In conducting his Civil War campaigns in Mississippi in 1862-63, Union General Ulysses S. Grant put together a network of spies to provide him with military intelligence. He recruited a young brigadier general to run the operation and they often provided valuable information that enabled him to win several major battles and carry out a successful campaign to capture Vicksburg. However, there was one costly incident where his information and communication led to failure, and another in which he proceeded with no reconnaissance and scant information about the area south of Vicksburg and still achieved remarkable results. Photo above: Confederate General Earl Van Dorn

Col. Robert C. Murphy

General Grenville Dodge

Vicksburg Campaign map