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During the Civil War I wanted to serve the union by feeding information from the confederates in my town, to union generals, and once people found out, my friends turned their back on me, and my family disowned me, and this how the Civil war affected my life.

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The Picture Below shows  Van Lew's cipher code she used in letters.

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Linberry, Cate. “Elizabeth Van Lew: An Unlikely Union Spy.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 4 May 2011, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/elizabeth-van-lew-an-unlikely-union-spy-158755584/.
"Spies in Petticoat" by Judith Harper

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With the help of my information, General Grant was able to capture Richmond and Petersburg in April 1865. I was thanked personally by General Grant and payed some money for my efforts.

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I finally found my first opportunity to help out the Union after the Battle of Manassas. I tried to become a nurse at the Libby prison, but no matter how much I begged they said that I didn't qualify. Instead my mom and I decided to bring food, books, and medicine for the prisoners. Prisoners started to get mad at us and our efforts. They said that we "...invaded our sacred soil." Both of us got many threats some including death. Although this was an awful experience it motivated me to want to help out the Union even more.

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After word was out about my success with Ulysses S. Grant, my community and family immediately labeled me a spy, and could not forgive me, "I do not know how they can call me serving my own country within it's recognized borders... (for)  my loyalty I am now to be branded as a spy-by my own country for which I was willing to lay down my life? Is that honorable or honest? God knows." My mother lost the abundance of social status she once had, and my whole community had already turned on me, but I had accomplished what I wished to, I helped the union and made an impact on the war.

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I was indeed apart of the Union and when times got tough I had to be able to quickly adjust, and think outside of the box. I always pretended to be loyal to the confederates just so I could gather information about them. Even if it was putting my life at risk, it was a risk that I was willing to take. My fellow spies and I also had to use invisible ink to send letters undercover. As you can tell my life at war was all about taking risks and making sacrifices. I was very passionate about this and I wasn't going down without a fight.

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Throughout the civil war my network of union spies passed hidden information in many different ways, to get the information to General Ulysses S. Grant. He once said to me, "You have sent me the most valuable information received from Richmond during the war."

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Born: Oct 12, 1818, Richmond Virginia
Background: I lived in the confederate capital all of my life, but despite my surroundings I strongly apposed slavery and secession secretly. Because slavery was the cause of the Civil War I was willing to do any little thing I could do to help abolish it and get involved. This landed me as a spy doing each and every little thing that I could do to help.
Died: Sep 25, 1900, Richmond Virginia