Have you ever read a John Bakeless book before? I highly recommend his work, because not only does he present well-researched information, but he was of the generation that knew how to write. History comes alive under his fingers as he recounts stories of the brave and audaciou men and women who spied for the Confederacy. In this volume, he covers the entirety of the war--from the opening days and the short-lived espionage of Mrs. Rose O'Neal Greenhow, to the mid-war exploits of a clever telegrapher who more than once carried on conversation with Union operators, garnering information before they realized he was not who he said he was--to the final push around Richmond. There was a man named Conrad--he walked right under the noses of Yankee politician on a regular basis. There was Belle Boyd, among other spirited ladies, who used their charms to collect information from young Federal soldiers. There was youthful Sam Davis who died rather than betray any secrets and jepardize his fellow scouts. Each chapter contains riviting stories of escapade and espionage in context of the greater picture of the war. We learn how the generals relied on their scouts (a common name even for those engaged primarily in spying) and how timely information can affect the outcome of a military movement. John Bakeless' Spies of the Confederacy was originally published in 1970. I purchased my copy from a sutler at the Swannee River Raid reenactment in 2012. However, it is a Dover book, so if you are intersesting in obtaining a copy, that's a good place to do so.
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