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Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Union sympathizer, used her money and influence to smuggle information and Union prisoners-of-war out of Richmond.

Belle Boyd, the Southern flirt, shot a Union soldier in her home and provided intelligence about the Northern army to her idol, Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. Emma Edmonds, dressed as Union soldier Frank Thompson, fought in the battle, assisted as a medic and crossed enemy lines to spy on Confederate troops. Rose O’Neal Greenhow, a spy for the Confederacy, discovered privileged information that aided the South in the battle at Manassas.

But in Abbott’s book, women are central players. Historical portraits of the Civil War such as Gone With the Wind depict women as passive actors on the sidelines of decisive battles. Abbott’s portrayal of Rose O’Neal Greenhow, Belle Boyd, Emma Edmonds and Elizabeth Van Lew revise our accepted view of women during this period. Wars are fought (mainly) by men, but Abbott’s exploration of four women during the Civil War argues that women can be just as instrumental in influencing the outcomes of battles. Karen Abbott’s keen eye for discovering diverting stories in the dust of history is on full display in her latest book Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy.