Born in Richmond, Virginia somewhere around 1839, Mary Elizabeth(Van Lew) Bowser served as a slave until the owner died and his daughter freed all the slaves. Even with her freedom she stayed to help the daughter. And behind this she served as a spy for the Union. In this she helped the North win the war. Mary was the true idea of the courage, talents, and reliability African American people and women could have in a war fought by men. In addition to this, courage among the African American people at the time of the Civil War was a common sight. Men went to fight and the women did the same jobs as a white woman would do such as nursing. But there is a fine difference between the common people and those who chose to be spies for the Union army. The spies for the Union had some of the most dangerous missions. Such as going deep into enemy territory to get information on what the South was planning. Mary had one of the most dangerous missions. Her courage shouldn't be doubted by anyone. She served as a slave right in the heart of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia. She was a servant at the Davis house which means she would see some…show more content… her work began in 1863 when Elizabeth Van Lew was able to get her to serve at a party under the name of Ellen Bond. As Bond, Mary would act as a slow thinking, un-educated, but capable servant. She caught the attention of the Davis family at the party and they kept her around as a full time servant. They had no idea that she was part of a ring of 12 spies in Richmond. Because of her act the Davis family and other high officials didn't care to hide sensitive documents from her. She would often look at them while doing her regular work and memorize what they say.But what they didn't know was that Mary had an education and a near photographic memory. With this she was able to read the documents and reliably get the information to Van Lew and another
