In the Shadows of Dixie:
How Escaped Slaves Won the Civil War
African-American spies, otherwise known as black dispatches, were commonly slaves that had been emancipated when Union soldiers took over an
area after a battle. These escapees were more likely to tell the Union soldiers information than Confederate deserters. However, a select number would continue to go back and forth between the sides providing the north with vital information.
area after a battle. These escapees were more likely to tell the Union soldiers information than Confederate deserters. However, a select number would continue to go back and forth between the sides providing the north with vital information.
As cool as African American spies may sound, their roles in the spying of the confederacy were quite difficult. Compared to white spies, black dispatches faced far more difficulties mainly because of the obvious difference in color yet they found a way to spy on the Confederates. Most of the black dispatches were actually former slaves helping the Union army by posing as slaves and servants while attaining information from the South. What made them truly effective is the fact that no General suspected them of being spies as they were regarded as uneducated and incapable of understanding war tactics or writing.
This is an artistic rendition of slaves following a route in the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a network of routes and safehouses which were established to assist in the smuggling of runaway slaves and fugitives. The network ran throughout the Deep South into the North, allowing for thousands of slaves to escape from the slaves.
Pictured is Harriet Tubman, the leader of the Underground Railroad. She was nicknamed “Moses” as her leading of the slaves into freedom paralleled the freeing of the Israelites from Egypt. Moreover, she was also the Union spymaster, in charge of heading all operations into Confederate territory. Her contributions to the Union were paramount in their victory over the secessionists.
Pictured is Mary Elizabeth Bowser. She was a slave in the mansion of Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederacy. African Americans were thought not to be intelligent enough to understand the military and
political conversations being held in the mansion. It was also thought that could not read or write. Bowser took the information she heard and transferred it to Union sympathizers in Richmond that later took the information to Union officers.
political conversations being held in the mansion. It was also thought that could not read or write. Bowser took the information she heard and transferred it to Union sympathizers in Richmond that later took the information to Union officers.
Pictured here, John Scobell was one of the Pinkerton agents, a select group formed by Allan Pinkerton, a former Chicago detective. These men and women were former slaves who would go back and forth between both sides of the war and bring valuable information by posing as a slave for the South. This was possible because Southern generals did not see slaves as eduacated enough to matter if maps were left out and plans were discussed in their presence. John Scobell would also seek out information from leaders in the Black community who would know about current fortifications and locations of troops.
Works Cited
CIA, . 6 Dec 2013. <https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/black-dispatches.html>.