Communication Methods
-Spying was initially left to civilians/slaves/smugglers
-Women were useful spies in Civil War, and were not at as much of a risk as the men, because they could not be ordered hung as frequently. (Lady was a ‘lady’).
-Women would occasionally woo army generals to gain information to pass on to their side.
-Extreme amount of aristocratic sucking-up going on during Civil War, so never knew who to trust. (Often aristocrats used $$$ to finance spy communications) ex: Jacob Thompson financed North Peace Treaty with his $1 million
-Communicated secret messages to the spies via laundry lines: Certain piece of clothing was in a certain place, meant something.
-Took regional accents into account, sound was key b/c officers were from a variety of states/territories
-Elizabeth Van Lew placed messages to Northern Officials within shoe-soles & clothing of her slaves
-Spies often posed as people: Elizabeth Van Lew placed spy in the White House to spy of President Jefferson Davis and report back to the Union army.
-Cryptography: Device used to decode messages, often written in other languages by Civ. War spies so other side couldn’t begin to decode them.
-Spies used the newspapers from each side to determine the army’s next move, spies would bring papers army’s battle plans to print and send messages to their side.
-Civil War made ‘idea’ of spying acceptable, because it was assisting soldiers at war who needed all the assistance possible.
Confederate Spies
-Confederacy was more efficient in planning out acts of espionage than the Union
-Confederate Signal Bureau: Sent signals back and forth, through barricades & blockages.
-Had more aristocratic spies, so had more $$$ to finance plans/operations
-CONFEDERATES RELIED A GREAT DEAL ON FEMALE SPIES
-Sam Davis: ‘Boy hero of the confederacy’ Captured by union army November 20th, 1863
-Given choice of being released free if he revealed who gave him union papers or being executed, chose execution
-Said ‘Would rather die a thousand deaths than betray a friend or be false to my duty, I am ready.”
Union Spies
170,000 of Union spies were black me, 10% of union army
-Allan Pinkerton, head of northern secret service unit, arrested Rose O’Neal Greenhow
-Sarah Emma Edmonds, snuck into male army as a man.
-Union had access to technological developments, which gave them advantage
-Cost them several of the wars battles
Belle Boyd
-Born in Virginia, to wealthy family
-Shot Union spy at age 17 because he was ‘screaming foul things at her mother and herself’
-Became spy for confederacy: Relied primarily on her flirtations with the soldiers
-often disguised herself as couriers, etc. but again relied on womanly gifts
-Rode 15 miles to warn Andrew Stonewall Jackson of the Union’s plan to attack Front Royal.
-Walked onto the battlefield shortly before battle to alert him of Union disposition traits.
-Was arrested 6 times, never imprisoned until 1862, when she was imprisoned in Washington, D.C. and released month later (rowdy prisoner)
-Exiled to the South, pursued acting career and married twice. Had four children.
-Married a former union soldier!
Rose O’Neal Greenhow
-Confederate spy, believed to be responsible for General P.T. Beauregards’ win at Battle of Bull Run
-Traveled abroad educating nations about confederate cause
Elizabeth Van Lew
-Used gender to advantage
-Carried baskets to founded, pretended it was out of goodness of her heart
-Brought books, food, medicine, wrote codes in the books
-Told the prisoners to underline certain words=code, brought back to opposite side
Influence Spies left behind
-Summary of each topic