Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-14
DEATH OF HLLE BOYD.
'amous WWaNn Spy, Who Held q

The sudden death In k1lbourne, WIS, on
Monday. of Belle Boyd. the noted spy of
the confederates. recalls another leaf In
the history of the civil war. 1t recalls the
thrill, the danger, the triumphs. the re-
verses. the many ups ard downs in the life
of the most determined woman foe tho
Union ever had. Little has been heard of
Belle Boyd in recent years, and to the pres
ent generation her name recalls nothing:
but the time was when that name caused
many a secret council at army camps and
many plan was Matched to place its owner
where she could not add to the harm she
had done.
Living only In her undying love for the
cause of the southern people. and debarred
by her sex from carrying a musket, sho
dedicated to The confederate army the only
weapons tina. she posscssed-a woman's
beauty and woman's wileS.
But recently out of school when the war
began. she flung to the winds everything
that was dear that she might help the flag
OF her choice, and her daring exploits and
services to the confederate army became
familiar to the whole world. During her
career she was twice sentenced to be shot,
and for eleven months was prisoner in
the old Carroll and Capitol prisons in
Washington. With indomitable will she
kept in the struggle, however. until 1864,
when, while trying to run the blockade
with important dispatches, she was cap
trred and banished from the country by
President Lincoln.
So highly did Stonewall Jackson value her
services that after his defeat of General
Banks on May %. 1862. he sent her this
note: Miss Belle Boyd-I thank you for
myself and for the army for the immense
service that you have rendered your coun-
try today.
Her whole career was one Of romance
and adventure. Born in Martinsburg, Va,
now West Virginia, in May. 1913. she
was related to number of the most
noted families of Virginia. Mr.. Charles
j Faulkner. minister to France under
the Buchanan administration, father of ex-
United States Senator Faulkner of West
Virginia. and judge John Blair Hoge.
United States attorney for the District OF
Columbia during the Cleveland admins
tration. were her cousins She had just
finished her education in Mount Washing
ton Female College. in Baltimore Nd,
when the war broke out. Her whole soul
was with the confederate cause. Her resi-
dence within tho federal lines and her ao-
quaintance with many Union officers en-
ahled her to gain much important informa-
ton regarding the position and designs Of
the enemy, which she regularly committed
to paper. and whom opportunity offered dis
patched to the nearest confederate COM
mander
In a hundred ways the seventeen-year-old
girl was able to outwit many federal Off
GERS whose gallantry got the better OF their
discretion. The flowers and poetry Of her
many epauletted admirers in the hated
blue she kept, but all of the information Of
value which they indscreetly dropped she
Immediately dispatched to her countrymen
in gray. Gen. Shields of the Union army
was quartered at her house, and when he
held a council Of war she lay on the floor
of her chamber above with her ear to a
hole. and, taking down every word sent It
to Gen. Jackson and thereby helped to win
d great battle.
Very soon afterward her actions were
suspected by the federal officers and she
was arrested, but she soon fiirted her way
10 liberty. Acting upon General Jackson's
advice, she removed to Winchester in the
summer Of 1862. and 1t was there and then
that she received her commission as cap
tain and honorary aid to the general, and
thenceforth enjoyed the respect paid to an
officer. Upon the occasion of the review of
the troops in the presence of Lord Hart
ingdon and Col. Leslie. and again when
General Wiicox's division was inspected by
Generals Lee and Longstreet. she attended
OF horseback end associated with the staff
officers of the several commanders.
Her greatest service, however, was that
OF a spy. For months and years She with
stood every privation and lived constantly
within the shadow of death. Her name was
passed from one federal army to another
and the greatest horrors awaited the officer
or sentry who would capture her The man
who finally accomplished the feat after
ward sacrificed everything for her.
Belle Boyd was captured on the blockade
runner Greyhound. in 1864, by a gllnboat in
command of Lieut. Samuel Harding Of
Brooklyn. She and two confederate off,
GERS We're being conveyed on the gunbOat
to Boston and during the trip Lieut. Hard
Ing lost his heart to the beautiful prisoner
He proposed marriage.
so generous and noble had he been in
everything" she said, in telling Of the ro-
nance years afterward. that I told him
would be his wife. though our politics diff
fered Woman thought l. can some
dimes work wonders, and may not even he
come by degrees to love for my sake the
ili-used south?''
Even before this romantic voyage was
ended the implncable foe of the north con-
nived at the escape of her two confederate
fellow prisoners. Sho herself was SEN
fenced to be shot and afterwad was ban
ished from the country. Lieut.. Harding
was arrested for allowing the two prison.
ers to escape. but YVES not convicted.
Shortly afterward he deserted and followed
the witching rebel to England, where he
married her, the Prince Of Wales attending
the wedding. He returned to this country
later. and following his wlfe's example be-
camo confederate spy. Harding lived
only four years after his marriage. In
1869 Belle Boyd, who had become an
actress. married Col. John s. Hammond,
an ex-British army officer in New Orleans
and went to live In California. She was di-
vorced from her husband in 1884 and O year
later married Nathaniel r. High son Of an
Episcopal clergyman of Toledo, Ohio, with
whom she lived until her death. She lee
tured for years, principally at Grand Army
encampments throughout the country.
where many old soldier remembered her
as the most daring woman In the confed-
eracy.