Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign: How the Critical Role of Intelligence Impacted the Outcome of Lee's Invasion of the North, June-July 1863

by Thomas J. Ryan

Overview

Honorable Mention, 2015, Delmarva Book Prize
Winner, 2015, The Bachelder-Coddington Literary Award, Given by the Robert E. Lee Civil War Round Table of Central New Jersey
Winner, 2016, Gettysburg Round Table’s Distinguished Book Award

As intelligence experts have long asserted, “Information in regard to the enemy is the indispensable basis of all military plans.”

Despite the thousands of books and articles written about Gettysburg, Tom Ryan’s groundbreaking Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign: How the Critical Role of Intelligence Impacted the Outcome of Lee’s Invasion of the North, June – July 1863 is the first to offer a unique and incisive comparative study of intelligence operations during what many consider the war’s decisive campaign.

Based upon years of indefatigable research, the author evaluates how Gen. Robert E. Lee used intelligence resources, including cavalry, civilians, newspapers, and spies to gather information about Union activities during his invasion of the North in June and July 1863, and how this intelligence influenced General Lee’s decisions. Simultaneously, Ryan explores the effectiveness of the Union Army of the Potomac’s intelligence and counterintelligence operations. Both Maj. Gens. Joe Hooker and George G. Meade relied upon cavalry, the Signal Corps, and an intelligence staff known as the Bureau of Military Information that employed innovative concepts to gather, collate, and report vital information from a variety of sources.

The result is an eye-opening, day-by-day analysis of how and why the respective army commanders implemented their strategy and tactics, with an evaluation of their respective performance as they engaged in a battle of wits to learn the enemy’s location, strength, and intentions.

Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign is grounded upon a broad foundation of archival research and a firm understanding of the theater of operations that specialists will especially value. Everyone will appreciate reading about a familiar historic event from a perspective that is both new and enjoyable. One thing is certain: no one will close this book and look at the Gettysburg Campaign in the same way again.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781611211788
Publisher:	Savas Beatie
Publication date:	07/03/2015
Pages:	482
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Thomas J. “Tom” Ryan earned a B.A. from the University of Maryland and an M.A. from American University. He retired after 38 years in intelligence-related capacities for the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense. His book Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign won the Bachelder-Coddington Literary Award and the Gettysburg Civil War Round Table Distinguished Book Award.

Table of Contents

List of Maps vii

List of Illustrations ix

Foreword xi

Introduction and Acknowledgments xiii

List of Abbreviations xxi

Chapter 1 Intelligence Resources: Army of the Potomac 1

Chapter 2 Intelligence Resources: Army of Northern Virginia 32

Chapter 3 Intelligence Plans and Operations 56

Chapter 4 Analyzing the Enemy's Intentions: Mid-May to Early June 73

Chapter 5 Deciphering the Enemy's Movements: June 3 to 7 101

Chapter 6 The Invasion Commences: Struggling to Outwit the Opponent: June 8 to 13 136

Chapter 7 Searching for Lee: June 14 to 16 169

Chapter 8 Screening the Army from Prying Eyes: June 17 to 21 187

Chapter 9 Absence of Coordination Undermines Lee's Objectives: June 22 to 25 215

Chapter 10 Maneuvering for Advantage: June 26 to 27 237

Chapter 11 A Spy Brings News of the Enemy: June 28 to 29 249

Chapter 12 All Signs Point to Gettysburg: June 30 to July 1 271

Chapter 13 Intense Effort to Gain the Intelligence Advantage: July 2 286

Chapter 14 Lee's Flawed Assumptions: July 3 319

Chapter 15 Lee Retreats as Meade Deliberates: July 4 to 5 342

Chapter 16 A Battle of Wits and a Test of Wills: July 6 to 11 367

Chapter 17 The Controversial Escape: July 12 to 14 401

Chapter 18 The Intelligence Battle: An Appraisal 434

Appendix 444

Bibliography 449

Index 463

Editorial Reviews

Through an in-depth and insightful examination of Union and Confederate intelligence organizations, personnel, and operations during the 1863 Gettysburg campaign, Thomas Ryan details how George Meade’s success in the behind-the-scenes ‘intelligence battle’ against Robert E. Lee set the stage for Union victory in the three-day engagement. This book is an important and original contribution to our understanding of why Lee lost, why Meade won, and the titanic clash in Pennsylvania.

Dr. William B. Feis

Thomas Ryan's masterfully researched and written study builds upon the pioneering work of Edwin C. Fishel, Stephen W. Sears, and others. Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign is destined to become a classic Civil War study.

Edwin C. Bearss

Accurate and timely information is the lifeblood of great generalship. Too often do military historians neglect exploring the flow of information and the effect it has on the decision-making of the great captains. Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign, the excellent new book by Thomas Ryan, gives us a new and insightful window into Lee’s decisions and the Union effort to counter them and helps us understand why the campaign ended as it did

David A. Powell

"...a deeply researched, well written, compelling, readable, and balanced account of intelligence operations by both armies during these critical weeks of the war."

The NYMAS Review

No one has studied the critical (and largely overlooked) role that intelligence played in the Gettysburg Campaign like Thomas Ryan. The vital information collected by scouts, spies and civilians—and how it was processed and used by the opposing high commands—is told here for the first time in tremendous detail that helps complete the story of how and why the campaign developed as it did, and the battle ended with Lee’s defeat.

J. David Petruzzi

No one has studied the critical (and largely overlooked) role that intelligence played in the Gettysburg Campaign like Thomas Ryan. The vital information collected by scouts, spies and civilians—and how it was processed and used by the opposing high commands—is told here for the first time in tremendous detail that helps complete the story of how and why the campaign developed as it did, and the battle ended with Lee’s defeat.

award-winning author of The Complete Guide to Gett J. David Petruzzi

Accurate and timely information is the lifeblood of great generalship. Too often do military historians neglect exploring the flow of information and the effect it has on the decision-making of the great captains. Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign, the excellent new book by Thomas Ryan, gives us a new and insightful window into Lee’s decisions and the Union effort to counter them and helps us understand why the campaign ended as it did

award-winning author of The Chickamauga Campaign David A. Powell

Through an in-depth and insightful examination of Union and Confederate intelligence organizations, personnel, and operations during the 1863 Gettysburg campaign, Thomas Ryan details how George Meade’s success in the behind-the-scenes ‘intelligence battle’ against Robert E. Lee set the stage for Union victory in the three-day engagement. This book is an important and original contribution to our understanding of why Lee lost, why Meade won, and the titanic clash in Pennsylvania.

author of Grant’s Secret Service: The In Dr. William B. Feis