Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent: How Daring Slaves and Free Blacks Spied for the Union During the Civil War

Small but mighty -- could also describe Harriet Tubman -- a giant of a human being -- truly the Moses of her people. This book may be small but don't let the small size delude you into thinking that there is not much substance in here -- there is GREAT amount of real-life narrative in here -- not only about Harriet, but about the spies she worked with, the other spies in the Confederacy as well as in the North, a very comprehensive narrative of Harriet's involvement with John Brown (I never knew about that at all) and the constantly changing slave laws before, during and after Harriet's time. During the Civil War, many slaves made perfect spies. Regarded by their "owners" as illiterate and clueless, these slaves seized upon that perception to listen in on conversations about troop placement, were able to read and memorize diaries and orders, and in one case, were able to steal blueprints for an ironclad, along with battle plans, and flee the territory - destination, Union Encampment. In this one instance alone, the tide of the war may have turned because of Mary Touvestre's daring. The passages about Clothesline Code were fascinating. So was the information about The Branded Hand (whose, and why?). Elizabeth Van Lew's code -- mentioned at the back of the book, is also found throughout the book, with encouragement to the reader to decode it and then look up the answer on a special web site. This book is highly interactive. The format is easy to carry -- the typeface is almost charming and easy to read -- definitely old world typeface, which is in keeping with the era portrayed by the book. The bibliography is worth perusing for more information. The map, Timeline, Text Notes, Quote Sources, and Bibliography all add greatly to the depth of information provided, and make the subject matter much more alive and exciting -- this is flesh and blood being chronicled - real people whose stories have been heard here and there but who in this book actually do come together and interact just like they did back then. And although this book is primarily about Harriet Tubman, it brings into the reader's world so many of these individuals - Afro American soldiers, their utter fearlessness and bravery in battle, their commanding officers; also Afro American "contraband" who traveled with the served in the Union Army, the slaves and Southern ladies (spies for the North) many of whom did or may have interacted with Harriet Tubman, those spies, known and unknown, who lived to tell the story, and those who died with no one knowing who they were or even where they lie today -- risking their own lives to get and pass on vital information to the North. Most of the photos and illustrations in the book add greatly to the strength of the narratives. However, some of the illustrations are dark and grainy, looking like they were cut and paste-up jobs. (And one final word - this one to the proofreader(s) -- it's "poring" over a document or a map -- not "pouring".)

A really good book but if you don't like historical books you may not like it. It tells you a lot about the Civil War. It's also very interesting, I didn't want to put it down. The only problem is that in the one chapter they're in the middle of a sentence on one page (129 in my paperback edition), and on the next it starts the chapter over again but never gets to that one sentence again so you don't know what it is that they were going to say.

By far one of the most fascinating books on the subject of slaves and freed slaves conducting clandestine HUMINT collection during the Civil War. The author begins with the insurrection by John Brown and his followers and the political intrigues of Kansas and the Northeastern United States. He then details the rise of Harriett Tubman as a coordinator of the underground railroad and case officer for slaves operating in the South. Most fascinating is the tradecraft and conduct of collection by the slaves operating with impunity under the noses of the Southern gentry and military, including Jefferson Davis himself. The author explains unconventional warfare operations in Beaufort, SC and daring raids to liberate slaves from rice plantations. Although the author's treatment of President Lincoln might seem harsh to some, he fully addresses Lincoln's refusal to liberate slaves in the early part of his administration and the retribution he took against many Union officers and abolitionists, such as Freeman. The book touches lightly on Shaws attack against a southern fort but focuses mainly on the operations of clandestine collectors. Although written for younger audiences, this book is a must for any true student of HUMINT and intelligence operations.