Southern-born Elizabeth Van Lew lived in Richmond, Virginia
during the Civil War. She successfully spied on the Confederates,
for which she earned General U.S. Grant's thanks. Under the code name "Bobsal,"
Van Lew sent military information to U.S. generals and harbored escaped
prisoners in her home. Swem Library has a small collection of Van Lew Papers,
collected by John Albree.
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College of William and Mary. Swem Library. Special Collections
P. O. Box 8794, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8794
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Last update October 28, 1998