Spies of the Confederacy

by John Bakeless

Although the Confederacy held few significant advantages over the Union during the American Civil War, it maintained a well-organized 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 colorful 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.

Genres: Civil War, History, Nonfiction

456 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Avery Pitstick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting part of history examined, but not written in a memorable fashion.

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of my many interests, I enjoy biographies and histories a great deal. This book is chocked full of anecdotes about spies for the Confederate forces. Clearly, research is among the author's considerable skills. Unfortunately, writing is not. Despite his best efforts to breath life into these stories, the author rarely achieved more than a dry recitation of the facts.
In fairness, I am not a Civil War buff and this book would probably be a wonderful read for someone who is more interested in the story than the prowess of the author. What I thought minutiae in terms of details about troop positions, a buff may consider riveting information. Where I felt the author expended great energy re-telling parts of a previously mentioned tale, a buff may revel in the recounting of a tale from start to finish even if that meant recovering 'old territory'.
...but that' just my opinion.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a serviceable book about the spies of the Confederacy. I did not know about the stories of Belle Boyd and Rose Greenhow, who were extremely courageous and tenacious, though entirely self-taught in the art of espionage.

The early years of the war revealed a tremendous incompetence and carelessness at high levels of the Army of the Potomac, not to mention hesitation to commit fully and ruthlessly to total war against their fellow Americans. McClellan is a bit overabused on the latter point, I feel. The Confederate Army was outmatched in equipment and supplies but fiercely determined to defend their repulsive cause.

I was especially interested in the account of Benjamin Franklin Stringfellow. His cleverness in escaping multiple captures should make for interesting reading, though this book is not written with the excitement that this subject deserves.

[Christopher Sutch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very interesting tales of intelligence work during the American Civil War. The Union was so unprepared, and so prone to information-leakage, it's a wonder they won. Entertaining, albeit a little dated, scholarship. Particularly problematic is Bakeless's treatment of female spies, whom he manages to both admire and treat paternalistically.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm reading this for a class I'm taking. We'll see.

SO BORING.