Get ready to delve into the world of Civil War espionage. Both sides used kids as spies during the War Between the States quite frequently. Now, you can be a spy too.
A reproduction Confederate cypher disk by Don Markle
The first thing to do if you want to be a spy is to contact a signal corps unit like the Signal Corps of the James or Chesapeake Signals and tell them that you are intersted. They will have more than enough information for you (more than I can provide here for confidentiality reasons! This really is top secret stuff!) and they will be glad to get you started.
Most spies of that period were civilians, so you will need a really good civilian impression. Just remember, you will need to have several sets of clothes because people will start to recognize you after a while. The basic principle of modern spying in reenacting is essentially the same as it was then. Your job is to gather information from the enemy however possible. Before a tactical, information like this can really help.
The Confederates and the Federals both used newsboys to obtain valuable information from the other side. As they sold newspapers, they would make small talk with their customers (the soldiers) and find out what they needed to know. Kids are perfect for a job like that because people will tell them ANYTHING. An innocent looking little kid or a flirtatious young lady can obtain vast amounts of intelligence with ease.
Almost any childhood object can be made into a safe place to hide a message. Dolls can be hollowed out and have a message in them as well as drumsticks and eggs. Girls can also put pockets on the inside of their petticoats for messages. After all, what gentleman in his right mind would check there?
If you want to learn more about spying in the Civil War and portraying a spy in reenactments, read "Spies and Spymasters of the Civil War" by Don Markle or talk to a Signal Corps reenactor. You can get started quickly and easily. Just don't get your cover blown!
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