The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-04

N ITHOUGH not known to many of WO the present-day residents of this
 ! city, since she left New Orleans during the civil war and did not return, the career of Mrs. A. w. Dietz, the story of whose death was published in the Times Democrat last week, is of general interest, conspicuous incidents in her life having become known since she passed away.
 Despite the fact that she rendered great service for the south in the war be- tween the states, had once been wealthy, and was a direct descendant of George Read, one of the sgners of the Deciara- tion of Indpendence, she died in an adobe house of two rooms in the rear of the home of David Gonzales, 302 Palace ave- nue, in Santa Fe, N. M, her death-bed being but a short distance from the his- toric building used as the capital of the territory, and in which Gen. Lew Wal lace, while governor of New Mexico In the late seventies and early eighties, wrote "Ben Hur."
 With her death ended career, which for romance, adventure and the terrible scenes of the war is seldom read of save in novels. Many details of her unusual career are lacking Before she became dangerously i'll three months ago, Mrs. Dietz frequently told her husband and adopted daughter incidents of her varied life, but few of them are now recalled commercially. As nearly as can be ascer- tained from her husband and daughter n, in h, M Read of Santa Fe, she was born in Jefferson. Inda, in 1886. Her mother died when she was only six years old, and a kfew months later she moved with her father to New Orleans, where he estab- lished a drug store In a few years her father became wealthy and the young girl became a member of the leading so- clal circles of this city. When Gen Ben Butler occupied New Orleans the drug store was confiscated and his property destroyed. The girl then taught for while in private families for a living. Her brother and father entered the southern army, the latter as chaplain and hospital attendant. Young Read was killed in the first battle in which to took part as color sergeant of a Louisiana regi- ment.
 Miss Read, on the death of her brother, enlisted as a nurse in a hospital corps, it is believed with the troops of Gen. Rob- ert E. Lee, in the army of northern Vir- ginia, being at the battle of Gettys- burg and other famous conflicts. Tir- ing of her work as nurse. she became spy for the southern generals. Many La. !, fpfo Iira md cured information valuable to the Con federacy. sometimes disguised as northern soldier. with her hair cropped close; and again, with her face yelled in crepe dressed as a widow of sol dier She served at various times with Generals Lee. Boone and Pat Price, as she called the latter. It was while with Price on a raid into Kansas that she was betrayed by a relative in the northern army, and captured by the Fed eral troops at Westport Landing, Mo, now part of Kansas City. She was taken to St. Louis and placed under guard with other prisoners and kept in prison until the close of the war.
 While in Missouri she became acquaint- ed with the famous guerrilla leader, Quantrell, and also with Frank and Jesse James, the Younger brothers and otner raiders. some of whom afterwards became conspicuous as bandits in Mis- souri after the war. When the war be- tween the states was over Miss Read became a teacher at Fredericksburg, Mo-, but upon her refusal to take the oath of allegiance she was ordered to leave the state and went to Illinois, where she continued teaching. In 1866 she met and married A W. Dietz, who owned flour mills near Lincoln, Neb Fire destroyed the mills and Dietz was made almost penniless. He secured employment at va rious towns. travelling with his wife over the greater part of the west. A few