May 2, 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:

Cousin Bell

Remember your “cousin”

J. McGinny

Knoxville, Tenn

May 2d, 1863

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