July 26, 1861 — What Crinoline is Doing

Athens Post, Athens, TN

The wife of a former clerk of prominence in the Postoffice Department at Washington is the heroine of quite a story. Her husband, says a correspondent of the New York Time’s resigned a few weeks after the inauguration of Old Abe, and now holds a commission as one of the Assistant Postmaster Generals, of the rebel Government. He left town, and his wife remained behind until about two weeks since, when she prepared to follow him. She procured passes, and knowing that her effects would be searched, she prvide [sic] for this. Her trunks examined. All was right, and she departed for Dixie’s land; but sewed within the folds of her under dress, sho carried with her numerous despatches, letters and drawings of our fortifications and positions, which, of course, she succeeded in delivering to the reble [sic] authorities without trouble. Her friends here boast of the performance; and there are still left in Washington scores of females of like stamp, who are ready to decamp in a similar way, and for similar purposes, who delight in thus furnishing aid and comfort to the enemy.

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