The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-02-20
Mr.. WILLIARD'S ROMANCE
STORY or ms ELOPEMENT WIlH 4
REBEL BEIUTY.

How Virginia Girl Was Arrested as
Spy and Afterward Married II Man Who
Became One of the Richest Men in wash
ington.
The death OF Joseph C, Willard of
this city recalls the romance connected
with his second wife, who was a Wo-
man celebrated throughout the Old Do
minion for her beauty and zeal in the
cause of the confederacy. The combi-
nation of feminine loneliness with mill
tary pluck and dauntless energy makes
her character one that resembled Joan
dare in its womanliness and strength.
1t was about the second year of the CIV
IL war when the little town of FAIRFAX
was infested with a large NUMBER OF
Union troops. In fact, that village, De-
ing only about sixteen miles from the
capital, and in direct line to the heart
of Dixie, was generally in the midst OF
turmoil, being one day in the hands OIL
the confederates and the next under
martial law of Uncle Sam. 1t was
typical southern place, and as almost
every one in the spot had been porn III
the place, the inhabitants were most
ardent secessionists.
Among the prominent gentlemen of
the village was a merchant, Mr.. Cord,
whose young daughter, Miss Antonia,
was one of the prettiest girls in the
county. Her style of beauty was OF the
delicate sort which one never associates
with deeds of heroism, but her advel-
lures in course of time made her one Of
the most popular women in the south.
| With wealth of light hair she COM
bined the rare attractions of dark eyes,
and her whole appearance was strik-
ingly attractive and handsome. Like
the rest of the ladies of the town, she
was heart and soul in the cause for
which her kinsmen fought, and her
most enthusiastic sympathies were on
the side of the confederate troops.
1t seems that about this time the I'm
ion commanders had taken steps 10 dis
cover any plot to carry information
from the town to any of the southern
officers, and for this purpose a woman,
who was in reality Union spy, was
brought to the village. She went from
house to house enlisting the sympathies
of the ladies by telling them thar her
husband was a soldier in Richmond,
and that she was on her way to Join
him She displayed a photogiap oh,
which she alleged was that of her hus-
band, but some of the ladies recognized
it as that of a gentleman to whom the
woman was totally unknown-she had
evidently stolen it out of some house
in Alexandria, where she obtained the
true history of some southern soldier
and was using it as a means of deceiv~
ing persons. 1t was by getting into the
confidence of the people that she pro-
posed to find out if any secret informa
ton was being sent out of town into
confederate lines
1t was by means of this woman that
Miss Ford was arrested as a. southern
spy AT least that is the story, as far
as can be gathered after this lapse OF
years, when events have grown dim in
the memory of most of the participants
1t seems the young and beautiful Miss
Ford had written to General Jeb Stuart
to give him important information re-
garding the troops in the vicinity ant
this dispatch she intrusted to the I'm
ion woman spy. This was the cause q
the trouble. for the letter of course eel
into the hands of the enemy Soldier,
were sent at once to the Ford home ant
Miss Antonio was placed under arrest
as military prisoner to the Unios
government. She was placed in car
riage under guard and brought down II
i Washington, her prison cell being il
the old capitol building. Here she re
manned for several months and was a
last released when an exchange o
prisoners took place. But it was afta
a long time and not before many trial,
that she reached her country home
The building in which so many person!
were kept Is now turned into row G
houses and is near the capitol.
1t was while stationed a Fairfax AM
acting as major on the staff of Genera
Irwin Mcdowell that Mr.. Willard fell
victim to the charms of the fair south
ern belle. And after her return il
March, 1864, the wedding was to talk
place at Fairfax The major, who wa
then stationed in Washington as pro
vost marshal, drove up to the village
but as there was no clerk Of the court
no license could be obtained, and it wa
decided to come down to Washington
and have the marriage at the capital
So Major Willard, Mr.. Ford and III
b1ide-elect started out in carria 81
driving at rapid rate for fear thu
some band of confederate ranger
would pounce down and take off Il,
groom as the spells of war. Being
Union officer, his capture would be
great feather in their cap. So it wa
with fear and trembling that the We'd
ding party set out to traverse the lon
miles of country infested with southe"
troops.
Just after the departure of the brida
? pair regiment of confederates fror
Ccccquan, known as the Chinquapi
guards, and commanded by Kincli6t
: entered the town and learned that
Union major bad left the place shor
time before. In a few moments tn
troop was galloping down the pike ;
pursuit of the happy pair, who war
fleeing toward Washington as fast as
, pair of swift horses would carry then
The elopement in this case, unlike tn
traditional one, was not a case of elud
, i"g an irate parent, but of escapin
with him.
\ few miles out of the village the so
tlicrs came upon the carriage and Of
' dered it to halt. request which wa
y | oopo-1io1 y-;tl, a,1