Essay On Spies In The Civil War

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Espionage in the Civil War When the Civil War first started espionage was almost completely unheard of in these times. In the beginning, spies had many successful missions because people did not expect anyone was watching them. If the espionage was discovered, the person caught faced many risks such as hanging, or being taken as a prisoner of war. However most people didn't seem to be afraid of getting caught. The spies of the Civil War make up some of the most courageous, and important people in American History ( Wilson V ). Before the war, tensions were rising and States were starting to secede from the Union. The states that were leaving the nation were causing problems for an important figure named Allen Pinkerton. When the Civil War …show more content…

They were also used often, because if they were caught their punishment would sometimes be less severe than if it were a man. African-American men and women also were used frequently for spying. They were eager to help because of the prospect of slavery ending ( Women Spies of the Civil War ). Harriet Tubman, a huge leader of the Underground Railroad, was used as a spy during the Civil War. She was extremely useful because she knew the land well from her time with the Underground Railroad. She recruited a group of former slaves from South Carolina to help spy on rebel camps and report on the movement of Confederate soldiers. Her efforts helped the Union gunboats get the jump on Confederate troops. At the end of the war, she tried to collect money for her efforts, but was denied. Money was finally given to her family many years after her death ( Engle …show more content…

Cushman knew she needed to get back to Nashville before she was discovered. The only way to get into Nashville posing as a Confederate was to hire a Confederate smuggler named Milam. She went to his house asking for his help, but he turned her down ( National Park Service ). In her hurry to leave, she forgot the stolen papers and a few other belongings at Milam’s house. This was enough evidence for Braxton Bragg to arrest her. After a four day trial, Cushman was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. The Union army rescued her and she returned to Nashville. Her brush with death was a story in all over the newspapers in the North and many women looked up to her ( Abe Lincoln’s Loveliest Spy ). For her efforts, she was promoted to the rank of Brevet-Major and was known as Miss Major Cushman ( National Park Service ). The methods used to spy during the Civil War are amateurish compared to today’s standards. It was easier back then too. Many people did not know how to keep their mouth shut when handling important information, and they were too trusting of people ( Engle

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