Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-08-22
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MANY Of the Maine veterans will remem-
her Belle Boyd, the s'Rehel spy IN the
days ~hen they we're at Winchester under
Banks. from the trouble the dsshing. fear
ies. girl gave them by riding through the
lines.
eaes General BeaI, nov State treasurer,
tber, commanding q brigade under Banks,
b.a her arrested and found in her posses
,,on fufgy 100 letters and dispatches
ina, sAe had attempted to eauy
,hroaet, the lines. She tells the story
eharnsngiy. Another time he had her ar
,,.tr., 81 the request Of her mother, ~ho
"a. sfraa her reckless daughter would b.
shot.
Belle Boyd told yesterday the story Of
ser adventurous and romantic army career
to a good sized audience at osk~ood PARK.
She IL very entertaining speaker. Her
command Of language is anasaal even
10 public speakers, her gss,ares are very
zraeefai and foreib!e a. veil. Then too ,
she carries the same where there. viii
there's way" air that got her into and oni
of 40 many exciting and periiaus situation
during the days Of the war, when she was a
handsome dashing girl, foud OF borsebafk
riding and excitement and thoroughly
devoted 10 the Confederate ease. She ear
ries her years lightly and was Creased yes
tsrday in dress Of Confederate grey cioth
gisen her BY the widow Of the dashing
eayairy officer stuart, and made in the exact
pattern Of the one she wore when stonesali
Jsekson's aide -tie-camp.
She began her narrative with the account
of the first visit Of the boys in blue TO hen
native town, Msrtiusburg. How they ih
turn things upside down these s0ldis1
boys, aud she naively added and how thei
did ransaek for rebel flag. and appIejack
There was a young man in the Confederate
army that she thought should receive the
love letters sbe wrote him and
WHEN she saw tbem seized and
carried away she began 10 device some
+ehem. Of taking them through the lines.
iier father tue, vas fighting under stonewal
Jackson and him she wished to visit. She
made her first attempt disguised a. a negro
girl and said she would have passed for a
genuine" Topsy." Her old black nanny a.
sisted her in preparing this disguise sh
early learned that men are a. susceptible !,
flirting a. women and early made use Of
this know ledge very successfully To further
her plans,
She became engaged To young officer OF
the mon army and stole from him the
counter.igD the evening she gave him his
first kiss She said she found that when
men are in love they tell all they know.
.. She gave u thrilling account of how she
overheard q council of war AMI how sht
rode fifty miles one night TO carry the news
to jackson
Taken prisoner several times and once
ordered to be shot. she escaped through her
own energy and attractive personality aud
Influence of friends.
Sent South after ''eiiyshnrg aul fofhihden
To rome into the Northern lines, she wns
called to Richmond by Jefi Davis, who Civ
ing her 5000 in gold and important dis
patches, sent her to England on biockhd'
runner, The Greyhound dropped down
with the tide from Wilmington
one dark night but ON the toi-
lowing evening was sighted b,
q Union man Of war and then ensued an
exciting chase that was only terminated by
the cruiser threatening TO deliver a broad
side unless the British flag At the masthead
he hanled down and the blockade runner
hove to.
This was done ani Lieut. sam HafdihE
of tho L. :. Navy came on hoard Belt
Boyd Immediately determined /" eapti'af