The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-26
NORTHERN ARMY
OFFICERS STORY
Tells Of the Stormy Times
Around Williamsburg, and
About Miss Van Lew.

Around Williamsburg, and
About Miss Van Lew.
(: rne following description of n mon
oeraph by Major Cronin Will prove In
teresting to students of the Civil War.
Original documentary material which
has been laid away ever since the close
OF the Civil War is the basis OF a
historical monograph completed in
manussripti form BY M dh}ev cron, o @.
signer and illustrator OF costly EDITIONS
deluxe. Some OF his work in this line
was exhibited here at the recent sale
OF the Sayre Library.
An opportunity has been given to
inspect the volume and make a few
extracts from it showing its general
scope, which. in effect. covers the his
tory Of the minor military operations
on the Virginia Peninsula after 1t was
abandoned as base by the Army OF
the Potomac. The narrative deals much
With Philadelphia regiments and Off
GERS prominent in the field. as for ex-
ample: General !. j. Wistar Colonel
Samuel Spear Colonel Robert NJ West
Colonel David Campbell. Major Samuel
3. wethervill. Major chrH.opher
kleinZ. captain Henry a. Vcatn and
many othars.
1t gives details OF foot-scouting by
cavalrymen in the Pesinsula forests
and, sof the use as spies OF intelligent
negroes trained In the art OF d!ssimu-
lation," by both Unionfsts and Confed-
crates. resulting in the most perYa-
siYe spy system known in any war
1t gives full details OF General Wistars
we!l-planned attempt TO capture Rich
mond and the curious causes OF its
failure.
The full title OF the work is: THE
Vest Mansion. Williamsburg. Virginia;
Its Historical and Romantic Associa-
tons as Confederate and Union Head
quarters, 1862 1866. BY David Edward
.Cronin, formerly Captain Troop C, First
New York Mounted Rifles; Brevet-
Major, provose Marshal of Williams
burg. 1861; Judge Advocate of Kautz
Cavalry Division, Army OF the James
This mansion, Usually called The
Vest House, by unionists, taking its
name from the owner. w. w. Vest. a
wealthy merchant OF the place, who
abandoned 1T afterlths battle of VIII
Iiamsburg. was occupied as field head
quarters longer than any other build
ing so used during the war. Its his
torical Importance Is due chieflyfto the
fact that for nearly two years VIII
liamsburS was the outpost nearest 20
Richmond. held by Union troops. In
period. a silent point OF observation
in the whole military line drawn about
the Confederacy; principal channel
in securing the latest news from the
Southern capital; osometimes OF grea:
value to the War Department at Wash
ington. with which 1t was connected
by military telegraph. beginning at
Fort Magruder. about mile below. It
was an important terminal for the ar
rival and departure OF spies In the
employ of the department, asswell az
of scouts belonging. to commands with
IN our lines. Many an expedition sent
up the Peninsula and having all tile
appearance of a Reconnaissance in
force. had for Its special object the
dropping OF a scout or a spy at a spot
convenient for entering Richmond.
Through the cooperation Ola lady
living on the Peninsula. and called
Mrs. Twelvetrees" in the monograph,
the provost marsltals at Villa msburg
frequently received information OF
military value from a group OF devoted
Unionists in Richmond, including Miss
Van Lew, though she was not thcn
known by that name to subordinate
officers, but simply as "the Quaker,
and supposedEto be a man. The key
to her cipher dispatches was held by
General Butler, who transmitted them
TO General Grant during the campaign
from the Wilderness to Cold Harbor.
To the safe refuge OF the Vest Mas
sion came many of the Union officers
who escaped through the tunnel from
Libby Prison. and whom Miss Van
Lew aided by having the distance they
would have to dig, about seventy feet,
measured off for them. She also gave
shelter to some OF them, previously sci
4 lected, and given directions how to
reach her Eouse. One of these officers,
now living, was @LieutenanteW. B. Ran
dolph. lately retired IS brigadier- gem
eral. Miss Van Lew was the grand
III t,f q ne NFa,,o = IT,
delppia-Hon. Hilary Baker-and was
educated here amid Quaker influences.
Hence probably. the adoption Of the
quaint disguise. From the Quaker
Which headed herScipher dispatches, Z
The author says: Miss Van Lew's
evident skill and confidence in cipher
Writing may have been partly due to
"A. Poe, who, at% different times was in
society in Richmond, and to her IA
miliarity with his works. AS is we'll
known. he was 6a8hobbyist on the sub
tect Of cypher Writing. While she may
have been unusually adept in this arr,
still. 1t is altogether probable that II
one of her dispatches had been can
tured it could have been deetphered
t'rltnout n9uchlditfieulty by experts.''
The Vest, Mansion was first occupied
as headquarters by General N1agruder,
when he was engaged In constructing
the line Of intrenchments below the
town and tho salient fort or bastion
named aftar him. Later,slt was occu-
pied by Generals Johnston and Long
street together, the latter being john
ston's Immediate commander In the
field" They conferred here with many
brigade and division commanders. who
later Fbecon1e distinguished as generals
in the Confederate service. The next
arrival was General Mcclellan. with
!. his brilliant staff. including the Comte
de Paris, tho Due dc Chartres. and their
mentor the Prince de Joinville. Nc
here,
a After his departure. the mansion was
the residential headquarters OF eight
successive military governors or pro-
vost lnarshals. four of Whom Swera
Philadelphians and four New Workers,
OF these. there, survive but two--A1ajor
Cronin and Major ], N. Wheelan. The
latter entered the regular service and
recently was retired as a brigadisr
general. One OF the provost sergeants