Spies of the Confederacy

Although the Confederacy held few significant advantages over the Union during the American Civil War, it maintained a well-organised and highly efficient system of espionage. While Union spies failed to penetrate Jefferson Davis's inner circle, the Confederacy had a deeply entrenched network of undercover agents throughout the Federal Government, especially in the War Department.This intriguing account, written by a former intelligence officer of the U. S. Army, offers a well-documented history of the spies who served the Southern cause. Manuscripts from state and national archives, historical journals, and government records, as well as personal narratives published by many of the agents themselves, describe the risky business of the Confederate spies. The cast of historical figures is dotted with colourful personalities: Mrs. Rose Greenhow, the devious Rebel Rose, and her strategic romantic conquests; John Singleton Mosby, the hard-riding Gray Ghost; and a host of other spies, famous and obscure. Thrill-packed commentaries detail the activities of Rebel agents in Washington, at Bull Run, Gettysburg, and elsewhere, telling of false orders, wiretaps, fraud, and other treacherous maneuvers.Civil War buffs, students of American history, and spy story devotees will find this fascinating account of true-life adventures particularly absorbing and enlightening.