Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-03-04
WIZARDS ROMACE.
How a Virginia Girl Was Arrested as
4 Spy and Found Her Own Fate.

The death of Joseph C. Willard Z
this city recalls the romance connects
with his second wife, who was wo
man celebrated throughout the OIt
dominion for her beauty and zeal IL
the cause of the cOnfederacy. Iht
combination of feminine loyelineES
with military pluck and dauntless en-
ergy makes her character one of that
resembled Joan dare in its Womanli-
ness and strength. 1t was about the
! second year Of the civil war when the
little town Of Fairfax was infested With
a large number Of union troops. i,
fact, that village, being only about IL
miles from the capital, and in a direct
line to the heart OF Dixie, was gen
| orally III the midst of turmoil, being
one day in the haEus of the confeder-
| ates and the next under martial law
OF Uncle Sam. 1t was a typical south
ern place, and as almost every one IN
the spot had been ECrn in the place.
the inhabitants were most ardent
secessiOnists.
Among the prominent gentlemen OF
the village was a merchant. Mr.. Ford,
whose young daughter, Miss Ant0nia.
was one Of the prettiest girls in The
country. Her style of beauty was Of
the delicate sort which one associates
with deeds of heroism, but her adva-,-
lures IN course of time made her one
OF the most popular women. in the
south. With a wealth of light hair she
combined the rare attractions of dark
eyes and her whole appearance was
strlcklngly attractive and handsome.
Lake the rest Of the ladies of the town,
she was heart and soul in the cause
Tor which her kinSmen fought. and
her most enthusiastic sympathies were
on the side of the confederate troops.
IL seems that about this time the
union commanders lad taken stems tn
discover any plot to carry information
from the town to amy of the southern
officers, and for this purpose a woman
VINO was in reality a union spy. was
brought to the village. She went from
mousse 10 mouse enlisting the sympathies
OF the ladies by telling them that her
husband was soldier in Richmond
and that she was on her way to 1ofn
him. She displayed a photograph
which she alleged was that OF her hus
oand, but some Of the ladies recognized
1t as that of gentleman to whom the
woman was totally unk,own-she had
evidently stolen it out of some house
III Alexandria, where she obtained the
true history Of some southern soldier,
anG was using it an a means of decaiv-
ing persons. L. was by getting into The
commence of the people that she pro-
posed to fed out if any secret informa-
tlon was being sent cut 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 ct
years, when events have grown dim in
lhe memory of most of the partici-
pants. It seems the young and beauti-
Inl Miss Ford had written to Gen Jeh
stuart to give him impt rtant informa-
tlon regarding the t2cCps in tho viorit,
anu TINS dispatch she intrusted to the
union woman spy. This was the causa
OF the trouble, for the letter Of courea
Lell INTO the handc of the enemy Sol
! ulers were sent at once to the Ford
nome and Miss Antonio was nIaoar
under arrest as a military nrieono,. -
Tie union governne nt. She was placed
III carriage under guard and brought
uo"h to Washington, her prison cell
Deins IN the old capitol building. Here
she remained for several months and
was at last released when an EXCHANGE
OF prisoners took place. But if wa
after long time and not before MANY
TRIALS that she reached her countrv
nome. The building in which so manv
persons were kept is now turned into
row of houses ard is near the cant
| toll
IL was while stationed at Fairfax and
| actlng as major on the staff OF Gen
Irwin Mcdowell that Mr.. Willard fell
! victim to the charms Of the fair
southern belle. And after her return
In March, 1864, tho wedding was to
take place at Fairfax. The major. who
was then stationed in WASHINGTON as
provost marshal, drove up to the viii
lage, but as there was no clerk of the
court no license could be obtained, and
1t was decided to come down to Wash
fngton and have the marriage at thu
capital
So Maj. Willard Mr.. Ford and the
bride-elect started out in a carriage
driving at a rapid rate for fear thai
some band of confederate rangers
would pounce down and take off the
groom as the spoils of war. Being G
union officer, his capture would be &
great feather in their cap So it was
with fear and trembling that the wed.
ding party set out to traverse the Ions
miles of country infested with southern
troops
Just after the departure of the bri
dial pair a regiment of confederate:
from Occoquan, known as the Chin
quapin guards, and commanded b.
Kfnchloe, entered the town and learned
that a union major had left the place ;
short time before. In a few nom ent
the troop was galloping down the pix
in pursuit of the happy pair, who wert
: fleeing toward Washington as fast a.
a pair of swift horses would carr.
! them. The elopement in this case, IN
like the traditional one, was not cas-
of eluding an irate parent, but of %
Gaping with him.
A few miles out of the village III