The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-02-07
FAIR PRISONER OF WAR.
\ Washington Lady Arrested nS q Spy
During Civil Wan.
ST. Louis RrpubHc.


life reads like chapter from the days
of romance, so varied is her career
This interesting woman is Mrs. Phil
ips, widow of the late Philip Philips,
one Of Washington most eminent
lawyers and noted statesmen Of the
ante-bcllum days She now makes
her home in her historic residence on
II street, an interesting old house
with high ceilings. wide halls, and
large, square rooms, with great man
tells and wide hrr.lncci, in which
burn fragrant hickory knots.
Mrs. Philips presents an attractive
picture, scatc! IN her handsome IL
brary, the walls Of which are lined
with books and old family port ats,
while here and there stand cabinets
filled with little gold framed minia-
lures Of beautiful women and noted
men OF the past generations, from the
time Of Lord Baltimore down to the
present era. Mrs. Philips is not
SOuUS, OuC IlluC IuS QCdilL ECUIIy Will
her, and she is still Il beautiful wo-
man.
Mrs. Philips is one Of the few wo-
men who were prisoners during the
civil war. On two occasions she was
imprisoned, once here in Washington
and again in New Orleans She rare
ly speaks Of herself, but several days
ago she told the story Of her exciting
experiences.
Grant and Sheridan, Sherman and
Butler, and their armies conquered
the South, but they never conquered
me" she said. And mischicvOus
sparkle twinklcd in her eye.
Before the war broke out she
continued, "my husband, who was II
Northern sympathizer, had frequent
talks with Judge Wayne, Judge John
Campbell, and jefferson Davis, and
when they assured him that every
thing would be settled peacefully, We
all know how they were mistaken.
III remember the day that Sumter
was fired on. All Washington seemed
to center at the Capitol. Each day
after that saw friends and relatives
part with determined resistance in
their hearts. Two Of my boys went
South to wear the gray, while my hus-
band was loyal to the North. He had
been here in Congress from Louisiana,
but he stood by the Union. He took
no part in the struggle. He did not
believe in secession, and he could not
war against his own children.
''I endeavored to correspond with
my boys, and consequently was sus-
pectcd Of treason. Spies constantly
surrounded us; women would gain
access &c the house on the prctext Of
begging, and then would rush into my
room in an effort to ascertain what I
was doing. However, all went we'll
until the battle of Bull Run. The
report was circulated that the South
had been defeated with heavy losses.
While the women of the North we're
joyous at this news I sat in my room
weeping.
"Of course, I was glad that the
South had won, so I lit up my house
and invited few other rebels to
coine and dine with me. Tho next
morning we .wcrc all seated ut the
dining table when great noise was
heard. I arose and stepped into the
hall to find out the cause of it,
The hall was crowded with Union
soldiers.
can officer and the noted detective,
Baker, approached ire and said, is
this Mrs. Philips? nodded, and
the officer said, Then you are my
prisoner.
''Thc whole house was searched in
an effort to discover 'trcasonablo pa
pcrs. had at that time an English
maid, who was as sharp as any dctcc-
tive there, and it was on her that |
placed my hope. There were few
letters that did not wish the soldiers
to find. The English girl seemed to
read my mind, and following my eye,
she saw that I wanted her to get some
thing from drawer in that little case
in the corner. She went Immediately
to the drawer, and finding the letters
concealed them in her dress, but not
before the officer had seen her. He
threatened to search her, and she
said: I am an English subject, and
you dare not search me.
Baker ordered her to be taken
down stairs and detained, intending to
deal with her later.