Bold...Brilliant...Brave...
Heroines
Throughout History
PETTICOAT
SPIES
~
Tara Kingston
Greetings! I’m Tara Kingston, historical romance author and lover of all
things Victorian. I’m fascinated by history through the ages, especially the
bold, brilliant women who helped shape our world, and I’m delighted to be a monthly
contributor to History Undressed. I’ll be sharing facts about daring women
through history—some famous, some not so well-known, but all remarkable with
their own unique contributions.
Today’s post takes a look at several female spies of the Civil War era. Driven
by fierce loyalty, women on both sides of the conflict faced incredible risks
to gather intelligence that help defeat the enemy. This month, the focus is on
some of brave women who spied for the Union.
Elizabeth Van Lew ~ The true story
of the Richmond, Virginia matron known as Crazy Bet was the inspiration for the
cagy spymaster in Pistols, Parasols &
Passionate Little Lies, the second book in my Secrets & Spies series. Abolitionist Elizabeth Van Lew capitalized
on her eccentric personality while she operated a spy ring out of her Richmond
home. While making visits to provide aid and food to Union prisoners at Libby
Prison, she was able to funnel information to the inmates and aided those who managed
to escape.
Pauline Cushman ~ Actress Pauline
Cushman served as a Union spy behind enemy lines, using her charm and acting
skills to gain access to intelligence. Caught with Confederate battle plans,
she was tried and sentenced to hang, but narrowly escaped execution. After her
rescue by Union forces, she was honored by President Lincoln and awarded the
rank of Brevet-Major by General James Garfield.
Harriet Tubman ~ The renowned
Underground Railroad conductor served as a spy behind the Confederate line during
the Civil War, establishing a spy network of former slaves. In 1863, she became
the first American woman to lead a military expedition when she led a raid to
free hundreds of slaves from rice plantations along the Combahee River in South
Carolina.
Sarah Emma Edmonds ~ Disguised as a man, Sarah Edmonds (under the alias Frank Thompson)
enlisted in the 2nd Michigan Infantry as a male field nurse. She
later is said to have served as a spy, infiltrating the Confederate Army behind
enemy lines using a variety of disguises, including the persona of an Irish
peddler named Bridget O’Shea and dyeing her skin with silver nitrate to affect
the persona of a black man named Cuff.
Petticoat spies like these
courageous women inspired my Secrets
& Spies series. The first book in the series, Secrets, Spies & Sweet Little Lies, is on sale for Kindle until
May 28 for only 99 cents! Here’s a link: Secrets, Spies & Sweet Little Lies on Kindle
Here’s a little about the story:
A heart's destiny
cannot be denied when a daring Union spy abducts a beautiful runaway bride he
suspects of being a traitor.
Emma Davenport was a model senator’s daughter: prim, proper, but
hell-bent on escaping the dreaded fate of spinsterhood that awaited her under
wartime Washington’s all-too watchful eye. She was going to be a bride, and no
one was going to stop her. Not even the daring renegade who steals her from a
train transporting her to a forbidden marriage. Her heart tells her this mysterious
desperado is a dangerous man, but the pleasure of his touch is a more potent
threat than any weapon.
Union Army Major Cole Travis is a highly trained operative, as skilled
with deception as he is with a gun. Keeping a beautiful traitor from her rendezvous
with a treacherous scoundrel shouldn’t be a challenge for the battle-seasoned
spy—but he’s not the only one after his tempting captive. Emma Davenport must
be kept out of enemy hands at all costs. Drawn to this woman whose innocent
allure may be just another weapon in her arsenal, Cole risks his neck to shield
her. Soon, however, protecting her from his own heart’s desire becomes another
story entirely.
To Read More About Civil War
Petticoat Spies:
https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/spies/10.htm
https://www.nps.gov/resources/person.htm?id=76
All photographs are in the public domain.
About The Author:
Award-winning author Tara
Kingston writes historical romance laced with intrigue, danger, and adventures
of the heart. A Southern belle-out-of-water in a quaint Pennsylvania town, she
lives her own love story with her real-life hero in a cozy Victorian. The
mother of two sons, Tara's a former librarian whose love of books is evident in
her popping-at-the-seams bookcases. It goes without saying that Tara's husband
is thankful for the invention of digital books, thereby eliminating the need
for yet another set of shelves. When she's not writing, reading, or burning
dinner, Tara enjoys cycling, hiking, and cheering on her favorite football
team.
Connect with Tara at www.tarakingston.com and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTaraKingston
In a world where a man’s loyalty doesn’t depend on the color of a
uniform, danger, intrigue, and passion are facts of life for the men and women
of Tara’s Secrets &
Spies series, historical romances set against the backdrop of the Civil War.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GK677PY/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
1 comment:
If only school curricula started with stories like THESE! I would have loved history class!
And I want to see a spy flick about Crazy Bet. I hope someone offers you a film contract!
Post a Comment