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
spcoll@mail.wm.edu
http://www.swem.wm.edu/spcoll/Sampler/vanlew.html
Last update October 28, 1998