If I see a document sitting on Jeff Davis desk but can’t read what good does it do me or to my spymasters? That was my point.
Some confederates, like Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, taught their slaves to read though it was expressly against the law. Given Jefferson Davis’ public statements concerning the institution of Slavery, I think we can assume he wasn’t one of them.
Good point, and I did not know that about Stonewall Jackson, so thank you for informing me. In the case of slaves, it was often “the walls have ears”.
A Spanish proverb about servants is that they are “unavoidable enemies”, slaves would be that and more.