Spying
A surprisingly large number of women became spies to help their side win the Civil War. At the beginning of the war few people imagined that demure and delicate ladies could possibly be spies, which made their job easier. They were even allowed to cross enemy lines without hassle. The long-standing tradition of that modest era was that no man but a doctor or husband could touch a woman. This made it extremely difficult for soldiers to search women suspected of being spies, although later in the war when it became clear that they were participating in espionage, they got searched anyway. The hoop skirts and petticoats commonly worn by women offered ideal hiding places for contraband and smuggled correspondence. Some of the information women uncovered an relayed was not of extreme importance, but sometimes it helped their side win a battle.
Southern women had more opportunities to engage in espionage for the same reason that they often nursed soldiers in their homes. With the war on their doorsteps-sometimes literally-Southern ladies found numerous ways to elicit information from enemy soldiers and commanders. Union soldiers often sheltered in Southern homes where their plans were overheard. Some spies used their "feminine charms" to coax out valuable plans and strategies. Still others, both Union and Confederate, lived in a state on the opposing side and just listened to the talk around them before passing it on to someone in a position to act on it.
Spying could definitely be dangerous at times, even for women. No women were executed, but they were threatened with it at times. Many were imprisoned, although it could be difficult to find places to house them since they could not be housed with men. They were sometimes put under house arrest instead, but several did spend time in converted prisons. Captured Confederate spies were sometimes sent back through the Confederate lines to the Deep South in hope that they would cease spying. This rarely worked. Many women just went right back to gathering information. The same could be said of women spies once they were released from prison. They did not give up easily.
Southern women had more opportunities to engage in espionage for the same reason that they often nursed soldiers in their homes. With the war on their doorsteps-sometimes literally-Southern ladies found numerous ways to elicit information from enemy soldiers and commanders. Union soldiers often sheltered in Southern homes where their plans were overheard. Some spies used their "feminine charms" to coax out valuable plans and strategies. Still others, both Union and Confederate, lived in a state on the opposing side and just listened to the talk around them before passing it on to someone in a position to act on it.
Spying could definitely be dangerous at times, even for women. No women were executed, but they were threatened with it at times. Many were imprisoned, although it could be difficult to find places to house them since they could not be housed with men. They were sometimes put under house arrest instead, but several did spend time in converted prisons. Captured Confederate spies were sometimes sent back through the Confederate lines to the Deep South in hope that they would cease spying. This rarely worked. Many women just went right back to gathering information. The same could be said of women spies once they were released from prison. They did not give up easily.