Chapter I: Front Matter

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Produced by Suzanne Shell, Josephine Paolucci and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net.

THE SPY OF THE REBELLION

_Allan Pinkerton and General McClellan in Private Consultation._]

THE

SPY OF THE REBELLION;

BEING

A TRUE HISTORY

OF THE

SPY SYSTEM OF THE UNITED STATES

ARMY

DURING THE LATE REBELLION.

REVEALING MANY SECRETS OF THE WAR HITHERTO NOT MADE PUBLIC.

_COMPILED FROM OFFICIAL REPORTS_

PREPARED FOR

PRESIDENT LINCOLN, GENERAL McCLELLAN AND THE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL.

BY

ALLAN PINKERTON,

WHO

(UNDER THE NOM-DE-PLUME OF MAJOR E. J. ALLEN)

WAS

CHIEF OF THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE.

_WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS._

Introduction by Patrick Bass

University of Nebraska Press Lincoln and London

Introduction copyright (C) 1989 by the University of Nebraska Press

All rights reserved

Manufactured in the United States of America

First Bison Book printing: 1989

Most recent printing indicated by the last digit below:

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Pinkerton, Allan, 1819-1884.

The spy of the rebellion: being a true history of the spy system of the United States Army during the late rebellion, revealing many secrets of the war hitherto not made public / by Allan Pinkerton: introduction by Patrick Bass.

p. cm.

"Compiled from official reports prepared for President Lincoln, General McClellan, and the provost-marshal-general."

Reprint. Originally published: Hartford, Conn.: M. A. Winter & Hatch, 1883.

ISBN 0-8032-3686-7 (alk. paper) ISBN 0-8032-8722-4 (pbk.)

1. United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Secret service. 2. United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives. 3. Pinkerton, Allan, 1819-1884. I. Title. E608.P65 1989

973.7'86--dc20 89-33081 CIP

Reprinted from the 1883 edition published by M. A. Winter & Hatch, Hartford, Connecticut. An appendix, "Rebel Forces before Richmond," has been omitted from this Bison Book edition.

CONTENTS.

_Introduction_ 17

_Preface_ 23

CHAPTER I.

PAGE

_An Unwritten Page of History.--A Political Resume.--Abraham Lincoln is Elected President._ 33

CHAPTER II.

_Opposition to Mr. Lincoln's Inauguration.--A Plot to Assassinate him.--The Journey from Springfield, Illinois._ 45

CHAPTER III.

_The Conspirators at Work.--Detectives on their Trail.--Webster as a Soldier._ 58

CHAPTER IV.

_The Conspirators in Council.--My Operative Joins the Conspiracy._ 74

CHAPTER V.

_The Presidential Party Arrives in Philadelphia.--Independence Hall.--The Departure from Harrisburg.--Telegraph Wires Cut.--Through the Lines of Treason.--Safe Arrival at Washington._ 81

CHAPTER VI.

_My Connection with the Rebellion.--Timothy Webster Accepts a Mission._ 104

CHAPTER VII.

_Webster on his Way to the Capital.--Wrecked Trains and Broken Bridges.--An Adventure with a Cavalryman.--A Rebel Emissary.--President Lincoln and Timothy Webster_. 114

CHAPTER VIII.

_Timothy Webster in Washington.--The Return to Philadelphia.--I go to the Capital.--An Important Letter_. 131

CHAPTER IX.

_An Adventure in Pittsburg.--A Mob at Bay.--An Explanation.--Good Feeling Restored._ 142

CHAPTER X.

_General McClellan in Command of Ohio.--I am Engaged for the War.--The Secret Service.--A Consultation.--Webster Starts for Rebeldom._ 151

CHAPTER XI.

_Webster Fraternizes with the Rebel Officers.--A Secession Hat.--A Visit to a Rebel Camp.--"The Committee of Safety."--A Friendly Stranger.--A Warning.--The Escape._ 168

CHAPTER XII.

_I Take a Trip to the South.--Danger in Memphis.--A Timely Warning.--A Persistent Barber.--An Unfortunate Memory.--Return to Cincinnati._ 182

CHAPTER XIII.

_East and West Virginia.--Seceding from Secession.--My Scouts in Virginia.--A Rebel Captain Entertains "My Lord."--An Old Justice dines with Royalty.--A Lucky Adventure.--A Runaway Horse.--A Rescue._ 203

CHAPTER XIV.

_The Rebels Attempt to Occupy West Virginia.--General McClellan Ordered to Drive Them Out.--Early Battles.--The Federals Victorious.--West Virginia Freed from Rebel Soldiers._ 227

CHAPTER XV.

_General McClellan is Called to Washington, and Placed in Command of the Armies after the Battle of Bull Run.--The Secret Service Department.--Its Duties and Responsibilities._ 237

CHAPTER XVI.

_A Female Traitor.--Suspicious Correspondence.--A Close Watch under Difficulties.--I am Arrested.--Exposure of the Treason of a Trusted Officer.--A Disgraced Captain._ 250

CHAPTER XVII.

_Timothy Webster in Baltimore.--An Encounter with a Fire-eater.--Webster Defends Himself.--Treason Rampant in the Monumental City._ 271

CHAPTER XVIII.

_Webster Makes a Journey to the South.--A Secret Organization.--The "Knights of Liberty."--Webster Becomes a Member.--A Sudden Intrusion of the Military.--The Conspiracy Broken Up._ 283

CHAPTER XIX.

_Suspicions in Washington.--"Uncle Gallus."--Property Searched.--A Rebel Family sent South.--Webster Starts for Richmond._ 301

CHAPTER XX.

_The Spy at Richmond.--Earthworks Around the Rebel Capital.--An Unexpected Meeting.--Pistols for Two.--A Reconciliation.--Safe Return to Washington._ 314

CHAPTER XXI.

_Again in Baltimore.--A Warning.--The Spy is Arrested.--And Escapes._ 326

CHAPTER XXII.

_Webster and Scobell.--A Negro as a Spy.--A Traitor Deserts from the Army.--He Carries Dispatches to the Rebels.--Which Fail of Their Destination.--An Attack in the Woods.--"The Loyal League."--Slaves as Patriots._ 343

CHAPTER XXIII.

_A Negro Spy.--Passage on a Steam-Packet.--Lyrical Melodies.--Scobell Deserts the Ship.--His Tramps Through Rebeldom._ 358

CHAPTER XXIV.

_A Perilous Ride.--A Suspicious Peddler.--Uncle Gallus Again.--Scobell Investigating.--Doubts and Suspicions._ 367

CHAPTER XXV.

_The Journey Resumed.--A Midnight Pursuit.--A Brave Woman.--A Deadly Encounter.--Scobell Defends Himself.--Death of a Rebel Spy._ 381

CHAPTER XXVI.

_A Woman's Discoveries.--An Infernal Machine.--The Shipping in Danger.--Discovery and Destruction of the Submarine Battery._ 394

CHAPTER XXVII.

_"Stuttering Dave."--His Tramp Through the Rebel Lines.--An Ammunition Train.--"Dave's" Plan Succeeds in its Destruction.--A Man who Stuttered and "Had Fits."_ 404

CHAPTER XXVIII.

_Another Trip to Richmond.--A Rebel General Taken In.--Curtis Makes Valuable Acquaintances.--"The Subterranean Headquarters."_ 414

CHAPTER XXIX.

_A Virginia Home.--Unwelcome Visitors.--Mr. Harcourt Arrested and Released.--Dan McCowan makes Forcible Love to Mary Harcourt.--The Girl in Peril.--A Timely Rescue.--The Villain Punished._ 429

CHAPTER XXX.

_Curtis Again on His Travels.--A Loving Episode.--Dan McCowan Again Turns up.--The Capture of Curtis.--A Fight for Life.--And Escape.--A Bit of Matrimony._ 445

CHAPTER XXXI.

_McClellan and his Enemies.--The Peninsula Campaign.--The Rebel Forces Before Richmond.--The Union Forces Outnumbered by the Enemy, and their Commander Hampered by Superiors.--An Honest Opinion._ 457

CHAPTER XXXII.

_Webster's Expedition.--His Gallantry.--A Stormy Passage.--A Mysterious Package.--Treason Discovered and Punished._ 468

CHAPTER XXXIII.

_Activity in Washington.--Webster's Journey Through the South.--His Return to the Capital._ 481

CHAPTER XXXIV.

_Webster's Last Mission.--Anxiety at his Long Absence.--No Tidings of the Faithful Scout.--Operatives Sent in Search of Him.--Webster Ill in Richmond._ 485

CHAPTER XXXV.

_McClellan and the Government.--Lewis and Scully Arrested as Spies.--An Attempted Escape.--Trial and Conviction.--Condemned to Die.--Before the Gallows their Mouths are Opened._ 498

CHAPTER XXXVI.

_Webster Arrested as a Spy.--A Woman's Devotion, and a Patriot's Heroism.--Webster is Convicted.--The Execution.--A Martyr's Grave._ 530

CHAPTER XXXVII.

_The Defeat of General Pope at the Second Battle of Manassas.--McClellan Again Called to the Command.--The Battle of Antietam.--A Union Victory.--A Few Thoughts About the Union Commander.--McClellan's Removal from Command, and His Farewell Address._ 561