SpyCast How did Harriet Tubman operate as a spy?
Feb 18, 2025
Edda Fields-Black, a social historian and author, joins Harriet Tubman’s great-great-great-grandniece, Ernestine Martin-Wyatt, to discuss Tubman's extraordinary role as a Civil War spy. They delve into how Tubman's espionage efforts led to a pivotal raid that freed over 750 enslaved people. Edda shares insights into Tubman’s innovative tactics and leadership, while Ernestine emphasizes the importance of preserving Tubman’s legacy in the fight for freedom and democracy, even as discussions about her potential image on currency highlight ongoing struggles for representation.
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Tubman's Unknown Chapter
- The Civil War period is the least understood part of Tubman's life due to limited official records.
- New sources are necessary to fully document her Civil War service.
Tubman's Strengths
- Despite physical limitations and illiteracy, Tubman led the Combahee River Raid.
- She used intelligence gathering and infiltration to achieve success.
Torpedo Discovery
- Tubman's intel, gathered from refugee camps, helped locate Confederate torpedoes.
- Enslaved people, forced to lay the torpedoes, guided Union officers to deactivate them.
