Rose Oneal Greenhow
Unfortunately for the federal government she was a southern woman and a confederate spy.
Rose oneal greenhow. Personable intelligent and outgoing she adapted easily to the social scene of the capital and people. Rose oneal greenhow or wild rose as she was sometimes called was a successful and celebrated confederate spy during the american civil war. Rose oneal greenhow 1813 or 1814 october 1 1864 was a renowned confederate spy during the american civil wara socialite in washington dc during the period before the war she moved in important political circles and cultivated friendships with presidents generals senators and high ranking military officers including john c. Intelligence service seized from greenhows home in august 1861.
Rose oneal greenhow was born into obscurity but became one of the most powerful women in washington dc. She was returning from a trip to england. Rose oneal married the prominent physician and historian robert greenhow in 1835 and became a leading hostess of washington dc. In southern rain my historical heroine shannon is recruited by a respectable society matron turned spy for the confederacyi had always known rose oneal greenhow was a spy but it had never really struck me how huge it was that she was at the top rung of society in washington dc.
Robert greenhow with whom she bore four daughters. Calhoun and james buchanan and a party to various intrigues especially those of the cuban general narciso lopezin 1850 the greenhows moved to mexico city and then to san francisco. When she was a young girl one of the familys slaves murdered her father. 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.
History behind the story 10. She was rich and attractive and to the disappointment of her many admirers she married yet was widowed in 1854 from her husband dr. Confederate spy rose oneal greenhow drowns off the north carolina coast when a yankee craft runs her ship aground. Rose was truly one of the most incredible civil war women.
Rose oneal greenhow was born to a wealthy slave holding family in southern maryland in 1817. The national archives has digitized and made available in the national archives catalog 175 documents that the us. Rose oneal greenhow was born in port tobacco maryland about1817 the orphan of a prosperous planter family. She was a confidante of several powerful political figures notably john c.
Rose oneal greenhow 1817 1864 was a popular socialite in washington dc and a spy for the south during the civil war. From that point on greenhow strongly opposed the movement to abolish put an end to slavery and grant equal rights to black americans. Calhoun and james buchanan. At the beginning of the war.