The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-02-22

Over her grave stood simple stone
upon which was this inscription !:
Belle Boyd Confederate spy. Born in
Virginia. Died in Wisconsin. Erected
by a eomrade." But now plans are un-
der way to rebury her in the soil of
her native state, in the South which
she served so well.
Belle Boyd's life span was a stormy
haIf-century. The story Of her girl
hood she tells In a book. Belle Boyd
in Camp and Prison." which she
wrote while she was virtually an exile
in England after the Civil war. She
says:
There is perhaps nc tract of coun-
Try in the world more lovely than
the Valley of the Shenandoah. There
is, or rather | would say there was,
no prettier or more peaceful village
than Martinsburg, where / was born
in 1874. According to the Gus
tom of my country, / was sent at
twelve years of age to Mount Wash
ington college, Of which Mr.. Staley,
of whom / cherish a most grateful
recollection, was the principal. At six
teen my education was supposed to be
, completed and ] made my entree into
the world in Washington city with
all the high hopes and thoughtless
JOY natural to my time of life.
Washington is so well known TO
English people that l will not pause
to describe its gayeties and pleasures.
In the winter of Is6o-e1, when / made
my first acquaintance with il, the rea-
son was pre-eminently brilliant The
congress halls were nightly dignified
by the presence of our ablest orators
and statesmen. The salons of the
wealthy and the talented were filed to
overlooking, the theaters were crowd
ed to excess, and for the last time for
many years to come the daughters of
the North and the South eommingled
sisterly love and friendship.
Then she tells how Virginia replied
TO Lincoln's cali for volunteers by a
similar call for volunteers for Vir-
ginia. Both her mothers father and
her own father immediately enlisted
in the Confederate army, her father
joining the Second Virginia regiment.
Says Belle: at was armed and
equipped with a subscription raised
by myself and other ladies of the val
ley. The corps was commanded by
Colonel Nadenbush and belonged TO
that section of the Southern army,
known as the .Stonewall Brigade
Martinsburg being on the border
line between the North and the South,
it soon felt the ravages of war and
Bellies first service for the South was
as a nurse in a hospital for Confed-
crate soldiers in her home town.
When the Northern forces entered that
town Belle came into immediate
prominence by defying a Union cap
tain who declared before leaving that
she was an independent rebel lady.
Belle Saves Her Home
Her attitude toward the invaders
Of Martinsburg resulted in the Federal
troops determining TO raise the StIrs
and Stripes over the Boyd home.
Bellies mother declared that every
member Of her family would die be-
fore they would permit that, where
been intoxicated, struck her to the
floor. He was promptly shot down by
the daughter. In retaliation the sol
diers threatened TO burn the house but
Belle hastened 10 the Union COM
mander and by his orders the home
was saved.
Soon afterwards Belle took advan-
tage of the opportunity presented by
her position within the Federal lines
to begin her activities as a spy. Her
first attempt. however, was a failure.
One day. after having exercised her
charms 70 wheedle military informa-
ton from a Union officer. she en-