Spies Of The Civil War

Have you ever experienced that feeling that a person around you seems really suspicious, maybe even so suspicious that you think that the person you are with is really your enemy? That happened a lot in the Civil War. Why? Because spies were lurking everywhere in The Civil War Of America.

A Spies Job

The main job of a spy was to gather information against the armies of the enemy. They also reported troop movements so they could move and confuse the enemy or find a strategy to beat the other teams' strategy. Spies would pretend to be loyal to the other side but, they are really against them. Spies usually get more outcome money than regular soldiers because they are vital to either side. Secret information that was leaked by spies could make a HUGE difference in who would win the war. For example, if a Union spy got information that the Confederate side was moving west of them then the Union soldiers could move behind them and totally crush them.

What Happens When a Spy is Caught?

When a spy is caught they get arrested and get thrown to prison. Then, they decide his fate. Usually, the caught spy will be executed because who knows what the spy said to their side about them… It was very risky to have a job as a spy because if you caught well, you're done for. Caught spies were tortured before the execution. Sometimes if you were lucky, you could have the chance to escape and you would not die. Some spies didn’t die by execution or being tortured. They lived a happy life knowing that they didn’t die a horrible death.

The Most Famous spies

Some of the most famous spies were women, which was surprising considering the fact in the 1860’s that women were not allowed to do many of the things that men did. Some of the women spies sneaked in the armies to become spies. Sarah Edmonds disguised herself as a Union soldier before she became a spy! Philip Henson was a very famous spy. He was a scout and a spy for the Union. He helped Ulysses S. Grant win many wars including the Battle Of Vicksburg. After a long time, he was captured but he escaped. The first spy to be executed in the Civil War was Timothy Webster. He got executed when he became sick and his identity was exposed during a checkup. Rose O’Neal was probably the most famous women spies in the Civil War. She passed on information in codes. Unfortunately, she was on the Southside. She once gave info that made the South win the First Battle Of Bull Run

.Spies were a very vital thing to the Civil War. If we didn’t have them then the war would’ve lasted for a very long time.

Works Cited

Civil War: Spies http://www.ducksters.com/history/civil_war/spies.php

Civil War Spies http://www.historynet.com/civil-war-spies

American Civil War Spies http://www.americancivilwarstory.com/american-civil-war-spies.