Allan Pinkerton: The First Private Eye

by James A. MacKay

Allan Pinkerton Around the world, his name is synonymous with security and protection. The legendary agency he began nearly one hundred and fifty years ago is still in operation today, as are many of the surveillance and infiltration techniques he originated. His company's trademark symbol, a large, unblinking eye, inspired the term private eye. As befits a man who spent so much of his life working behind the scenes, Allan Pinkerton's life has been shaded in mystery and misinformation. Now, after a decade of painstaking research, award-winning biographer James Mackay pierces the web of contradictions, half-truths, and myths to reveal, for the first time, the true story of the life and career of this colorful, complex, and controversial man. Born in Scotland, Allan Pinkerton arrived in America with a solitary silver dollar in his pocket and—as legend has it—the law hot on his heels. A cooper by trade, he might have spent his life making barrels but for a fateful trip in the summer of 1846. On an uninhabited island, where he had gone to cut saplings for barrel staves, Pinkerton happened upon a thicket where a blackened patch suggested a recent fire. To Pinkerton, it also suggested something was amiss. In what became his very first case, the young cooper employed his acute powers of deductive reasoning, patience, and perseverance that would become the hallmarks of his modus operandi. His dogged determination (and several damp, cold, lonely nocturnal vigils) paid off when a gang of counterfeiters was discovered. The modern detective was born. Through four decades of tumultuous history, Allan Pinkerton left an indelible mark. From the Underground Railroad to the Chicago underworld to Pennsylvania and the civil unrest of the notorious Molly Maguires, he took on bandits, bank robbers, kidnappers, spies, and even Jesse James himself. His role in the Civil War was as Lincoln's spymaster, he managed a network of spies who worked behind Confederate lines and tackled espionage at the highest levels in Washington itself. In particular, James Mackay's scrupulously balanced account challenges the conventional view of the controversy surrounding Pinkerton's role in the Peninsular campaign of 1862. Was poor intelligence responsible for prolonging the war? A man of firm beliefs and principles, Allan Pinkerton could be a fair-minded employer—and an absolute tyrant as a husband and father. As intriguing as any of the detective's countless cases, Allan The First Private Eye is a masterful look at an extraordinary figure, filled with the rich, revealing details that distinguish the best biographies. "James Mackay, the award-winning biographer of Robert Burns, is the first historian to attempt to shade in both the darker and lighter sides of Pinkerton, and the result is the tightest and most reliable account so far, a portrait of a man at once deeply admirable and quite obnoxious." —The Times (London). "A fair-minded and thorough analysis of a complex and contradictory man . . . an impressive look at the life of Pinkerton." —The Daily Telegraph (London).

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, American History, Civil War, Crime

284 pages, Hardcover

First published April 11, 1996

About the author

Also credited as "James MacKay" or "James Alexander MacKay".

Dr. James Alexander MacKay was a prolific Scottish writer and philatelist whose reputation was damaged by a criminal conviction for theft and repeated accusations of plagiarism. In an obituary by John Holman, Editor of the British Philatelic Bulletin, Mackay was described as a "philatelic writer without equal". Mackay's output was broad.

Reviews

[Eli - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Started out slow with the history of the area of Scotland where Pinkerton was from. I also wasn’t a fan of the chapters during the Civil War.

[Gabriel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of this book's 240 pages, at least 70 have almost nothing to do with Allan Pinkerton and a great deal to do with General George McClellan. Don't know who that is? Civil War General. Don't care? Me neither.

MacKay is, from the evidence presented here, a moderately fine historian and a horrible biographer. Anyone wanting a biography of Allan Pinkerton should know that this unbearably boring book is, in fact, about the Civil War (oh, thank God! Finally, a book about the Civil War! I was wondering when they were going to print one of those) and, rather sullenly, about Pinkerton's involvement in it.

Even those parts that aren't about General McClellan are only sort of about Pinkerton. This might be a good thing, in moderation-- we get a good sense of the events that Pinkerton is supposed to be a part of. But "a good sense" is all. MacKay seems to forget that Pinkerton is supposed to be a part of these events, like a kid who's been given a toy that he doesn't particularly like, and his parents keep reminding him, "Here it is! Here's that toy that you wanted! Don't you want to play with it?" No, MacKay doesn't. He wants to talk about the Civil War, thank you very much.

Do I have to say that I have no desire AT ALL EVER IN MY LIFE to read a book about the Civil War? I don't. Especially one that is disguised as a book about "The First Private Eye." I grew up just a few blocks away from a Civil War reenactment site, in the South, and I know enough about the damn Civil War to get me through this life and the next.

There should be a disclaimer-- if your book has more than five pages about Civil War battles or campaigns, there should be a bright yellow label on the cover reading WARNING: CONTAINS CIVIL WAR HISTORY. PLEASE HANDLE WITH CAUTION. DO NOT READ UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. IF READ, CONSULT A GERONTOLOGIST IMMEDIATELY AND DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER. DISCARD UNUSED PORTION AFTER THIRTY DAYS.
And they should really put these things out of reach of the general population. Libraries and bookstores should not be polluted by these books. One might safely display such titles in boardrooms of giant corporation's satellite offices, or at sales conventions in Southern hotels, or in cigar bars in suburban sprawl cities. For gentlemen of leisure.

I hate the Civil War, okay you bastards? Now leave me alone with your Civil War. The Civil War! Sweet Mary and Joseph! Enough already. Don't you think it's enough already? Enough already!

[Alan Robisch · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting book but could have included much more detail to get a better understanding of the man.The most interesting and informative for me was his life in Scotland. It is light reading though he uses British English surprisingly with terms like gaol for jail.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating man written in a clear and entertaining voice. Wasn't a dry history for a moment!

[Cheryl Conlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great biography of Allan Pinkerton. It follows Pinkerton’s life from beginning to end. There is a lot of info about the Civil War and Pinkerton’s role in it.

[Steve Schinke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although the book provided some interesting information on McClellan and the Lincoln assassination conspiracy, it was not a compelling read.

[Karen E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

In addition to starting the first "Private Eye" service, Pinkerton played a major part in providing intelligence for the Union in the Civil War. Their agents also provided body guard/protection services for wealthy clients as well as maintaining international police information before Interpol. This book also brings up questions as to the role of Stanton (Secretary of War) in the assassination of Lincoln. In addition to Lincoln, Seward was attacked. Grant was supposed to be in the theater box with Lincoln, but decided against going relatively close to the time of the assassination. Apparently there was a letter left at the home of Vice Present Johnson that was intended to implicate him in the murder. With all those men "out of the way," Stanton would have been in line for the presidency. Now I know what Detective Crosetti was talking about in Homicide: Life on the Street!

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting story of the man who arrived from Scotland with a dollar in his pocket in 1846 and ultimately created the Pinkerton detective agency which survives and flourishes to this day. Prior to the advent of the FBI in the early stages of the 20th century the Pinkertons were the de facto national police force in the US. Along the way, Pinkerton also served the Union during the Civil War by providing intelligence services and later gained notoriety for tracking down many infamous criminals in the post-Civil War era, most noteworthy being Jesse James (although unsuccessfully in this case!).

[Kathleen (itpdx) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Allan Pinkerton lived an interesting life in interesting times, but this biography doesn't make it. MacKay spends a lot of time defending Pinkerton against earlier biographers. The author also works hard at defending General McClellan who employed Pinkerton during the Civil War. When MacKay told the story of a Pinkerton "operation" the book became much more interesting. I would rate this as an academic, not a general interest biography.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography was pretty good. The middle part (spying in the Civil War) was quite better than the ending where the timeline of the story got jumbled. Still, it was entertaining and a peak into a life I knew very little about.

[Chris and Yuri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little research on the world's first private eye. Fascinating read, and mostly well-written, except for some over-the-top adoration for its subject, and some bad-mouthing of Stanton that I seem to remember being deflected by both the Donald Lincoln as well was Doris Kearns Goodwin's book.

[Kate Hannigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detailed and fascinating look at Allan Pinkerton and his amazing role as the nation's first real detective. A surprising progressive. Really fun read for history buffs.

[Susan Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning of my family in USA! Amazing book of facts and truth.