Kingston, Ulster County, N.Y.
January 1867
General C. B. Comstock
Head Quarters, Armies of the U.S.
My dear General
When I last saw you in Washington, we conferred upon a matter, heretofore spoken of, and for sundry reasons delayed, which was understood between us was to be put on paper by myself, and would then be presented by you to the consideration of General Grant.
I refer to the case of the Van Lews of Richmond. During my visit to that city in the past summer, I became possessed of the facts of many of which I had some knowledge before which tend to show that they have a very strong claim upon the assistance of the Government. The family consists of Mrs. Van Lew, a widow, her daughter, Miss Elizabeth Van Lew, and a son, Mr. John C. [sic] Van Lew, with his little children. They reside on Church Hill in Richmond, and before the war were accounted among the most substantial people of that city, having been left by Mr. Van Lew, the father, many years since deceased, in the enjoyment of a handsome patrimony.
The son, Mr. J. C. [sic] Van Lew, was a well known hardware merchant of high character.
From the beginning, the family, with all its influences, took a strong position against the rebel movement, and never ceased fighting it until our armies entered Richmond. Their position, character and charities gave them a commanding influence over many families of plain people, who were decided and encouraged by them to remain true to the flag and were subsequently able during the war to receive our agents – assist our prisoners – to conceal those who escaped and to convey information to our armies.
By her talents and enthusiasm Miss Elizabeth L. Van Lew became the leader of the little union party in Richmond, and indeed in Virginia. By her attractive manners and free use of money she soon gained control of the rebel prisons, and our officers and men felt the effects of her care. Regular reports were taken to her of the conditions of our prisoners, and for all and each according to his necessities, she obtained indulgences; for one additional food, for others raiment and bedding, for some a few hours a week more in the fresh air, and for others escape and protection to our lines.
She influenced rebel surgeons to send our men to the hospitals, and when she got them in the hospitals, she alone went from cot to cot where lay a sufferer in blue, while all the other women of Richmond attended the men in gray. In these visits she was attended by her colored servants having beautifully laden baskets, whose contents have been the means of returning many a man to his northern home.
For a long, long time, she represented all that was left of the power of the U.S. Government in the city of Richmond. John Minor Botts wrote from prison for her advice and protection and Franklin Sterns took her orders.
Not only clothing and bedding but even furniture was sent in to prisoners, and I was informed in Richmond by the plain union people that the Van Lews marketed as regularly for Libby Prison, as they did for their own house. They put their hands on whatever of their patrimony they could realize and expended it in what was substantially the service of the U.S. Government. When their convertible property, or a good portion of it, was gone, they used in the same way the receipts of the brother’s hardware store, until he (having steadily refused to bear arms even for local defense) was seized and put in the ranks, when he immediately made his way to our lines near Cold Harbor in 1864 with valuable information. This of course closed his store and nearly took away the means of subsistence of this family. But still the charities went on. The mother and daughter raised money in one way or another. They sent emissaries to our lines; when no one else could for the moment be found, they sent their own servants. They employed counsel for union people on trial – they had clerks in the rebel war and navy departments in their confidences; and soon after our arrival at City Point, Miss Van Lew mastered a system of correspondence in cipher by which specific information asked for by the General was obtained.
A near as I can learn without going to the family, reference can be made to the following persons to sustain my statements. Col. S. M. Bowman of Wilkesbarre [sic], Penn., and Captain Chase, who was there with him, know of the care of the prisoners early in the war. So also do Col. Cogswell of the N. Y. Tammany regiment, Capt. R. T. Shillinglaw of the 79th (Highlanders) N.Y.S.M., Captain H. McQuade, 38th N.Y. Vols., and Hon. Alfred Ely, form N.Y. who ought, I am told, to know all about this.
Major General [J.R.] Ricketts and wife can perhaps furnish considerable testimony, and I think there is a clerk in the Treasury Department, or in a branch of it in Winder’s building named Edward Taylor, who is conversant with many of the facts.
I enclose a letter from General [William Raymond] Lee of Massachusetts, who is known to General E.D. Townsend, prepared some time since with a view of a public claim being made for the benefit of the Van Lews. Such a claim before Congress, would perhaps, necessitate the removal of the family from Richmond, and the virtual abandonment of their remaining property there, which they now hope to save.
I have understood and believe that Col. Streight and party owed their escape to the Van Lews, and I think that Captain Boutwell formerly of the U.S. Navy, was kept in their house several months after his discharge from prison; while in defiance of the rebel government Mr. Calvin Huson was taken from prison to their home, died there, and his funeral was from their house. Col. J. Harris Hooper of Massachusetts is, I think, well known in Washington and can give evidence on many points referred to herein.
For the military information readily conveyed by Miss Van Lew to our officers, I refer to Major General Butler, who ought to be able to speak largely concerning it; while General Grant, General [John Aaron] Rawlins, General [Marsena Rudolph] Patrick (the last named particularly) and other officers serving at Headquarters during the winter of 1864 & 5 are more or less acquainted with the regular information obtained by our Bureau from the City of Richmond, the greater portion of which [is] in its collection, and in a good measure in its transmission we owed to the intelligence and devotion of Miss. E.L. Van Lew.
In addition to what is said above, I have sufficient evidence to show that a valuable library belonging to the Van Lews was strewn broadcast through Libby prison, and that the cash amounts furnished to Union prisoners in place of other assistance would amount to a large sum.
The expenditures of the family during the war have greatly reduced their means; the balance of which do not now, I am told, produce any income of importance. The brother is endeavoring to reestablish his hardware business, but this of course must come gradually.
After the occupation of Richmond, General Grant directed the sum of two thousand dollars to be paid to Miss Van Lew on presentation of the case by Colonel [Theodore] Bowers and myself, “as a partial reimbursement to her or her brother from whose store the funds came.” This language I find in my letter to General Prick of May 31st, 1865, covering the order given me by Colonel Bowers, and which was made on General Patrick’s formal recommendation.
If it be not inappropriate, I respectfully recommend that an enquiry be made into the facts herein stated, some of which are on my own knowledge, and all of which I believe to be true.
A reference to General Butler may open up more information on many of the points, while Mr. [Charles S.] Palmer, Mr. [Robert] Dudley, Mr. [Horace] Kent and other union gentlemen of like standing in Richmond ought to be able to ensure accurate relies to any enquiries made.
In our last interview, you told me that I ought to name some sum, and altho’ I am afraid of doing injustice in complying therewith, and hope that thro’ the representation of other parties the sum may be made much larger, I feel bound to recommend from a very considerable knowledge of the matter that the sum of fifteen thousand dollars be paid to Miss Elizabeth Van Lew for valuable information and services rendered to the U.S. Government during the war.
I do this now without waiting for a future reference, because I am just leaving home to be absent some little time; and now, General, leaving with you, what I believe to be the most meritorious case I have known during the war.
I am with respect & esteem your obedient servant,
George H. Sharpe
P.S. I ought to state that the order referred to was carried out by Captain H.P. Clinton, acting Post Q.M. in Richmond after I left, who, if I am correctly informed, is in business in Richmond as a member of the tobacco firm of D.C. Mayo & Co.*
* Source: This letter was found among the papers of Elizabeth Van Lew.