Civil War Spies
By: Emma Sinclair
Union Spies - Elizabeth Van Lew
Elizabeth was known as "Crazy Bett". She operated an espionage enterprise on her family's farm, putting herself and her family in danger. She lived in Richmond, Virginia, but she was loyal to the Union. She pretended to be loyal to the Confederacy, but really she was helping her neighbors enemy. She sent important information to Union leaders, gave food and medicine to Union prisoners of war, and helped them to escape the prison camps.
Confederate Spies - Rose O'Neal Greenhow
Rose was very friendly with many top Union government officials. So, she was able to overhear information about Union movements and what their next move would be. She sent coded messages to her Confederate comrades. She was arrested and put under surveillance, but that did not stop her from going back to get more information.
Union Spies - Timothy Webster
He was the Civil Wars first double-agent. The Confederate Secretary of War came to trust him and he was sent to deliver important papers to Confederate supporters in Baltimore. Instead, he gave them to the Union. He was arrested, convicted as a spy, and sentenced to death.
Confederate Spies - Henry Thomas Harrison
He became a spy for General James Longstreet in 1863. He gave the Confederates information about Union movements and changes, he was usually payed in gold.