The Monticellonian., 1917-08-09

advance. There was great need of spies
 However. some historians attribute McClellan's failure to win the decisive results that were open to him at Antie- tam to the mistaken reports of the great prepOnderance of numbers in Lees army that were received from the secret service organization. Me Clellan seemed inclined to use the agency too much to learn the strength of the enemy and too little te learn its weaknesses
 Operation of Women Spies.
 Miss Van Eiew, a resident of Rich mond, Va, rendered invaluable service to the Union cause, and Mrs. Green how WAS equally valuable to the Con federacy as a spy in Washington. Mrs. Greenhow had been leader in Wash ington society before the WAT She was Southerner by birth, but q resi- dent of the capital from girlhood; q 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 trived many ingenious ways to escape their vigilance Jefferson Davis said to her: But for you there would have been no battle of Bull Run" That defeat of the North was supposed to havezbeen largely due to her getting q copy of the order to General Me Dowell and sending it to Beauregard She was drowned at the mouth of Cape Fear river, North Carolina. in her at tempt to land from the blockade run her Condor, after some secret mission to England in behalf of the Confed- eracy. Weighted by her heavy black silk dress and bag of gold sovereigns, she was an easy victim of the waves. We have the word of the adjufant generals office of the war department that women spies were never shot dur ing the Civil war.
 Secret Stations and Ciphers.
 The Army and Navy Journal says that the greater part of the information that was received at Washington from Richmond was collected and trans mitted by Miss Van Liew, through q chain of five secret stations established by her for forwarding her cipher dis patches. She was woman of forty of delicate figure. brilliant, accomplish ed resolute-a woman of great person. o1 in aha h, h,I ;,, Richmond a special position corre- spending to that of Mrs Greenhow in Washington. Jenny Lind sang in her parlor and Poe there read aloud his Raven" This house was the rendez- vouS of the Federal secret agents. and there, in her secret room," were con cealed escaped union prisoners. Miss Van Liew even had the audacity to get negro girl devoted to her inter ests introduced as waitress into the home of Jefferson Davis. Though her Northern sympathies were well known and she was constantly suspected, no evidence against her sufficient to cause her arrest was ever obtained.
 Mrs. Surratt was condemned and hanged for participation in the Lincoln assassination plot. Her home had been regular meeting place for conspira- tors. and her son among them, and Payne, who attempted to kill Seward. was on his way to the Surratt rendez- yous when arrested.
 Belle Boyd was the siren spy of the South. The daughter of q Virginia merchant. blue eyed, sharp featured. quick tempered and very free, she easily attracted the young officers and l learned how to get information and get it across the border without de tection. She rode a spirited horse and carried revolver in her belt Not sat isfied with her individual efforts, she organized corps of spies of her own style.
 Virginia women lighted many sig nal lamp by the garret windows. and