Word Count: 1008
Allan Pinkerton , born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1819, emigrated to Chicago
. He was
America’s first “private eye.” A man of many contradictions, he was a conservative
who strongly opposed slavery, a very cautious man who risked his life capturing criminals,
a militant labor organizer who suppressed the labor movement, and fought for women’s
rights to
be detectives.
During his twenty-eight year career as a private detective, Allan Pinkerto
n and his
agency investigated over a thousand crimes. Pinkerton was involved in many dramas
of the nineteenth century. Work and the Underground Railroad became his life. The
Pinkert
on’s fed and sheltered fugitives in their own home. Pinkerton was a very moral
man and despise
d slavery. The crisis over slavery brought the nation to the brink of the
Civil War. The Sout
h demanded a guarantee that slavery would continue in the states
where it was already establish
ed and permitted to spread to the Midwest and West. The
South also wanted the North to return
any slaves who fled there via the Underground
Railroad. The North wanted to stop the spread of
slavery. In 1850 the Fugitive Slave Act
was passed, which made it a federal crime for slaves
to run away and a crime for anyone
to assist them. Allan Pinkerton could be arrested and impri
soned for his involvement
in assisting the slaves.
When the war began, Allan Pinkert
on would finally combine his detective skills with
his abolitionist beliefs. Allan Pinkerton
protected Abraham Lincoln against southern
radicals, who demanded the Union be dissolved and th
e Southern states form an independent
government. They hated Lincoln because they feared he wo
uld abolish slavery. In 1861,
Pinkerton uncovered a plot to assassinate President Lincoln. Pin
kerton , with his top agents,
posed as Southern sympathizers and found themselves within the co
nspirators. As a spy
in the their midst, the plot was uncovered. As President Lincoln changed
trains in
Maryland on February 22, he would be shot. Some of the guards protecting the Preside
nt
were also Southern radicals. At the same time there was another plot to blow up the train
carrying Lincoln. Once the train was destroyed, they would cut the telegraph wires and
b
low up bridges and train tracks to prevent Northern troops entry into Baltimore.
If Presid
ent Lincoln was killed, there would definitely be a civil war. Pinkerton acted
quickly and cha
nged the original trip plans. They would leave immediately, two days
early. Although the Presi
dent made it to Washington safely, Southern rebels in Baltimore
attacked the railroad. War wa
s inevitalble. Washington was filled with spies and Pinkerton
approached the President, offerin
g to create a secret service to uncover and arrest the
spies. Lincoln would not agree.
George McClellan, an old friend of Pinkerton’s, wanted him to set up a military
intelligence
operation and send agents into the South. Pinkerton assigned himself
and traveled as E.J.Alle
n, a Southern rebel. The information he gathered helped
McClellan win several minor battles i
n the Ohio Valley when war broke out. In 1861,
Pinkerton received devastating news. The North
ern Army of the Potomac had been
defeated at Bull Run in the first major battle of the Civil Wa
r.
Pinkerton’s most challenging opponents was Rose O’Neal Greenhow, the South’s
most pr
oductive and effective spy. She concealed information that thwarted the
attack by General Geo
rge McDowell at Manassas, outside of Washington. Pinkerton
realized Rose Greenhow, “the Southe
rn Rose,” presented a great danger and had to be
arrested. A Union army captain was arrested l
eaving her home, carrying a vital military
map of gun ports. Pinkerton and his agents uncovere
d many military plans that she had
obtained to aid in the Southern war effort. She had a netwo
rk of spies, including many
women. After her arrest and release from prison, she traveled abro
ad, raising money
for military support. Returning from Europe, her boat capsized and she drow
ned.
Pinkerton used his own sons, sending them as spies into the South. Robert, fourteen,
was sent in an air balloon with agents to locate and count enemy troops. William, sixteen,
posed as a Confederate soldier behind enemy lines, carrying back information to his father.
Although Pinkerton excelled as a detective, he lacked military intelligence. He often
over
estimated the strength of the enemy. Because of McClellan’s trust in his friend, the
North los
t many victories and the war continued.
McClellan’s position as fighting general was termina
ted by the President, due to his
losses. When McClellan was relieved of his duty, he chose to r
un for President on the
Democratic ticket. Pinkerton quit his job as the head of the secret se
rvice and military
intelligence in support of his friend’s campaign. Even though he was no lon
ger with the
secret service, he still worked for the government by investigating merchants who
were
cheating them by selling faulty military supplies.
When the war ended, Allan Pin
kerton returned to Chicago to build up his private
investigation business. On April 14,1865, P
resident Lincoln was assassinated. Allan
Pinkerton was not there to protect him.
The
end of the Civil War did not bring peace to America. There were continuous outbursts
and gang
s were formed to rob trains. Pinkerton and his agents pursued the outlaws with
vengeance, the
most famous being the James brothers.
In 1869, Allan Pinkerton suffered a stroke, but foug
ht the paralysis. A new battlefield
emerged in the 1870’s in the coal mines, steel mills, and
factories. The workers were
treated like slaves, and fought back. Pinkerton was employed to e
nd these organizations,
to infiltrate, gather evidence, and convict them. A strike broke out i
n a steel plant, ending
in fatalities. Pinkerton’s reputation was seriously damaged.
A
llan Pinkerton died in 1884. He was a legend, gaining an international reputation for
crime so
lving and protection. When the F.B.I. was founded, it was modeled after
the Pinkerton’s Natio
nal Detective Agency.
word count allan pinkerton born glasgow scotland emigrated chicago america
first private many contradictions conservative strongly opposed slavery very cautious risked life ca
pturing criminals militant labor organizer suppressed labor movement fought women rights detectives
during twenty eight year career private detective allan pinkerton agency investigated over thousand
crimes pinkerton involved many dramas nineteenth century work underground railroad became life shelt
ered fugitives their home very moral despised slavery crisis over slavery brought nation brink civil
south demanded guarantee that would continue states where already established permitted spread midw
est west south also wanted north return slaves fled there underground railroad north wanted stop spr
ead fugitive slave passed which made federal crime slaves away crime anyone assist them allan could
arrested imprisoned involvement assisting slaves when began would finally combine detective skills w
ith abolitionist beliefs protected abraham lincoln against southern radicals demanded union dissolve
d southern states form independent government they hated lincoln because they feared would abolish u
ncovered plot assassinate president lincoln with agents posed southern sympathizers found themselves
within conspirators their midst plot uncovered president changed trains maryland february shot some
guards protecting president were also radicals same time there another plot blow train carrying onc
e train destroyed they telegraph wires blow bridges train tracks prevent northern troops entry into
baltimore killed there definitely civil acted quickly changed original trip plans leave immediately
days early although made washington safely rebels baltimore attacked railroad inevitalble washington
filled with spies approached offering create secret service uncover arrest spies agree george mccle
llan friend wanted military intelligence operation send agents into south assigned himself traveled
allen rebel information gathered helped mcclellan several minor battles ohio valley when broke recei
ved devastating news northern army potomac been defeated bull first major battle civil most challeng
ing opponents rose neal greenhow most productive effective concealed information that thwarted attac
k general george mcdowell manassas outside washington realized rose greenhow rose presented great da
nger arrested union army captain arrested leaving home carrying vital military ports agents uncovere
d many military plans that obtained effort network spies including women after arrest release from p
rison traveled abroad raising money support returning from europe boat capsized drowned used sons se
nding them into robert fourteen sent balloon locate count enemy troops william sixteen posed confede
rate soldier behind enemy lines carrying back information father although excelled detective lacked
intelligence often overestimated strength enemy because mcclellan trust friend north lost victories
continued position fighting general terminated losses when relieved duty chose democratic ticket qui
t head secret service intelligence support friend campaign even though longer secret service still w
orked government investigating merchants were cheating them selling faulty supplies ended returned c
hicago build private investigation business april assassinated protect bring peace america were cont
inuous outbursts gangs formed trains pursued outlaws vengeance most famous being james brothers suff
ered stroke fought paralysis battlefield emerged coal mines steel mills factories workers treated li
ke fought back employed these organizations infiltrate gather evidence convict strike broke steel pl
ant ending fatalities reputation seriously damaged died legend gaining international reputation crim
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