Elizabeth Van Lew obtained MANY names during this part of her life: 

 - Crazy Bet

 - Crazy Beth 

 - Babcock

 - Crazy Bett

 - Lizzie

           Elizabeth Van Lew was very good at hiding messages. Before she created her cipher code, she mailed out messages in tiny pieces of paper using different couriers, so the reader had to put the pieces of the message back together to understand the note. She hired her slaves instead of making them work for no pay. She sent them to deliver eggs, clothes, and other household items nobody would suspect. Inside these items, she would slip a note. 

          Van Lew gained the nickname "Crazy Bet" because she openly supported the Union. However, she claimed it to be a mental illnes to use as a cover. 

        Crazy Bet sent one her former slaves to the North to recieve an education. After learning how to read and write, she was planted in Jefferson Davis' house as a servant. While dusting Davis' office, she read plans, documents, and other information the Union could use. During meals, she would not be acknowledged or noticed, so she eavesdropped on Davis' conversations. Later, she would hide messages as Van Lew did and send her collected information to Elizabeth. Elizabeth would then forward it to the Union generals. 

          She also obtained information from the prisoners she helpedescape. During their capture, they overheard plans, information, and other important messages. She had a secret room for the Union soldiers and generals to hide in. She would supply them with food, water, and clothes, then, they would sneak back into the Union with her help. 

          While Van Lew wanted to keep her mission ongoing, she believed in honoring everyone. Colonel Ulric Dahlgren was killed in an attempt to re - enter the Confederacy and free the other prisoners. Upon learning of the amount of care taken of his corpse, the North became infuriated, as the South had not properly buried him. Van Lew decided to take a risk and endanger the mission and bury him properly. 

            Throughout the war, Van Lew kept her spy circle up and running, relayed information to the Union, and honored all. In the process, she spent a lot of money...