On august 23, 1861, rose oneal greenhow, a popular society matron and confederate spy, was arrested at her washington dc home. Rose oneal greenhow was a confederate spy and wealthy socialite from washington d. Rose oneal greenhow rose with her daughter national archives. Women spies of the civil war history smithsonian magazine. Rose oneal greenhow was a southern belle of considerable influence in the pre war washington, d. Rose oneill was a selftrained artist who periodically lived in the missouri ozarks throughout her adult life. Rose oneal greenhowborn 1815 or 1817 port tobacco, maryland died october 1, 1864 wilmington, north carolina washington socialite and confederate spy provided information that allowed confederate forces to win the first battle of bull run spying was far more successful than my hopes could have flattered me to expect. Mar 14, 20 the famous rebel spy rose oneal greenhow allegedly used a cipher in 1861 when she warned gen.
Rose oneal greenhow 18171864 and her daughter rose. Women spies of the civil war find out more about rose oneal greenhow and three other female informants who played a significant role in americas bloodiest. Rose oneal greenhow american confederate spy britannica. Intelligence service seized from greenhow s home in august 1861.
Greenhow circulated among the capitals elite social circles, and her home stood within sight of the white house. Rose was truly one of the most incredible civil war women. Rose then traveled to france and england, where she penned a book entitled, my imprisonment. Rose got her hands on the plans the union had made and got the information to general beauregard which led to the win of the first battle of bull run. Cipher wheel, the official rebel rose oneale web site, articles,mchs, farquahar, wild rose, the olde oneale homestead, civil war, washington post, little rose, wild rose, ann blackman, rebel rose, ishbell ross, my imprisonment, rose oneale greenhow, rose oneale and the blockade runners, george johnson, jr. Memorial for rose oneal greenhow at wild rose, as she was called from a young age, was a leader in washington society, a passionate secessionist, and one of the most renowned spies in the civil war. Elizabeth van lew and rose oneal greenhow were operating central spy rings. This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. On this day in 1861, confederate spy rose oneal greenhow is placed under house arrest. At the beginning of the war, maryland native rose oneal greenhow lived in. What follows is a chronological list of the all of the original documents related to rose o neal greenhow which are held in the special collections library at duke university. Rose oneal greenhow, the capitol hill tart and provocateur, flirts her way to fame or infamy depending on ones sectional sympathies.
She started by organizing her own spy ring in her enemys capital, and used the information she gathered to help the confederacy win at least. Rose oneal greenhow, or wild rose as she was sometimes called, was a successful and celebrated confederate spy during the american civil war. Fearless spy for the confederacy, glittering washington hostess, legendary beauty and lover, rose greenhow risked everything for the cause she valued more than life itself. The first important confederate spy was a young widow named rose oneal. The official rebel rose oneale web site the oneal web site. She was wellliked and had extensive social connections because of her late husbands work. For sheer bravado and style, no woman in the north or south rivaled the civil war heroine rose oneale greenhow. Robert greenhow, and their growing family, she travelled throughout the united states until 1854, when dr.
To read that and other civil war newspaper stories of women soldiers and spies click here for a compilation of them done by a grad student from the university of texas at tyler. Women in the civil war tells the thrilling stories of women who served as spies for the north and for the southharriet tubman led union troops on raids up the combahee river in south carolina. Rose s war,18601864, the memoirs of a southern confederate sympathizer, volume i kindle history book 1 mar 25, 2012. Mar 26, 2020 rose oneal greenhow rose with her daughter national archives. Wild rose, as she was called from a young age, was a leader in washington society and one of the most renowned spies in the civil war. Jun 20, 20 she was born maria rosetta oneal and orphaned in childhood when a slave murdered her father. We learned about the existence of rose s european diary through washington author ann blackman in her book, wild rose, civil war spy, a true story, published by random house in june 2005. She was born maria rosetta oneal and orphaned in childhood when a slave murdered her father. She was born on a tobacco farm in maryland and sympathized strongly with the southern cause. Greenhow moved easily in the social circles of the nations capital. Rose o neal greenhow was adept at political intrigue and often involved in scandal. Unfortunately for the federal government, she was a southern woman and a confederate spy. When the confederate army declared victory at the first major battle.
The first important spy for the confederacy during the american civil war was rose oneal greenhow. About rose o neal greenhow rose o neal greenhow was born in montgomery county, maryland in 1817. My imprisonment and the first year of abolition rule at washington by rose oneal greenhow. While rowing ashore in a small boat with two confederate agents, a large waved capsized the boat and rose was drowned. Her father, john oneal, was supposedly murdered by one of his slaves in 1817. Years before the civil war erupted, rose greenhow was a witty and charming favorite of washington society. Rose oneal greenhow was the confederacys most celebrated female spy at the start of the civil war. The famous spys daughter youve likely heard of rose oneal greenhow, the famous or infamous southern spy in washington d.
Washington socialite rose oneal greenhow was beautiful, educated, and refinedher nickname wild rose came from her olive skin and complexion. Rose oneal married the prominent physician and historian robert greenhow in 1835 and became a leading hostess of washington, d. Greenhow, a bearer of dispatches to the confederate government. According to what we read there, this is a brief history of the diary. How a few daring women deceived generals, impacted battles, and altered the course of the civil war by h. His widow, eliza oneal, was left with four daughters and a cashpoor farm to manage. And, if youve seen that photograph, youve noticed someone else in the picture. Among her accomplishments was the secret message she sent to general pierre g.
Rose o neal greenhow, 18171864 rose o neal greenhow was born in montgomery county, maryland in 1817. She wrote a coded letter and gave it to betty duvall who hid it in the bun of her hair. A maryland native, rose oneale greenhow 18171864 grew up in washington, d. Rose greenhow was born in 1817 in port tobacco, maryland, as maria rosatta oneal. Rose o neal greenhow was born to a wealthy slaveholding family in southern maryland in 1817. During her long washington career she knew nine presidents and was the intimate friend and advisor of one james buchanan. Rose oneal greenhow was born in montgomery county, maryland in 1817. Wild rose, as she was called from a young age, was a leader in washington society, a passionate secessionist, and one of the most renowned spies in the civil war.
Aug 01, 2015 on august 23, 1861, rose oneal greenhow, a popular society matron and confederate spy, was arrested at her washington dc home. Rose greenhow is arrested allan pinkerton, head of the new secret service agency of the federal government, places confederate spy rose oneal greenhow under. Rose oneale greenhow, civil war spy, published by random house. Rose o neal greenhow was a southern belle of considerable influence in the pre war washington, d. Rose oneal greenhow was a southern belle of considerable influence in the. Seized correspondence of rose oneal greenhow national. You might have see the photograph of her which was taken while she was in prison.
Spying and espionage were incredibly influential and changed the outcome of many battles during the war, and many of the spies themselves were women. Tubman volunteered for the union as a cook and a nurse before she was recruited by union officers to establish a network of spies in south. I found the diary of rebel spy rose oneil greenhow in the archives unidentified. The life of rose oneal greenhow, confederate spy by ishbel ross also very good. Rose oneal greenhow, 18141864 my imprisonment and the. Beauregard written in a fascinating code the code duplicated in the background on the jacket of this book. Rose oneill historic missourians the state historical. May 23, 2018 rose oneal greenhow 1817october 1, 1864 was a renowned confederate spy. By birth, she is a marylander, but her dramatic journey will take her at last to the old north state.
My imprisonment and the first year of abolition rule at. There were sets of nancy drew mysteries, curlytops. Rose oneale greenhow, civil war spy by ann blackman, random house, 2005. Sep 23, 2017 rose o neal greenhow confederate spy in the us civil war she was born in 1817 as maria rosetta o neal on a small plantation in montgomery county, maryland, northwest of washington, dc. Born in maryland, rose later moved to washington and became a leader of high society there. Rose o neal greenhow, or wild rose as she was sometimes called, was a successful and celebrated confederate spy during the american civil war. Upon her return to the united states, in september of 1864, her ship ran aground off the coast of north carolina. Drawing on a previously unpublished journal, a profile of a remarkable woman describes the espionage career of rose oneal greenhow, a grande dame of washington society and devotee of the southern cause who used her connections and her charm to provide valuable information about union military secrets to the confederacy during the civil war. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages. Irvin mcdowells army shortly before the first battle of bull run in july 1861.
Rose oneal greenhow was born into obscurity, but became one of the most powerful women in washington, d. Intelligence service seized from greenhows home in august 1861. Jan 01, 2005 drawing on a previously unpublished journal, a profile of a remarkable woman describes the espionage career of rose o neal greenhow, a grande dame of washington society and devotee of the southern cause who used her connections and her charm to provide valuable information about union military secrets to the confederacy during the civil war. Rose oneal greenhow papers duke university libraries. I had always known rose oneal greenhow was a spy, but it had never. Given her social connections to powerful men, she was recruited as a confederate spy soon after the outbreak of the war. But with the outbreak of the civil war, everything changed. My fascination with civil war times began when i was about 9 years old. Rose oneal greenhow, confederate spy whose social position and shrewd judgment cloaked her espionage for the south during the american civil war. About rose oneal greenhow rose oneal greenhow was born in montgomery county, maryland in 1817.
For each woman, she found an abundance of primary source materials, such as personal archives and handwritten books. Female spies changed the course of the civil war mental. Women spies confederate states of america biography. The national archives has digitized and made available in the national archives catalog 175 documents that the u. Rose oneal greenhow confederate spy in the us civil war. Aug 23, 2018 on this day in 1861, confederate spy rose oneal greenhow is placed under house arrest. What follows is a chronological list of the all of the original documents related to rose oneal greenhow which are held in the special collections library at duke university. Rose oneal greenhow 18171864 was a popular socialite in washington, dc, and a spy for the south during the civil war.
Beauregard that the union army was advancing toward bull run, but neither of the two known encrypted messages has been discovered. Between 18 and 1814, rose was born on a small farm in rural montgomery county, maryland. Oct 03, 2012 rose oneal greenhow was a confederate spy and wealthy socialite from washington d. As blackman reveals, deadly accurate intelligence that rose supplied to general pierre g. My imprisonment and the first year of abolition rule at washington. Jun 21, 20 rose oneal greenhow 18 or 18141 october 1, 1864 was a renowned confederate spy during the american civil war. Each of these items has been transcribed and scanned. In southern rain, my historical heroine, shannon, is recruited by a respectable society matronturned spy for the confederacy. Oct 02, 2019 confederate spy rose oneal greenhow drowns off the north carolina coast when a yankee craft runs her ship aground. Robert greenhow, a virginian, who was both wealthy and socially well placed. Rose oneal greenhow confederate spy american civil war forums. In the academic world of history, it was a good find one jones planned to keep to himself for a while.
If you enjoy espionage, civil war history, or just a good story, this book is for you. Overnight, rose greenhow, fashionable hostess, become rose greenhow, intrepid spy. Rose oneal greenhow 1817october 1, 1864 was a renowned confederate spy. The next woman i will be focusing on in this blog series is one of these influential spies, rose oneal greenhow. She was a confidante rose oneal greenhow, confederate spy whose social position and shrewd judgment cloaked her espionage for the south during the american civil war. Youve likely heard of rose oneal greenhow, the famous or infamous southern spy in washington d. Due to her personality and position in society, she had highly influential ties to the nations most powerful men and she used this to spy for the confederacy. Rose oneal greenhow 18171864 and her daughter rose by. Rose oneal greenhow 18 or 1814 october 1, 1864 was a renowned confederate spy during the american civil war. Hed been a medical doctor, but hed also done some work for the s. Rose o neal greenhow operated as a confederate spy. Greenhow, a widow in her 40s at the time of her arrest, had been born in maryland but spent her teenage years in the capital living with her aunt.
My maternal grandmother was a schoolteacher and i guess that is why we had so many books in our attic at home. Government officials were frequently entertained at her home. Confederate spy rose oneal greenhow drowns off the north carolina coast when a yankee craft runs her ship aground. Born in maryland in 1817, greenhow was an ardent secessionist. C born into a large slaveholding family in maryland around 18, rose was sent to live with her aunt in washington d. Rose oneal was born in 1817 into a wealthy family in montgomery county, md. Seized correspondence of rose oneal greenhow national archives. Rose oneal greenhow, 18141864 my imprisonment and the first. She built a successful career as a magazine and book illustrator and, at a young age, became the bestknown and highestpaid female commercial illustrator in the united states. When she was a young girl, one of the familys slaves murdered her father. Rose oneal greenhow 18171864 and her daughter rose by the. Her book cemented her exploits in the annals of civil war lore and legend.
Beauregard which ultimately caused him to win the battle of bull run. Book awards book club selections books by author books by series coming soon kids books new releases teens books this months biggest new releases. Rose oneal greenhow was the confederacys most celebrated female spy at the. When the civil war began, greenhow was a widow living in washington, d. In october 1864, greenhow received a full military burial in oakdale cemetery, wilmington, north carolina.
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