A Southern Spy in Northern Virginia: The Civil War Album of Laura Ratcliffe

By Charles Mauro

Book Overview

As the Civil War raged, Confederate brigadier general J.E.B. Stuart entrusted a secret album to Laura Ratcliffe, a young girl in Fairfax County, as a token of his high appreciation of her patriotism, admiration of her virtues, and pledge of his lasting esteem. A devoted Southerner, Laura provided a safe haven for Rebel forces, along with intelligence gathered from passing Union soldiers. Ratcliffe's book contains four poems and forty undated signatures: twenty-six of Confederate officers and soldiers and fourteen of loyal Confederate civilians. In A Southern Spy in Northern Virginia, Charles V. Mauro uncovers the mystery behind this album, identifying who the soldiers were and when they could have signed its pages. The result is a fascinating look at the covert lives and relationships of civilians and soldiers during the war, kept hidden until now.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1596297433
• ISBN13: 9781596297432
• Release Date: June 2009
• Publisher: History Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.98 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.3" x 8.8"