Edward Ord
Throughout the war, Mary participated in the pro-Union underground espionage ring organized by Elizabeth Van Lew. She engaged in a variety of pro-Union activities. On at least one occasion she went, as she later put it, "into President Davis's house while he was absent," pretending to be getting laundry, in order to look for documents related to the war effort. It is possible that Union military leaders such as Alfred Terry, Edward Ord, and Colonel S H Roberts benefited from her work. Although exactly what intelligence she collected is unknown, the value of this espionage ring was noted by Generals Benjamin Butler, Ulysses S. Grant, and George H. Sharpe.