the Lady Was a Spy: Pauline Cushman and Civil War

She was an actress by profession. A spy by necessity. A patriot by choice.When celebrated stage actress Pauline Cushman is offered money to publicly support the Confederacy, she makes a decision that changes American history. Instead of simply refusing, she secretly reports the plot to Union authorities. Their astonishing response is simple: accept the offer-and become a Union spy.Operating behind Confederate lines, Pauline uses her intelligence, courage, and theatrical talents to charm generals, gather military secrets, and survive one of the most dangerous assignments of the Civil War. Captured, court-martialed, and sentenced to hang, she must rely on her wit and extraordinary determination while the fate of the Union hangs in the balance.Drawing on historical records and the lives of many of the Civil War's most influential figures-including Abraham Lincoln, Braxton Bragg, Nathan Bedford Forrest, John Hunt Morgan, James A. Garfield, and P.T. Barnum-Tom Swartz brings Pauline Cushman's remarkable story vividly to life.A sweeping blend of history, espionage, romance, and battlefield drama, The Lady Was a Spy reveals the extraordinary true story of the woman who risked everything for her country.