Major General George H. Sharpe and the Creation of American Military Intelligence in the Civil War

by Peter G. Tsouras

This biography of the Civil War officer who established the Union’s intelligence network “is an absolute treasure trove of . . . operational information” (Military History Magazine).   In this biography of George H. Sharpe, acclaimed historian Peter Tsouras recounts the significance of Sharpe’s grand contribution to the Union war the creation of an all-source intelligence operation known as the Bureau of Military Information. Tsouras contends that, under Sharpe’s leadership, the BMI was the combat multiplier that ultimately brought the Union to victory.   By early 1863, in the two-and-half months before the Chancellorsville Campaign, Sharpe had compiled a thorough and accurate Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield. His reports identified every brigade and its location in Lee’s army, provided an order-of-battle down to the regiment level, and a complete analysis of the railroad. Beyond this, Sharpe assembled a staff of thirty to fifty scouts and support personnel to run the military intelligence operation of the Army of the Potomac. He later supported Grant’s armies operating against Richmond during the Siege of Petersburg, where the BMI played a fundamental role in the victory.   After the war, Sharpe became one of the most powerful Republican politicians in New York State, had close friendships with presidents Grant and Arthur, and was a champion of African American civil rights. With a wealth of newly discovered primary documents, including the diaries of Sharpe’s deputy John C. Babcock, Tsouras sheds significant new light on the evolution of Civil War intelligence reporting.

Genres: Civil War, History, American Civil War, Military Fiction, Biography, American History

1066 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 2, 2018

Reviews

[BTD · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great in-depth profile of someone who has been generally forgotten, and probably should not have been. Must read if you are interested in Civil War history.

[Paul P. Marcone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding account of the unsung Father of U.S. Intelligence

Excellent account of Sharpe's life and contribution to creation of modern intelligence work. The book could have benefited from better editing. A lot of sentences are repeated at different points in the book and there are a number of typos. But overall this is a valuable contribution to Civil War history.

[Terry Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is a retired military all-source intelligence analyst and is also a military historian that has written numerous (last count 30) books. This book details the history of the creation of the Bureau of Military Information and is also a first real biography of Major General Sharpe. Although the idea of a centralized intelligence collection and analysis organization was the idea of Major General Joseph Hooker, it was Sharpe, Daniel Butterfield and Marsena Patrick that would professionalize and institutionalize Hooker’s idea into a formal organization.
There are two books that are considered the primary sources for documenting the history of the use of intelligence in the civil war, but this is the first book that is the biography of Sharpe’s life.
(1. The Secret war for the Union: The Untold Story of Military Intelligence in the Civil War, 1996; 2. Grants Secret service: The Intelligence war from Belmont to Appomattox, 2002)
MG Sharpe is essentially the creator of the American Military Intelligence organization. Hooker interviewed Sharpe in early 1863 and Sharpe took the job on February 12, 1863. Sharpe came from an affluent and landed family in Kingston NY. By all accounts he was charismatic, affable, networked with people exceedingly well, had impeccable integrity and preferred to stay low key. The book consists of seventeen chapters and several Appendices for a total of 510 reading pages. There are fifty-four pages of notes and over ten pages of sources (bibliography), of which there are four pages of primary sources which include memoirs, news reports, archive material and letter collections of all the key players of the civil war. The book is a bit redundant at times, but this is necessary to the story parts that the author conveys. Additionally, the author conveys a passion and energy for Sharpe’s story, however, at times I get the impression that the author is overly emphatic (Infatuated?) and glowing of Sharpe’s character. The book is rich with detail with some little known and less know aspects of intelligence collection, key campaigns of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Grants Overland Campaign, and Sharpe’s public and political life after the war, the reader won’t be disappointed with this book.

[STEVEN WOODS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

Did not know much about this Civil War topic. Filled in the gaps in my knowledge. The political career after the Civil War was less interesting.

[Chris Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a remarkably readable, intriguing and interesting book. The research is extensive and Tsouras puts it together in lucid prose. Sharpe was able to accomplish a great deal in “looking over the hill” to divine what the enemy was doing and proposed doing. Using an exceedingly small staff, scouts and agents, time and time again they were able to give commanders actionable intelligence. Just a knock-out book about an important topic.