Maria Isabella Belle Boyd: Cleopatra Of The Secession

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Maria Isabella "Belle" Boyd was one of the Confederacy 's most notorious spies, known as the
"Cleopatra of the Secession”. She was born in today’s West Virginia in May 1844. From the start, Boyd was a high-spirited, strong-willed, and quick-witted person. Once she rode a horse into the family 's house during a party to which she was told she is too young to attend. "Belle" Boyd started out as an informal spy at age 17, gathering what information she could. Her flirting talents helped her extract information from Union soldiers. Boyd was arrested regularly, although she was never in prison for more than a few months. Her Civil War missions often involved transporting supplies and information to Southern troops, and her young age allowed her