Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-15
GALLANT FITZ LEE.
MS OLD CHAPLAIN LAUDs HIS
NAME AND DEEDS.
1 P0EM on LIFE IN CAMP.
The Daring Achievements of Mrs.
lanes Clarke, n Confederate Spy
verses by Major Henry Il. STAN
lChlcago letter.

C-, -, the most famous spies Of the
c,-f,seracy. Mrs. James Clarke. is dying
o. o. hosrital i'm this city. When she was
,rss charlotte Moore. of Oxford, o., she
,..+raicd Ambrose f. Burnside. then
..af.rt there. and ultimately tilted him.
Sd yoe 20 General Burnside that years
,s... ward. when she was a prisoner in
-rs E.rnet House, in Cincinnati, she
MAJ. % confession Of her work as spy
en- Che Confederate cause. Miss Moore
married James Clarke, a lawyer. in Ohio.
Tho Clarkes were living in Ohio when
trs civil war broke out. and they were
Known as southern sympathizers. one Of
the visitors at their house about that
tine was Walker Taylor, a Confederate
e-v He had important dispatches for
General Kirby smith, and Mrs. Clarke
volunteered TO deliver them. She disguised
herself as an Irish woman, won the SYM
f..ay OF an Irish Federal soldier, and
was rassed through the Federal lines. She
delivered the dispatches to a Confederate
whom She met on the road, and whom
she had previously known. although he
did not know her at the time.
When She was on her way back, as the
tain ncared Cincinnati. the stations were
notified that a female spy was on board,
who must he captured. Mrs. Clarke had
taken a seat behind General Leslie
C-ouhs. Ex-Governor of Kentucky,
Union man The sobs and walls OF the
supposed Irish woman appealed TO the
General and his wife. Her piteous tale
enlisted their sympathy. And when she
said she heard they were looking for fe-
nj xs~nr afraid they'd arrest
o. POOR. lone woman like herself, it was
General Coombs himself who helped her
~ the rear end Of the train at Covington
end saw her pick her way through the
tsIk streets toward the ferry. She reach
q tlr home in Cincinnati. in safety.
7. was soon after this that the Rev.
lr stuart Robinson, editor of a religious
weekly IN Louisville, was forced TO leave
the country, because OF the bitter edi-
tOrial which appeared in his paper against
IN North. He came north en- route TO
canada and met Colonel Thompson, who
was also flying for fear Of arrest. and to-
cether they went 10 Montreal These
two names are famous in history as tho
leaders OF that little band OF southerners
.u Canada. They were able 10 enlist the
services Of Mrs. Clarke.
She Journeyed quietly TO Montreal
and a few months later an English lady
with an ample fortune and in very bad
health presented herself and her creden-
tails In Washington. and asked for pass
which would enable her to reach the
great Virginia springs. When she was
questioned she acknowledged having
-1urneyed through Canada, and having
met there two Americans who were very
much interested in the southern cause
She gave as much information concern
ing their plans as she remembered and
e. ingratiated herself with the officers,
who pitied her evident ill-health' that
when Lincoln made his journey to re-
view the Army OF the Potomac at Frede-
r.cksburg 10 the surprise Of every one
concerned she was found in the Presi-
dents carriage.
Her charm aid the rest, and on arriving
~ the camp General Mcclellan knowing
che had come in the presidential party
gave her a pass through the Union lines
o. Richmond When the mistake was
discovered Stanton, the Secretary OF
War. RACED like a mailman, and onered
q reward Of $4,000 for that Confederate
female SOY. dead or alive. Having
reached her destination and delivered the
Cespatches and information intrusted 10
ier Mrs. Clarke turned her face toward
Cincinnati She came back through
tae northeastern part OF KENTUCKY
across Louisa county, and down through
Mount Sterling and Pikeville. Here she
struck the Federal troops in command OF
General Nilroy. and the pickets halted
the carriage and refused 10 let her pass.
trar hearing her story, the guard sent
word 10 General Milroy that an English
l..y. very nl and making her way Norm
frnr, the Virginia springs wished 10 pass
through the Union lines The answer
o.ras 10 send the invalid 10 headquar-
tors. General Milroy felt the case was
e matter for the surgeon, not for himseh.
and he accordingly called up ms Heu,oaI
director. n man very proud or ms "lsuoili
a.l ability. who ordered the stranger
tason TO the hospital. , 49,.
When they reached the hospital the
TreIsb lady persisted she was not able
=. ,,,i- ocifhout assistance. Two at /
terfants were brought out and she was
o.-r.ed an a chair 20 the surgeons ONCE /
l..r. the officer asked the precise nature
G. Der ailmcnt, and was told that IL was
fne.rsfism The physician proceeded |
o. mako an examination. lie raiseu {
ts interesting strangers arm, and WINE
ia- face wore an expression or misery ,
10 short. sharp scraping of the bones /
could be distinctly heard. Next the
physician placed his ear 70 the lhVaIu
heart and clearly heard the oil5nos9
mo- or disorder lH'i
had not studied the art OF mimicry for J
nothing. The surgeon was convinced
TIA, the stranger was all that she repre-
tel.cd herself end that she was iealy
g. a very serious condition. she was
carried downstairs 10 her carriage, ana
O. reoonmendation OF his medical al
WISER General Milroy. issued pass
which brought her IA safely to Sihcih-
tau
Burnside, who was now genera, ana
j. command in Cincinnati. had nearo
there were spies in his section OF tno
country. and issued orders for them 10
b. brought IN The house OF Clarke was
reported as headquarters for southern
Empathlzers An agent OF Brunslde
went there az a visitor In sympathy WIN
NE Southern Cause. and ingratiated hifn-
tet in the confidence OF Mrs moore 4
NE mother OF Mrs. Clarke. and her un-
married daughter When these women
vent away one day by steamer. Burn
.iles man was with them, and before
We women reached their destination
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