Unsung Heroines

Unsung Heroines: Female Spies of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg, a turning point in the American Civil War, is often remembered for the clash of titans – Lee and Meade, Pickett's Charge and the desperate defense of the Union lines. However, the road to Gettysburg was paved not only with blood, but also with whispers exchanged in parlors and coded messages hidden in seemingly mundane objects. In this often-overlooked aspect of the war, a crucial role was played by a group frequently underestimated – female spies.

Harriet Tubman: The Conductor on the Underground Railroad

While not a spy in the traditional sense, Harriet Tubman's contributions to Union intelligence cannot be understated. A former slave who had escaped to freedom, Tubman became a legend as the "Conductor" on the Underground Railroad, leading hundreds of enslaved people to freedom in the North. During the war, she put her exceptional knowledge of the South and her network of contacts to use for the Union. She scouted enemy positions, gathered information on troop movements, and even led an audacious raid that freed over 700 slaves behind Confederate lines. Tubman's intelligence provided invaluable insights into Confederate morale and logistics, proving instrumental in weakening the South from within.

Elizabeth Van Lew: The Crazy Bet of Richmond

Operating from the unassuming facade of a boarding house in Richmond, Virginia, Elizabeth Van Lew, known as "Crazy Bet" to her neighbors, ran a sophisticated spy network for the Union. Dismissed as eccentric by the Confederate authorities, Van Lew used her seemingly harmless facade to her advantage. Enslaved people working in her household, most notably Mary Bowser, a young Black woman posing as a simple housemaid, became her eyes and ears. Bowser eavesdropped on Confederate conversations, smuggled messages out in baked goods, and even mapped out Confederate fortifications. Van Lew's network provided crucial intelligence on troop movements, supply lines, and even potential assassination plots against Lincoln.