The evening times., 1900-06-13
STORIES OF BELLE BOYD.
Took Great Pride in Her Ability as q
Confederate spy


Confederate spy
BALTIMORE, June 13.-Belle Boyd. the
Confederate spy, whose death at Kill
haprne, Wis, was announced yesterday.
was educated at the old Mount Washing
ton Female College. at Mount Washington.
and several tiIaes in her romantic career
lived in Baltimore.
During the civil war when she was cap
tured by the Federal troops, she was held
for a time as a prisoner in the Eutaw
House. When taken III in California with
her second husband her mind gave way and
she was sent 10 an insane asylum She
was taken from this asylum. which was at
Stockton, and brought to Baltimore. where
she was placed at Mount Hope and after
ward discharged as cured. In 1877 she
again came to Baltimore and lived here for
a while. Her daughter. Belle. was born
during this visit. A year later she moved
to PhiladelI ala.
Mrs. John H. Tegmeyer. of Park Ave
nue.. was her close friend in this city.
Speaking of her early life, Mrs. Tegmeyer
says that she was dashing girl. with vi
vacious manners. She was well educated
meyer said that the Army experience Of
Belle Boyd brought her into disfavor with
her friends because OF the bold manner il
developed She wore male costumes and
otherwise acted in a way that evoked
criticism.
Belle Boyd was bern at Martinsburg,
Berkeley county, now within the borders
of West Virginia. on May 3. 1S43- Her
mother. Mary Glenn. was a daughter OF
Capt. James Glenn. and her father Benja-
min Read Boyd, OF Martinsburg.
Her decision TO devote herself TO the
cause OF the Confederacy as a spy came
with the discovery while on a visit to Win
chester when the war broke out OF some
contemplated movements Of Federal
troops. She galloped by night TO the head
quarters of Stonewall Jackson and report
ed what she had discovered. From that
time she became attached to General Jack
sons brigade and one Of her proudest tro-
phies was a note signed by him, dated May
23 1862, after his defeat OF General Banks,
which read: Miss Belle Boyd: I thank
you. for myself and for the army. for the
immense service that you have rendered
your country today"
An intoxicated Union soldier who had
iEsulted her mother was shot by her and
she was acquitted by the Federal authori-
ties. During her career she was twice
sentenced TO be shot and for eleven
months was a prisoner IN the old Carroll
and Capitol prisons Ia Washington.
She went TO England and was married
there in August, 1854 20 Lieut.. Sam Wylde
Harding. OF the United States Navy. She
then ;ook up a stage career, making her
De h2t at the Theatre Royal. in Manchester.
When President Johnson proclaimed a
general amnesty she returned to this coun-
try and played in a number OF cities. At
New Orleans in 1863. where she was a star
in stock company. she married her sec
ond husband who was Col. John Swainston
Hammond and retired from the stage.
in 1854 she secured a divorce in Dallas,
TExas, and the following year married Nat
K. High. a son CT Rev. y. B. High. IL To-
leGC. Ohio. He Eas aIl actor and with
him she went on the road. She afterward
took up lecturing. reciting her experiences
as a spy. She glOried in the fact that. be-
ing woman. she was the more able TO out
wit many Federal officers. whose gallantrG
got the better Of their discretion.
Speaking OF her experiences. she once
said I had been cOndscating and cor
cealing their pistols and swords on every
possible occasion. and many an officer.
looking about everywhere fer his missing
weapons. little dreamed who il was that
had taken them OF that they had been
smuggled away 10 the Confederate camp
and were actually in the hands of their
enemies. 20 be used against themselves.
General Shields introduced me 10 the
officers of his staff, two OF whom were
young Irishmen. And 10 one Of these Cap
tain K ! an indebted Tor some very
remarkable eflusiOns. seme wi;bered iow-
ers and last but not least, foT great dsai
OF impoTtan information, which was care
@,Illy transmitted 20 my countrymen-
must avow the flowers and the poetry were
comparatively valueless in my eyes. but
let Captain k be consoied-these were
days of war. not Of love and there ar
stsn other ladies in the world besides the
rebel spy.
the night before the departure OF Gen.
eral Shields who was about. as be inform
ed us to whip Jackson. a council OF wa.
was held in what had formerly been my
aunt drawing-To0m. Immediately above
this was q bedchamber containing a closet.
through which / observed hole had been
bored, whether with a view Of espionage
or not | have never been able 20 ascertain.
1t occurred to me, however. that I might
turn the discovery to account, and as soon
rs the council Of war had assembled l stole
softly upstairs, and lying down on tns
floor Of the closet applied my ear 10 the
hole and found 10 my great Joy / could
distinctly hear the conversation that was
passing below