Elizabeth was asked to be allowed to visit Union prisoners held by the Confederates in Richmond and began taking them cloths, food, and medicines. While she was there she realized that many of the prisioners had been on the Confederate lines so they had really valuable information about the movements. Elizabeth began her spying in the North for the next four years, she was setting up networks of couriers and making up codes. For all of her hard work she was made Postmaster of Richmond by General Grant.
As the war went on , Elizabeth put her mother and family servents into the spy ring. By doing this she broke the prision's commandant. Van Lew most success was inplacing a spy in the White House. When Richmond finally fell, Grants first actions were to visit Elizabeth and have tea with her on her columned porch. Grant wrote to her "You have sent me the most useful information recieved from Richmond during the war.
After Elizabeth Van Lew died her apprication of her kindness to her country, the people had a gravestone erected on her grave which said," She risked everything that is dear to man-friends,fortune,comfort,health, life itself, all for the one absorbing desire of her. Many people say she was one of the best spies in the Civil War.