Trivia 2-8-19 A Tale of Southern “Belles” & Bonus

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It’s the summer of ’64 and 4 ladies are part of a plan,
the Rebel army is desperate, could these “belles” hide contraband?
For sympathizers in Maryland were holding much needed supplies,
their mission was to get them, and deliver them to their guys.

The ladies headed to a house, for help was waiting there,
quickly packing their supplies and hiding them with care,
well aware, if they were caught, life would not be nice,
but for their Rebel soldiers, they’d pay any price.

While trying to cross the Potomac (determined to get back),
they saw Union soldiers and thought they would attack.
They hurried to a safe house, and hid their illicit “stuff”,
the soldiers came, “Spies They Said”! now it’s getting rough.

The Old Capitol Prison was where these ladies were sent,
“we’re on a pleasure trip”, they declared, “you have no evidence".
They finally got their freedom and of course they tried again,
this time they were successful and supplies will reach their men.

Safely in Virginia, they were met by elated soldiers,
offering congratulations for their exemplary boldness.
Always close to danger, but with “guts” they carried through,
the motto on that day, “a lady does what she must to do”.

Oh to think a ladies garment would prove a successful ploy,
it was enough for these girls to sneak past those Union boys.
They left the shores of Maryland in garments that didn’t droop,
for their supplies were “packed away” in their skirts with hoops.

Name the Southern Belles ? ? ? ?

credit: @DBF
Elizabeth White, wife of rebel Colonel Elijah White; sisters Kate E. Ball and Betsie Ball; Annie M. Hempstone. All were from Loudoun County, Virginia.
 
Regular question:
The Southern Belles are Sarah Elizabeth White, the sisters Katherine "Kate" and Mary Elizabeth "Betty (or Betsie)" Ball, and Ann "Annie" Hempstone.

Sources: http://www.crossroadsofwar.org/disc...ildren-in-the-midst-of-war/civil-war-stories/, https://www.visitloudoun.org/things-to-do/civil-war/the-people/the-female-scouts/, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7342525/ann-mariah-sellman

Many thanks for another lovely poem out of your pen, Donna! The courage of these four ladies is to be recommended. :smile:
 
Elizabeth White, Kate and Betsie Ball, and Annie Hempstone

bonus: Emory Upton
I found this picture of the group....and the thing that stands out is the man on the right has his arm around Elizabeth White, the Colonel's wife, but check out where the guy's hand is....shady....

1.Copy-of-vc_0002_1402E-V-White-Thomas-Balch-Library-Visual-Collections.jpg
 
Well done lyrics, @DBF ! Those Southern Belles are: Elizabeth White, Kate and Betsie Ball, and Annie Hempstone, who in July, 1864 hid boots and clothing inside their hoop skirts and successfully smuggled them through the Union lines to aid the 35th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry.

Bonus: George McClellan

Edit -McClellan graduated from West Point in 1846.

hoosier
 
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In 1864, Elizabeth White, Annie Hempstone, and Kate and Betsie Ball crossed the Potomac from Virginia into Maryland and smuggled supplies that included boots and clothes back to soldiers in Virginia. They were arrested and spent 3 weeks in the old Capital Prison in Washington, D. C.
source-https://civilwartalk.com/threads/hoop-skirts-a-smugglers-dream.113755/

bonus-Emory Upton (August 27, 1839 – March 15, 1881)
 
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