The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-21

Women Of al ranks ani position to ok
part IN The Late cni wa not nniy rs
spies, but also as private soldiers and
holding honorary commissions. 1t is
difficult to say whether their motives
were like those of Joan of Archie
salvation of their country-or merely
love of excitement. But it is astonish-
ing to find, in talking with ex-officers
how many Of the other sex did share
the hardships of battle, some openly
confesSing their sex, others disguised
as men.
Every one knows of Belle Boyd, the
famous spy, but there are many whose
names never became famous, but whose
work was as subtle and as daring.
A NOTABLE SCOUT.
Brigadier General Baker of the Sc
cret Service during the Civil War tells
of the work of a Miss Ford, who was
a devoted little rebel and lived at Fair
fax Court House. Her fathers home
was headquarters for the staff officers
of the Union. and Miss Ford was quite
a belle among them. She was, TO all
purposes for the Union, and the Off
GERS believed in her 10 the extent of
telling her much of the strength of
the army. BY careful investigation
and close observation she obtained in
tion necessary for the use of the Con-
federates
The only frequent visitor she had was
an unpretentious provincial youth. who
would sit on the piazza with her in the
afternoon exciting no suspicion. The
youth" was Mosby. the famous guer-
rilla, and Miss Ford who was honor
airy aid-de-camp TO Brigadier General
]. 4. B. Stuart. was giving him the
whole scheme and strength of the
Union forces. where the pickets were
stationed, the strength Of the outposts,
the names of officers in command, the
nature of general orders, the places
whore officers quarters were estab-
lished and the number of officers pres
ent.
Once when she was riding with a
Union officer. Mosby Joined them in his
questionable citizens clothes; Miss
Ford introduced him under his assumed
name, and joining them for a few
miles he learned much that he wished
TO know. That night Mosby was en-
abed through Miss Ford's Information
TO make the attack upon General
Stou2hton. carrying officers as prison
ers. also valuable property, and captur-
ing one hundred fine horses. 1t was
this affair which called forth Lincoln's
well known remark that sit was a great
pity; he could make brigadier generals;
but couldn't make horses.
a WOMAN TO CATCH A WOMAN.
The true circumstances and mode of
attack, the accurate information in
possession of the Confederate leader.
all pointed Enthusiastically to the exis-
tence Of a spy within the lines, so a
woman was sent to meet a woman.
One of the female detectives of the Sc
cret Service went to Miss Ford, repre-
scented herself as a Southern woman,
asking protection to reach the Confed-
crate lines. and the two women be-
came friends. In a burst of confidence
Miss Ford showed the detective the
sealed commission of aid-de-camp,
which she kept between her mattresses.
She was arrested and sent to Old Cap
itol Prison
INCOMPAYBILITY OF TEMPER.
There was another distinguished fe-
male captive at this prison at the same
time, and she was Southerner Dis
guised in soldiers clothes she had en-
tered too far into the lines, and was
arrested for a spy. In telling of her.
Major General Townsend says: ''She
had no friends in the city to supply
her with appropriate clothing. 1t was
at last reported to me that being
greatly mortified regarding her raj
ment, she stayed in bed all the
time rather than appear in male
attire after her sex had been de-
tected. l mentioned her dilemma to
that most worthy, true hearted Presby-