[Ditto]

Yes, they did have telegraph, the issue would be getting to an intact line going North from that deep in the South.

The Capital of the Confederacy was Richmond, at the most a day's ride to the Union lines.

[ejonesie22]

Yes, and in the case of Davis slaves whilst there, that would hold true, but many of these slave spies were further out, deeper in the south. The point would be the timing of tactical information, and since the Civil war occurred in that very critical time in military history as we moved from “Continental” style combat to more modern methods, timing was becoming more important.

Not to diminish their role, but not to over play it either, and the issue would be for spies of all types on either side.