Although documentation shows that the American Civil War was conducted in large part by amateurs, the activities of spies gained some unprecedented sophistication thanks to new technology - photography, telegraphs and even hot-air balloons. Donald E. Markle details the rapid advances in methods of covert communication via newspaper and telegraph, and their efforts on the war front. Enemy newspapers, for instance, became a coveted asset for the spy.

This comprehensive work covers the entire history of Civil War espionage for both the Union and Confederate armies. This edition includes new photos and drawings of both Union and Confederate spies, and new chapters including: The stories of what happened to many notorious spymasters after the war; New info. about the extensive intelligence gathering done by the civilian population; The development of American political and military intelligence from its origins in the Civil War to the present day. Appendices: All known Civil War spies -- 432 in all; A biblio. of books written by Civil War spies; A glossary of Civil War spy terms. ¿The ultimate guide to understanding Civil War espionage, and the foundation it built for modern-day military intelligence.¿

This book covers the entire history of Civil War espionage including an extra chapter on espionage after the war ended. The activities and tactics of hundreds of spies are described, including in-depth descriptions of spymasters like Allan Pinkerton, Lafayette Baker, and Generals Dodge, Sharpe and Garfield. The book also examines the role of the negro underground organisationsd and women spies.

A biography of Revolutionary War general and first President of the United States, George Washington, focusing on his use of spies to gather intelligence that helped the colonies win the war.

“A treasure trove for historians . . . A real addition to Civil War history” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). At the end of the American Civil War, most of the intelligence records disappeared—remaining hidden for over a century. As a result, little has been understood about the role of espionage and other intelligence sources, from balloonists to signalmen with their telescopes. When, at the National Archives, Edwin C. Fishel discovered long-forgotten documents—the operational files of the Army of the Potomac’s Bureau of Military Information—he had the makings of this, the first book to thoroughly and authentically examine the impact of intelligence on the Civil War, providing a new perspective on this period in history. Drawing on these papers as well as over a thousand pages of reports by General McClellan’s intelligence chief, the detective Allan Pinkerton, and other information, he created an account of the Civil War that “breaks much new ground” (The New York Times). “The former chief intelligence reporter for the National Security Agency brings his professional expertise to bear in this detailed analysis, which makes a notable contribution to Civil War literature as the first major study to present the war’s campaigns from an intelligence perspective. Focusing on intelligence work in the eastern theater, 1861–1863, Fishel plays down the role of individual agents like James Longstreet’s famous ‘scout,’ Henry Harrison, concentrating instead on the increasingly sophisticated development of intelligence systems by both sides. . . . Expertly written, organized and researched.” —Publishers Weekly “Fundamentally changes our picture of the secret service in the Civil War.” —The Washington Post

Brief life sketches and achievements of 51 eminent spies and spymasters.

Sir Francis Walsingham’s official title was principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I, but in fact this pious, tight-lipped Puritan was England’s first spymaster. A ruthless, fiercely loyal civil servant, Walsingham worked brilliantly behind the scenes to foil Elizabeth’s rival Mary Queen of Scots and outwit Catholic Spain and France, which had arrayed their forces behind her. Though he cut an incongruous figure in Elizabeth’s worldly court, Walsingham managed to win the trust of key players like William Cecil and the Earl of Leicester before launching his own secret campaign against the queen’s enemies. Covert operations were Walsingham’s genius; he pioneered techniques for exploiting double agents, spreading disinformation, and deciphering codes with the latest code-breaking science that remain staples of international espionage.