In an era that glorified Southern womanhood, especially the
women who contributed significantly to the Confederate cause, the
of this fascinating book, until now, somehow has been largely
forgotten.
These are the papers that survived her, and they detail the life
and deeds of Belle Edmondson (1840-1873), a heroine of the
Confederacy. This collection consists of her diaries for 1863 and
1864 and the letters she received between 1861 and 1864. They
document her active role behind the scenes in the Civil War and
reveal her to have been a courier, a gatherer of intelligence, and
a smuggler of contraband in behalf of Southern troops in West
Tennessee.
Of all the correspondence, the most valuable letters are those
from one "Captain Henderson." These request copies of Northern
newspapers, as well as Belle's reports on enemy activities in
Memphis, details about local skirmishes and conditions in the
camps, and her reports of activities on nearby battle fronts. These
are letters of a very literate writer with a flair for recording
immediate detail.
Though Belle Edmondson was praised for her valuable services as
a Florence Nightingale of the war and was told that her good deeds
would last "while our country stands," with the end of the war she
was forgotten. She dies in 1873, shortly after announcing her
engagement to a Colonel H., who perhaps was a Yankee.
"A Lost Heroine of the Confederacy" brings Belle Edmondson back
to life and points to the deeds of a Southern woman who chose an
active role in the cause she served.
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