Confederate Secret Service?

[juliew]

I received a message from a friend, and in part, she wrote, "...the record says he was an officer in the CSA army. We have never found papers but he mysteriously shows up in places of interest. I have been told by civil war historians that there was in fact a secret service for the Confederacy, but we may never know for sure."

Did any records of a secret service survive? What info is available on the secret service? Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[wingatecivilwar5]

I received a message from a friend, and in part, she wrote, "...the record says he was an officer in the CSA army. We have never found papers but he mysteriously shows up in places of interest. I have been told by civil war historians that there was in fact a secret service for the Confederacy, but we may never know for sure."

Did any records of a secret service survive? What info is available on the secret service? Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I found a few articles online, one that suggest the Confederate Secret Service was responsible for 6 areas Sabotage, Intelligence, Foreign Agents, Signal Corps, The Torpedo Bureau and Raids from Canada. Another site claims that John Wilkes Booth was a Confederate Secret Service Agent. Another site www.civilwarsignals.org discusses the topic also.

 

[USS ALASKA]

• Tidwell, William A., James O. Hall and David Winfred Gaddy. Come Retribution: The Confederate Secret Service and the Assassination of Lincoln (1988)
• Matthew Fontaine Maury, Scientist of the Sea, Frances Leigh Williams, (1969) ISBN 0-8135-0433-3
• The Pathfinder of the Seas, The Life of Matthew Fontaine Maury, by John W. Wayland, (1930)
• Life of Matthew Fontaine Maury, U.S.N. and C.S.N., by Diana Fontaine Maury-Corbin.
• The Secret Service of the Confederate States in Europe; James Dunwody Bulloch
• Perry, Milton F. "Infernal Machines: The story of Confederate submarine and mine warfare." Louisiana State University Press, 1985.
• Crowley, R.O. "Confederate Torpedo Service" in The Century / Volume 56, Issue 2, The Century Company, New York, June 1898.
• Bulloch, James D. "The Secret Service of the Confederate States in Europe; or, How the Confederate Cruisers Were Equipped." 1883.
• Tidwell, William A. "April '65." Kent State University Press, 1995.
• Kochan, Michael P. and John C. Wideman. "Torpedoes: Another look at the Infernal Machines of the Civil War." 2002.
• United States Government, Intelligence in the Civil War. Washington, D.C., Central Intelligence Agency, 2005.

...taken from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_Secret_Service
22

Cheers;
USS ALASKA

 

[juliew]

• Tidwell, William A., James O. Hall and David Winfred Gaddy. Come Retribution: The Confederate Secret Service and the Assassination of Lincoln (1988)
• Matthew Fontaine Maury, Scientist of the Sea, Frances Leigh Williams, (1969) ISBN 0-8135-0433-3
• The Pathfinder of the Seas, The Life of Matthew Fontaine Maury, by John W. Wayland, (1930)
• Life of Matthew Fontaine Maury, U.S.N. and C.S.N., by Diana Fontaine Maury-Corbin.
• The Secret Service of the Confederate States in Europe; James Dunwody Bulloch
• Perry, Milton F. "Infernal Machines: The story of Confederate submarine and mine warfare." Louisiana State University Press, 1985.
• Crowley, R.O. "Confederate Torpedo Service" in The Century / Volume 56, Issue 2, The Century Company, New York, June 1898.
• Bulloch, James D. "The Secret Service of the Confederate States in Europe; or, How the Confederate Cruisers Were Equipped." 1883.
• Tidwell, William A. "April '65." Kent State University Press, 1995.
• Kochan, Michael P. and John C. Wideman. "Torpedoes: Another look at the Infernal Machines of the Civil War." 2002.
• United States Government, Intelligence in the Civil War. Washington, D.C., Central Intelligence Agency, 2005.

...taken from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_Secret_Service
22

Cheers;
USS ALASKA

Thank you for providing this information.

 

[Patrick H]

This references look interesting!

 

[juliew]

I found a few articles online, one that suggest the Confederate Secret Service was responsible for 6 areas Sabotage, Intelligence, Foreign Agents, Signal Corps, The Torpedo Bureau and Raids from Canada. Another site claims that John Wilkes Booth was a Confederate Secret Service Agent. Another site www.civilwarsignals.org discusses the topic also.

Thank you for the link - a lot of good info.

 

[Zella]

I have nothing to add source-wise, but I'm really intrigued by the resources shared on here!

 

[Story]

I received a message from a friend, and in part, she wrote, "...the record says he was an officer in the CSA army. We have never found papers but he mysteriously shows up in places of interest. I have been told by civil war historians that there was in fact a secret service for the Confederacy, but we may never know for sure."

If she's inclined to share specifics, that might shed some light on his service.

 

[Miles Krisman]

There is also a relatively new book:

Montreal, City of Secrets
Confederate Operations in Montreal During the American Civil War

by Barry Sheehy

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Was the explosion at City Point executed by the Confederate secret service?

Someone tried to dodge responsibility for the Sultana by having a shot at claiming it to be a Confederate torpedo instead of profiteers stuffing as many passengers on board as there was deck space to stand.

 

[Story]

I'll wager one cold beer that before I draw my last breath, someone positively links the CS Spy Service to the Colt Factory Fire.