Edmonds' profession took a turn during the war when a Union covert agent in Richmond, Virginia was found and went before a terminating crew, and a companion, James Vesey, was executed in a snare. She exploited the open spot and the chance to vindicate her companion's demise. She applied for, and won, the situation as Franklin Thompson. Despite the fact that there is no verification in her military records that she really filled in as a government agent, she expounded broadly on her encounters masked as a covert agent during the war.[page needed]