Events with tag - Confederate Capital

April 1, 1861

Elizabeth Van Lew's Union Spy Network

Elizabeth Van Lew, a Richmond socialite turned Union spy, established and operated the most successful Union intelligence network in the Confederate capital from 1861 to 1865. Despite her Confederate family background, she leveraged her social position to gather critical military intelligence while maintaining the deceptive persona of 'Crazy Bet'.

April 17, 1861

Virginia's Secession

Virginia's decision to secede from the Union marked a critical turning point in the American Civil War, coming after the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter and Lincoln's call for troops. As the most populous and economically powerful Southern state, Virginia's secession transformed a regional dispute into a full-scale civil war.