Henry Thomas Harrison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Thomas Harrison
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| Born | April 23, 1832 |
| Died | October 28, 1923 (aged 91) |
| Resting place | Highland Cemetery Fort Mitchell, Kentucky |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Spy, detective, prospector |
| Known for | Spying for the Confederate States of America |
| Spouse(s) | Laura Broders |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States |
| Service/ |
 Confederate States Army |
| Unit |  12th Mississippi Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Henry Thomas Harrison (born April 23, 1832 – died October 28, 1923) was a very important spy during the American Civil War. He worked for the Confederate side. People often just called him "Harrison."
He is most famous for the secret information he gave to General Robert E. Lee and Lieutenant General James Longstreet. This information was about the Gettysburg Campaign in July 1863. His reports helped Lee decide to move his army towards Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This led to one of the biggest battles of the war.
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Early Life and Army Service
Henry Thomas Harrison was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 23, 1832. Before the war, he was an actor. He didn't get many big roles because he was not very tall. He also did not go to school.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Harrison was 29 years old. He joined the Mississippi State Militia as a private soldier.
Career as a Confederate Spy
In November 1861, Harrison left the militia. He then started working as a spy for the Confederate government. He reported to the Secretary of War, James Seddon.
In April 1863, Harrison met Lieutenant General James Longstreet. Longstreet was a leader in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Harrison began to give Longstreet secret information. This information was usually very accurate and helpful.
To keep Harrison working for him, Longstreet often paid him with U.S. gold coins or "greenbacks." These were worth much more than Confederate money at the time.
Key Information Before Gettysburg
On the night of June 28, 1863, Harrison gave Longstreet a very important report. He said that the Union Army had moved into Frederick, Maryland. He also reported that they were heading north. Harrison also told Longstreet that Major General Joseph Hooker was no longer in charge of the Union Army. Instead, Major General George Meade was the new commander.
Longstreet shared this vital information with General Robert E. Lee. Lee was the main commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee had never heard of Harrison before. At first, he didn't want to meet him.
However, Longstreet's chief of staff, Moxley Sorrel, told Lee that Harrison "always brought true information." Harrison's report was believable enough for Lee to stop his entire army. Because of Harrison's news, Lee ordered all his troops to gather near Cashtown, Pennsylvania. This town was eight miles from Gettysburg.
This decision started the events that led to the Battle of Gettysburg. After hearing Harrison's report, Lee said that a battle "became, in a measure, unavoidable."
After Gettysburg
After the Battle of Gettysburg, Harrison mostly worked in the North. He gathered information while living in New York with his new wife, Laura Broders. However, none of his later spy missions were as important as his discovery before Gettysburg.
Life After the War
After the Civil War ended, Harrison moved to Mexico with his wife and two daughters. He hoped the warmer weather would help his youngest daughter, who had asthma. But in 1866, Harrison left Mexico. He went to Montana to search for gold.
For many years, from 1867 to 1892, no one knew where Harrison was. His wife, Laura Broders, and his family hired detectives to find him. Eventually, they thought he had died. Laura later remarried and raised Harrison's children.
But Harrison was not dead. In 1893, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1901, he got a job there as a detective. He worked for the Municipal Reform League. In 1912, he moved to Covington, Kentucky. There, he applied for a pension for his service in the Confederacy.
Henry Thomas Harrison died in Covington on October 28, 1923. He was 91 years old. He is buried at Highland Cemetery in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.
In Popular Culture
Henry Thomas Harrison is a character in the 1974 historical novel The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. Actor Cooper Huckabee played Harrison in the movie based on the book, called Gettysburg. Huckabee also played Harrison in the director's cut of Gods and Generals. In that movie, he has scenes talking with John Wilkes Booth.
