Rose Greenhow was a rich,
attractive, and outgoing widow who was very popular member of Washington's
highest social circles ; her friends were former presidents, senators,
and generals. At the beginning of the civil war she joined the confederate
espionage system in Washington and used her social contacts and admirers
to gather useful information for Rebel Government. She is credited with
supplying Confederate Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard with the timetable for the
Union advance to Manassas, thus allowing the Rebels time to consolidate
their forces to win the first Battle of Bull Run in July 1861. Also during
this year she was arrested by Allan Pinkerton because of suspicion.
She also was house arrest. Then in 1862 she was was imprisoned in the Old
Capital. That summer Confederate president Jefferson Davis sent her on
a diplomatic mission to Europe. During her two year stay she published
her memoirs, titled My Imprisoment and the First Year of Abolition Rule
at Washington. She died in1864 by a storm, but she was in Cape Fear River
during it.
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