The most effective Union secret agent of the early war years was Timothy Webster, one of Allen Pinkerton's original employees.
On his fourth trip to Richmond, he was confined to his hotel room bed by recurring rheumatism, and could neither return to Washington, or send secret messages to report his condition.
Worried about his best agent, sent two less - experienced operatives, John Scully and Pryce Lewis, to see what had happened to him.
Both Scully and Lewis were soon spotted as suspicious characters by Confederate authorities and arrested. Worse, they had imprudently gone to see Webster in the hotel where he was confined, and their visit threw suspicion on him, which was confirmed when Scully saved his own skin by confessing that Webster was a far more important spy than he.
Timothy Webster was arrested and tried - and condemned to death. His only support in prison came from Hattie Lawton, also a Federal spy, who was later jailed but not executed. She pleaded with Confederate authorities to allow Webster to be shot, as he wished, rather than to make him suffer a felon'[s death by hanging.
Her pleas were in vain; Webster was hanged on April 29, 1862. "He was" wrote Pinkerton, "a faithful, brave, true -hearted man" for whom "Fear was an element entirely unknown."
The Civil War, Spies, Scouts and Raiders", Time Life books, pages34 - 43
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