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Lincoln's Spymaster
The Civil War conjures images of blood-soaked battlefields in the United States. Few are aware of the equally important diplomatic and intelligence contest that raged between the North and South in Europe. While the Confederacy quickly sought the approval of Great Britain as a strategic ally, the Union utilized diplomacy and espionage to avert both the construction of a Confederate navy and the threat of war with England. At the forefront of the international fray was Thomas Haines Dudley, the American Consul in Liverpool, and “the father of modern American intelligence.” As the Confederates determined to utilize British shipyards, Dudley swiftly established a network of agents throughout England to report on enemy activities. Neither a blockade runner nor a warship secretly under production escaped Dudley’s scrutiny.
Author David Hepburn Milton expertly tells the story of the historically neglected Thomas Haines Dudley and his web of agents. Lincoln’s Spymaster documents the victorious combination of Northern diplomacy, intelligence gathering, and mass mobilization of British public opinion that negated foreign intervention in the American Civil War.
Author David Hepburn Milton expertly tells the story of the historically neglected Thomas Haines Dudley and his web of agents. Lincoln’s Spymaster documents the victorious combination of Northern diplomacy, intelligence gathering, and mass mobilization of British public opinion that negated foreign intervention in the American Civil War.
180 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 1, 2019
For me this book was a revelation with regard to how much was going on overseas in Great Britain during our civil war. I have spent many decades studying Lincoln and that war. But my focus has been social/political and domestic nature. This book revealed how myopic my views have been.
Embarrassing, actually.
This book is pretty well footnoted, and references provided – which provides credibility to what the author writes.
Great Britain – claimed neutrality – but in fact looked the other way while strong efforts were made to build a modern navy for the confederacy. The parliament dithered for years about whether to be overt in their support of the slave owning confederates. The upper crust – monied and those in power – retained their snobbish views of the “colonies” fight. In their hearts seeing the country come apart would be what they deserved after the colonies revolted in the mid 18th century.
Thomas Haines Dudley played a huge role in keeping the Brits from actually recognizing the southern revolt (based on their desire to retain slavery) and stymied the off the record of building a navy for the south. Mr. Dudley basically kept the Brits from openly endorsing the revolt. We owe him a lot, but whoever heard of him before? Surely not me.
The Confederacy worked hard to secure Great Britain’s approval as a key ally. While the union used diplomacy and spies to deter/delay the construction of a military navy that could/would have swayed the outcome. Some of those war ships did escape and did plunder along the eastern U.S. coast line. In those cases Dudley did a great job of tracking the costs so that the Brits would have to repay the U.S. for the damage that the British built ships had done. After the war, Great Britain was presented with a bill for damages.
They never paid a dime.
If the Brits had recognized the south and openly supported them, the war would have in all likelihood ended very different than it did.
The combination of the Brits dithering, the espionage by Dudley and then the military reversals in 1863 (Gettysburg, Vicksburg and New Orleans) that severely damaged the south’s ability to make war.
On a personal note – I lived in Canada for ten years (still have family there and follow their politics, as well.) and from time to time the issue of the U.S. invading Canada after the civil war would come up in conversation. I pretty much dismissed it – believing that it was silly and besides the U.S. was exhausted by 4 years of horrible war. However I can now see why they (the Brits, Canada was not yet independent) might fear that – given that they had been so covertly supporting the confederates. Plus it is well known that Canada was safe haven for confederates on the run, as well as spies. Notable among them was John Wilkes Booth (the coward who snuck up behind an unarmed man sitting quietly enjoying a play and shot him in the back of the head.
Booth was a clear coward of the first order.) Both traveled in an out of Montreal many times. He had money in a bank there, as well. Some claim the plot to kidnap Lincoln – later abandoned – was actually hatched in Montreal.
Embarrassing, actually.
This book is pretty well footnoted, and references provided – which provides credibility to what the author writes.
Great Britain – claimed neutrality – but in fact looked the other way while strong efforts were made to build a modern navy for the confederacy. The parliament dithered for years about whether to be overt in their support of the slave owning confederates. The upper crust – monied and those in power – retained their snobbish views of the “colonies” fight. In their hearts seeing the country come apart would be what they deserved after the colonies revolted in the mid 18th century.
Thomas Haines Dudley played a huge role in keeping the Brits from actually recognizing the southern revolt (based on their desire to retain slavery) and stymied the off the record of building a navy for the south. Mr. Dudley basically kept the Brits from openly endorsing the revolt. We owe him a lot, but whoever heard of him before? Surely not me.
The Confederacy worked hard to secure Great Britain’s approval as a key ally. While the union used diplomacy and spies to deter/delay the construction of a military navy that could/would have swayed the outcome. Some of those war ships did escape and did plunder along the eastern U.S. coast line. In those cases Dudley did a great job of tracking the costs so that the Brits would have to repay the U.S. for the damage that the British built ships had done. After the war, Great Britain was presented with a bill for damages.
They never paid a dime.
If the Brits had recognized the south and openly supported them, the war would have in all likelihood ended very different than it did.
The combination of the Brits dithering, the espionage by Dudley and then the military reversals in 1863 (Gettysburg, Vicksburg and New Orleans) that severely damaged the south’s ability to make war.
On a personal note – I lived in Canada for ten years (still have family there and follow their politics, as well.) and from time to time the issue of the U.S. invading Canada after the civil war would come up in conversation. I pretty much dismissed it – believing that it was silly and besides the U.S. was exhausted by 4 years of horrible war. However I can now see why they (the Brits, Canada was not yet independent) might fear that – given that they had been so covertly supporting the confederates. Plus it is well known that Canada was safe haven for confederates on the run, as well as spies. Notable among them was John Wilkes Booth (the coward who snuck up behind an unarmed man sitting quietly enjoying a play and shot him in the back of the head.
Booth was a clear coward of the first order.) Both traveled in an out of Montreal many times. He had money in a bank there, as well. Some claim the plot to kidnap Lincoln – later abandoned – was actually hatched in Montreal.
December 23, 2015
I gave this book four stars because I thought it was very interesting and I could not stop reading it.
Lincoln's Spymaster is about Allan Pinkerton's live and how he be came the first private eye. The book talks about him as a spy and a detective. He started three different detective offices. He helped many companies ketch the people who robbed there company. He help many railroad officials and cult many of the robbers. He stopped many gangs and had many other detectives help him. He had his helpers help ketch the men and women that he needed to ketch. He was also a spy that helped the Union ketch confederate spies.
Lincoln's Spymaster is about Allan Pinkerton's live and how he be came the first private eye. The book talks about him as a spy and a detective. He started three different detective offices. He helped many companies ketch the people who robbed there company. He help many railroad officials and cult many of the robbers. He stopped many gangs and had many other detectives help him. He had his helpers help ketch the men and women that he needed to ketch. He was also a spy that helped the Union ketch confederate spies.
March 17, 2021
I love learning more about the U.S. history, facts that are not common knowledge yet had a huge impact. This book did not disappoint. News to me that the Confederacy was so close to having a world class navy, if it hadn't been for these men and some women. What would life be like if the South had won the Civil War?
July 30, 2010
I was dubious, at first, about this slim, scholarly volume. It deals with a New England Quaker/lawyer, Thomas Dudley, who became the U.S. consul in Liverpool during the Civil War. How exciting could gthat be? Well more so than you would think. Once I got started I found it difficult to put down. Liverpool was the heart of Britians ship building industry and its cotton importing. It was very pro-South as was the entire English aristocracy including the Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston. Confederates, led by a skilled diplomat James Bulloch, tried to buy powerful warships and blockade runners. Dudley hired spys to find these construction projects, took legal steps to block them, and kept impecable records which led to a world court settlement agasinst England after the war. Several ships, like the Florida, Alabama, and Shenandoah, did escape and virtually swept the seas of American commerce. However, Dudly blocked the deleivery of two powerful "rams" that outcleassed any American ships and would have chewed up the blockade. THe details of the high handed tricks and "logic" ujsed blyl Britian to get around their own neutrality laws was fascinating to read. Ultimatelly, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, and the Emancipation Proclmaation stopped the Confederate drive fro recognition and a clear desire by the English aristocracy to join the war for the South.
December 16, 2011
This is really an amazing tale of spycraft in Civil War Liverpool with Dudley the American agent ("station chief") working angles and unfolding plots with violent denoument on the high seas. It really highlights in detail the complicated role Britain played in the American Civil War.
Unfortunately, the energy is to some extent sapped by an unimpressive narrator with a heady, nearly monotone delivery.
Unfortunately, the energy is to some extent sapped by an unimpressive narrator with a heady, nearly monotone delivery.
June 23, 2011
The library I lived in as a kid was a Victorian house set in a park in Camden, NJ called Dudley Grange. Can't believe it took me this long to find out who Dudley was, and that the library was his house. Loved your house, Mr. Dudley, and wish the book had been more about your life. Interesting just the same.
April 8, 2014
A little monotonous and repetitively redundant...barely made it through, even though it is a short book.
April 12, 2017
A new perspective on the Civil War for me. it's easy to be focused on the progress of armies in the US but this book argues that the war was actually won by the diplomacy that prevented the south from being recognized and receiving international support. Interesting account of the dueling spies and legal battles that won the war for the Union.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews