Historian, inventive 'recycler,' dies at 91

Cushman, Pauline (Spies/Secret Agents/Diplomatic Services/Women ...

(1833-1893)

Union spy during the American Civil War . Famous for both her antebellum acting career and her role as a spy for the United States during the American Civil War, Pauline Cushman was born in New Orleans in 1833 but spent most of her childhood in Michigan. As a spy for the Union, Cushman employed her talents for both verbal and physical disguises.

"Shelbyville, June 18th.

". . . Forrest’s forces on Friday last went in pursuit of a woman to whom suspicion had been attached. She had reached the Yankee pickets in front of Franklin when they came in sight, but on they dashed, driving in the Yankees and capturing their ‘booty.’ She proved to be a Miss Cushman, a theatre actress, claiming relationship with the celebrated Charlotte, and had upon her person plans and drawings of our fortifications, and the disposition made of the latter. It is said that she was a crinoline scout for McClellan in Virginia, and performed valuable services. Her fine talents are, doubtless, occupied at present time in planning an escape from Columbia, where she is under guard. . . ." —Savannah Republican, June 22, 1863, p. 2.

"It is stated that Major Pauline Cushman called on President Lincoln a few days ago, in proper female attire, and preferred her claim for five months of back pay which had been refused her in the West after being wounded and her sex discovered. The President wrote a note to the Paymaster-General, saying that as she had received her pay the greater part of the time, he could see no reason why she was not entitled to the remainder, and therefore directed the payment of the balance ."—Nashville Dispatch, September 29, 1864, p. 1.

Cushman’s espionage career began in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1863. During a performance at Wood’s Theater, a group of Confederate officers dared Cushman to offer a toast in Jefferson Davis’s honor. Cushman took this challenge and an unusual idea to the city’s Union provost marshal, Colonel Moore, suggesting that she offer the proposed toast and convince Confederates in Louisville that she supported their cause. Doing so, Cushman continued, would allow her to carry out activities on behalf of the Union without discovery. The provost marshal agreed, providing Cushman would take an oath of loyalty to the United States. She took the oath. At her performance the next evening, Cushman offered praise of Davis and the Confederacy to her shocked audience. The Northern theater company expelled her and sent her to Nashville. Once in occupied Nashville, Cushman reported to the Union’s chief of army police to get her instructions.

Life of Pauline Cushman, the celebrated union spy and scout

Women in the Civil War, extraordinary stories of soldiers, spies, nurses, doctors, crusaders, and others

The camp, the battle field, and the hospital

Life of Pauline Cushman, The celebrated Union spy and scout. Comprising her early history; her entry into the secret service of the Army of the Cumberland, and exciting adventures with the rebel chieftains and others while within the enemy's lines: together with her capture and sentence to death by General Bragg and final rescue by the Union army under General Rosecrans. The whole carefully prepared from her notes and memoranda

Pauline Cushman, spy of the Cumberland : an accounting and memorandum of her life