June 1, 1863: Belle Boyd’s Album

This autograph book/scrapbook belonged to Belle Boyd, a Confederate spy. Only 17 years old at the start of the war, Boyd used her looks and charm to gain information from Union troops stationed near her Virginia home. Her most significant action was providing information to Turner Ashby and Stonewall Jackson about Union activities in Front Royal during the 1862 Valley campaign. Boyd was arrested multiple times and was held in Union prisons from July 29, 1862 to August  28, 1862 and again from August to December 1863.

Transcript:

Richmond, June 1st 1863

Thou record of the votive throng

That fondly seek this fairy shrine

And pay the tribute of a song

Where worth and loveliness combine

What boots, that I a vagrant might

From clime to clime still wandering on

Upon thy friendly page should write

Who’ll think of me, when I am gone?

For even thus the man that roves

on heedless hearts his spirit spends

Strange tenant of a thousand homes

And friendless with ten thousand friends

Yet here, for once, I’ll leave a trace

To ask in after times a thought,

to say that here a resting place

My way worn heart has fondly sought

To the poor pilgrim heedless strays

Unmoved through many a region fair

But at some shrine his tribute pays

To tell that he has worshipped there

[illeg.] D

Citation: Belle Boyd (1844-1900), Album: 1859-1903 [bulk 1862-1900]. AMs 1296/16