Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1912-02-25
THE WOMAN WHO WON THE
BATTLE OF BULL RUN

In Harper's for March, William Gill
more Beymer tells the true story of
Mrs. Greenhow. a Washington woman
OF gentle birth who acted as a spy
for the Confederacy and gave the in
formation which resulted in the Con-
federate victory at Bull Run.
Washington lay ringed about with
camps of new-formed regiments. drill
ing feverishly. Already the press and
public had raised the cry: ON to
Richmond When would they start?
Where would they first strike? It
was on those two points that the Con-
federate plan of campaign hinged. It
was Mrs. Greenhow who gave the in
formation. To General Beauregard at
Manassas. where he anXiously awaited
tidings of the 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 the Potomac and
on to Manassas via Fairfax Court
house and Centreville. 1t was brought
into the Confederate lines by a young
lady of Washington, Miss Duv1l, who.
disguised as market girl. carried the
message to n house near Fairfax
Court house, occupied by the wife and
daughters (SOuthern bOrn) of an Of
ficer in the Federal army. General
Beauregard at once commenced his
preparations for receiving the attack,
and sent one of his aides to President
Davis to communicate the information
and to urge the immediate Concentra-
ton OF the scattered Confederate
forces
But still the Federal start was de-
lave. and the precise date was as i'll
definite as ever It was during this
period of uncertainty that g. Donellan,
who, before joining the Confederates,
had cen 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 JOrdan's cipher. and
was sent across the Potomac with in
structions to report to Mrs. GreenhOw.
He arrived at the very moment that
she most needed a messenger. Hastily
writing in cipher her all-important
despatch, order issued for Mcdowell
to move on Manassas tonight, she
gave ii to Denellan. who was taken
by her agents in Il buggy, with relays
of horses, down the eastern shore Oh
the Potomac to a ferry near Dumfries,
where he was ferried across. Cavalry
couriers delivered the despatch into
General Beauregards hands that night.
July 10th.
And the source Of Mrs. GreenhoW
!, do 10 state
ment that she received a copy of the
order to Mcdowell Allan Pinkerton
was not wrong when he said that she
had not used her powers in VAN
among the officers of the army.
AT midday of the 18th there came
Colonel Jordan's reply;
"Yours was received at eight
o'clock at night. cit them come; we
are ready for them. We rely upon you
for precise information. Be partcu-
lar as to description and destination OF
forces. quantity of artillery. etc
"She was ready with fresh inforna-
tion and the messenger was sent back
with the news that the Federais m
tended to cut the Manassas Gap rail
road to prevent Johnson, at Winches-
ter, from Reinforcing
After that there was nothing TO De
done but await the result of the IN
evitable battle. She had done her
best. What that best was worth she
learned when she received from |
Colonel Jordan the treasured message:
".Our president and our general III
rect me to thank you. We rely upon
Won for further information. Inc
Confederacy owes you debt
when the details of the batte De
caem known. and she learned now the
last of Johnson's $500 men tmarcheu
to General Beauregards aid because
of her dispatches) had arrived IL
three O'clock on the day of the pat
lie and had turned the wagering FED