOI
ne in two hours than he could remembt
a in two months. The verbal part
1 the interview being ended, he inquire
q for her papers, the record of her tri
d, and the dispatches he expected fro
e. confederates in the north.
er "Why. general, 1 didn't dare
1 bring them on my person." she
IT. piled, with peculiar smile. sit W;
mt unsafe, you know; / might have bee
= captured, and, therefore, 1 have to
nd YOU all l know by word of mouth"
ed Beauregard could not conceal h
it vexation, and the more he showed
the more the little woman seemed
1 enjoy it. Finally, after teasing him
tol her hearts content, she said wit
affected occurrences: General, hay
in- you Il pair of scissors or knife? l
rs. like to use it for Il minute"
Beauregard handed her the I'M
NJ eraser. s'Come here, Dot" she calle
to the dog, and, taking him in her la
lot continued: 81 told you, general
of was not safe to carry important pape
on my person, and 1 have not done S
in fact, I have been suspected al
I'D searched, but a woman's wit is som
times superior to mans judgmen
, Seer she said, with couuettish no
on chalance, as she turned the little al
re NAL on his back, and deliberately pr
w ceeded to, rip him open. Here a
en- the dispatches!"
y AS she spoke she held in one hal
the hide of her skye-terrier. aud wi
the other smilingly extended Il packa!
of closely written tissue paper; whi
dancing about the floor was a pret
rst ''black-and-tau, " happy at his delive
co. from another dogs clothes.
are The deception was perfect, the nj
inf sion success, Beauregard was e
ns abled to anticipate McClellan's NOV
~. ments, and the charming spy not on
aSt received handsome reward, but W
led to the altar after the war as t
ne bride of the young officer who SUI
Fill her praises at Beauregard's breakfa
,sd | table.
,at Mrs. Mason afterward engaged in
ire number of perilous enterprises, Wis
for ing the north several times, and on
led running the blockade from Charlest
mt with the late Capt. Bob" Lockwoo
cir so long identified with the New Yo
| INl- IS ,Fo 40