Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-29
THE WOMAN WHO WON THE BAT
TIE or BULL. RUN.

In Harper's for March. William Gilmore
Beymer tells the true. story Of Mrs.
Greenhow, a Washington woman Of gen.
tie birth who acted as a spy for the Con
federacy and gave the information which
resulted in the Confederate victory at
Bull Run.
washington lay hinged about with
camps of new formed regiments, drilling
fsverishiy. Already the press and public
had ruised the CRY. On TO NsChmond.'
When would they startf Where would
they first strike? II wa on those two
points that the Confederate plan Of cam
paign hinged. 1t was Mrs. Greenhow who
gave the information. To General Beaure-
gard at Manassas. where ne anxiously
awaited tidinRs Of tho Federal advance,
there came about the 10th Of July the
first message from Mrs. Greenhow The
message told of the intended advance Of
the enemy across tho Potomac and on
to Manassas via Fairfax Court House and
Centreville. 1t was brought into the Con-
federate lines by a young lady Of Wash
ington. Miss Duvnl. who disguised as a
market-girl. carried the message to a
house near Fairfax Court house. occupied
by the wife and daughters (Southern
bcrn) OF an officer in the Federal army.
General Beaurogard at once commenced
his preparations for receiving the attack,
and sent one OF his aides to President
Davis to communicate the information
ana to urge the immediate concentration
Of the scattered Confederate forces
But still tho Federal start was delay
ed, and the precise date was az Indefinite
as ever. 1t was during this period OF I'm
certainty that q. Donellan who before
joining the Confederates, had hoen n
clerk In the department OF the interior.
volunteered to return to Washington for
information. He was armed with the
two words Trust Bearer In Colonel Jor.
dams cipher ynd was sent across the
Potomac with instructions to report &c
Mrs Greenhow He arrived at the very
moment that she most needed a mes
senger Hastily writing in cipher her all
important despatch. Order issued FOL
Mcdowell 10 move on Manassas tonight
she gave It to Donellan. who was taker
by her agents in a buggy. with relays
Of horses, down tho eastern shore OF the
Potomac TO ferry near Dumfries, where
he was ferrled across. Cavalry couriers
delivered the despatch into Genera
Beauregard's hands that night. July 18th
And the source of Mrs. Greenhow'
Information? She ha. made the statement
that she received copy OF the order tc
Mcdowell Allan Pinkerton was moi
wrong when no said that she had not
used her powers in vain among tho Of.
ficers OF the army
at midday Of the 18th there came Colo.
mel Jordans reply:
Yours was received at eight o'cloc;
at night. Let them come: we are ready
for them. We rely upon you for precise
information. Pc particular a. 10 descrip.
ton and destination Of forces. quantity
Of artillery, etc
she was ready with fresh inforna
ton. and the messenger was sent back
with the news that the F'ederals intend.
I'd to cut the Manassas Gay railroad 10
prevent Johnson. at Winchester. from re.
| inforcing Beauregard. After that there
was nothing to he done but await the
result of the inevitable battle She had
| done her best. What that best was worth
she learned when she received from Colo.
mel Jordan the treasured message:
Our President and our General direct
me to thank you. We rely upon YOU for
further information The Confederate y
owes YOU debt
When the details of the battle became
known, and she learned how the last OF
Johnson's $500 men (marched to General
Beauregard's aid because OF her de-
| spatches) had arrived At three O'Clock
| on the day Of the battle and had turned
I the waverins Federal army into a mol
| OF panic-strlcken fugttives. she felt thai
the 'Confederacv owed her a debt, in.
| deed"