The herald., 1917-08-23

advance. There was great need O
spies.
However, some historians attrihut,
McClellan'S failure To win the dccisiy,
results that We're open 10 him at Ante
tam I" the mistaken reports Of III,
great prcponderunce of numbers il
Lees army that We're received from
IN" secret service organization. Ne
'!cIlan seemed inclined Ia use the
agency too much 10 learn the strength
"i the enemy and too little To learn its
Weaknesses.
Operation of Women Spies.
MISS Van Lew. a resident of Rich
'Dond. Va, rendered invaluable service
10 the Union cause. and Mrs. Green
now was equally valuable To the Con-
iederacy as n spy in Washington. Mrs.
"reenhow had been leader in Wash
ington society before the war. - She
was Southerner by birth, hut q resi-
dent Of the capital from girlhoOd: a
widow beautiful, Accomplished
wealthy, and noted for her wit and
her forceful personality" Her wide
acquaintance among important men
was used to good advantage TO further
the Southern cause. Though suspect
ed by the Federal authorities. she con
trlVcd many ingenious ways To escape
Their vigilance. jefferson Davis soid
To her: "But for you there would
nave been no battle Of Bull Run"
mat defeat of the North was Supposed
to have been largely due to her getting
Il copy of the order to General Nc
D"Well and sending ii To Beaurp-ard
she was drowned AT the mouth of Came
ear river. North Carolina, i'm her at-
tempt to land from the blockade run
her condor, after some secret mission
TO England in behalf of the Confed-
nrucy. Weighted by her heavy black
SIX dress and bag of gold sovereigns
she was an easy victim of the waves.
We have the word of the ad'utant
generals office Of the war department |
mat women spies were never shot dur-
ng the Civil war.
Secret Stations and ciphers.
The Army and Navy Journal saws
nat the greater part of the information
nat was received at Washington from
was collected and trans
nitted by Miss Van Lew, through
main of five secret stations established
y her for forwarding her cipher dis
PATCHES. "She was woman of forty
II delicate figure, brilliant. accOmplish-
a, reSolute-a woman of great person-
lily and infinite charm" She held In
richmond special position corra-
ponding to that Of Mrs. Grecnhow in
Washington. Jenny Lind sang in her
arlor and Poe there read aloud his
Raven. This house was the rendez-
Gus of the Federal secret agents. and
mere, in her secret rOOm," were con-
called escaped union prisoners. Miss .
an Lew even had the audacitv 70 ,
ct negro girl devoted to her infer |
SITS introduced as a waitress into the I
ONE of Jefferson Davis. Though ber I
orthern sympathies were well known :
nd she was constantly suspected, no '
whence against her sufficient IN e
luse her arrest was ever obtained. \
Mrs. Surratt was condemned and r
lnged for participation in the Lincoln a
'saSsination plot. Her home had been
regular meeting place for conspira- s
RS, and her son among them, and a.
lyne, who attempted to kill Seward. n
rs on his way TO the Surratt rendez- T;
JUS when arrested. d
Belle Boyd was the siren spy of the h
'uth. The daughter of n Virginia
erchant, blue eyed, sharp featured. s
lick tempered and very free" she Il
silly attracted the young officers and 8,
armed how to get information and
{ 1t across the border without de- n
rtiOn. She rode spirited horse and W
rrled a revolver in her belt. Not sat fl
led with her individual efforts, she II
ganiZed a corps of spies of her own pl
lie. "
Virginia women lighted many sig OF
lamp by the garnet windows, and tn