At our dinner meeting on March 27th, Civil War Round Table member Arnold Schofield gave a very interesting talk about women who spied for the Union during the Civil War, including:

• Elizabeth Van Lew lived in Richmond VA and was known as "Crazy Bett." The Van Lew mansion became a safe house for escapees from Libby Prison. Van Lew became good friends with President Jefferson Davis' wife, Varina Davis. One of Van Lew's servants became an agent for the Union, while working in the White House of the Confederacy. None of Van Lew's agents were compromised during the Civil War. General Grant sent his cavalry to protect Elizabeth, who insisted on flying an American flag from the Van Lew mansion after Richmond fell. She died in 1900 at the age of 82.
• Sarah Emma Edmonds Seelye was a Canadian bom woman, known for serving as a man during the Civil War. At the age of 20, Sarah enlisted as a male soldier in the 2nd Michigan Infantry and was assigned as a field nurse. A purported master of disguise, she wrote about her exploits in her memoirs: Nurse and Spy in the Union Army. She left for long periods of time and was charged with desertion. She filed for and received a military pension of $12 per month in 1887. Sarah died in 1898 at the age of 56. She has been nominated for inclusion in the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame at Fort Huachuca AZ.

Congratulations to former roundtable president Sandy Ackerson as our most recent recipient of The Valiant Service award.  Her actions have proved she is more than deserving!

Here are more pictures from the March 2018 Meeting ...

In honor of Women's History Month, each woman member of the Round Table received a rose.

Dave Pattison introducing Sandy Ackerson

Dave Pattison presenting Valient Service Award to Sandy Ackerson

Round Table members Pat and Karen Wiederaenders

Dave Pattison and Sandy Ackerson

Several images showing in action our March 2018 speaker, Arnold Schofield ...