Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-07-13


civil war began. She hnd lover In
the Confederate service without whom
she thought she could not live. but she
married another before the war was
over and made him a traitor, was
divorced from a second husband twen-
~ years after her first marriage. and
within year after that married
third. She saw life In camps and
military prisons. was q prisoner on
shipbOard. was banished from the
country. and after returning to II lived
in various state, In the east. west and
south: was In an insane asylum for
time. and afterward lectured
throughout the country. often under
the auspices OF Grand Army posts. She
was about five feet Ave inches tall.
with bright eyes and aquiiine nose.
and when she was young her hair was
described us Of "a reddish golden hue"
Is~lis Boyd's Carver.
f. Belle Boyd was born In Martinsburs.
W. Va. In lsi3. Not quite IS years old
at the opcnin. OF the war. she entered
with all her heart and spirit into the
service of the Confederate cause. She
was n resident within the Federal lines
and knew many OF the officers. and she
used her acquaintance and her bland
ishmcnts TO gain from them informa-
tion which would be Of service TO her
friends In the southern armies. to
whom she conveyed II at every oppor-
tunity. Many OF her messages she sent
to Gen. J. +. u. Stuart. At favorable
opportunities she abstraeted the side
arms of her Federal acquaintanccs
when they left them car-icssiy about.
and these she forwarded to the enemy.
She was suspected after a time. and
then one of her notes fell into the Fed
erai hands and she was arrested. rcpri-
mandcd and threatened. but Gen.
she said aftcrward. was completely on
his guard and introduced her TO ON
GERS OF his stan.
Twice s-n'~ae-si to he shot.
The night before Shields set ou,
after Sioncwall Jackson he announced
that he was going TO whip Jackson
aud n council Of war was held In what
had been the drawins-ro room OF Bellies
annt's house. Through the floor OF a
closet on bedroom above the draw
inE-room hole had been bored. Belle
crcpt up to the closet and applied her
car to II when the council assembled.
She was able 10 bc OF such service to
Jackson that he sent her letter after
his defeat Of Gen. Banks. dated May
y. 1862. thanking her for her ''lm-
mcnac services" On iackson's advice
she removed to Winchester. and Jack
son made her an aide on his s,aH with
tho rank OF captain. after which sh.
rode horse and associated with the
staff officers when Lee and LonEstrcct
inspected the forces and when the re-
view OF the troops took place before
Lord Harrington and Col. Leslie. Dur
ing her career as n spy abe was twice
sentenced to be shot. and was for
eleven months prisoner In tho Car
roll and Capitol prisons at Washing
ton. <f-tS
Captured aud Esiied.
Belle Boyds career In the military
service ended In 1864. when shc was
captured with dispatches on block
adc runner. Lieut.. Sam wyidc Hard
ing of the navy. was put in charge OF
the blockade runner. which was order
cd to Boston. The lieutenant and
Belle Boyd were thrown together a.
good deal aud left largely to them
selves. He quoted from Shakespeare
aud Byron to her. she tells in her au-
photography. When he began to talk
of tender subjects she though, he
might become useful TO her cause. so
when he asked her TO become his wife
she told him that IL might involve
serious consequences. He was ready
to face them. apparently. and renewed
his proposal while the ship was In
Long Island Sound on the way to Bos-
ton. So she told him she would be
his wife.
when they were coming to anchor
OF the Boston navy yard Lieut.. Hard
ing went forward TO give some orders
and his fancee invited the two Yam
kee pilots who were aboard. to come
down to the cabin and have some
wine. which they did. The captain of
the blockade runner, whom she called
in her book. Capt. Henry. and another
man were of the party. Harding had
called small boat alongside prepara-
tory to going ashore, and this boat had
dropped under the quarter. At mo-
ment she thought suitable. the girl
nodded TO Capt. Henry, whom she had
planned to have escape. He left the
wine party and stepping into the shore
boat which was soon handy, he was
soon on his way to Boston. When
later Harding came aft he asked Belle
where his papers were and she told
him that probably they were in the
lower cabin. where he had been dress
Ing, and he went after them. while
the small boat got further away.
Her After Career.
For allowing the escape of his pris-
oner Harding was arrested and tried.