The Clothesline Code: The Story of Civil War Spies Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker

Praise

“The story of The Clothesline Code is one of great fascination! Just as messages were sent by this ingenious method, this delightful book now sends out its messages of bravery and fortitude—an important chronicle of African American history. Written masterfully for young readers, it will capture the imagination of adults as well. It relates a little-known aspect of the uniquely American journey toward freedom, exemplified by two extraordinary individuals, Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker, Civil War spies and freedom seekers. A book to treasure and inspire future generations!” —Norman Schools, longtime member of the Stafford County Historical Society and author of Virginia Shade: An African American History of Falmouth, Virginia

“This story offers a glimpse into a side of the war seldom explored—Black men and women who risked their lives as spies for the Union, just as other Black individuals had done for the American cause in the Revolutionary War. This story is educational, well-researched, and enjoyable reading.” —Kenneth A. Daigler, retired CIA officer and author of Spies, Patriots, and Traitors: American Intelligence in the Revolutionary War (Georgetown University Press: 2014) and Black Dispatches (CIA website)

“Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker are American heroes. Their covert operations at the heart of the Civil War in Virginia should inspire all of us to do what is right instead of easy, find our courage when surrounded by danger, and spring into action when the way forward becomes clear. The Clothesline Code: The Story of Civil War Spies Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker sends that message, loud and clear.” —Mary Belcher, historian, Walter Pierce Park Cemeteries Archaeology and Commemoration Project, Washington, D.C.

“A wonderful tribute that shares the inspirational story of the courage of Blacks who risked their lives for the freedom of others.” —Dawn Chitty, EdD, director of education at the African American Civil War Museum, Washington, D.C.

“Be prepared for page after page of surprises in this accurate and dramatically written and illustrated profile of Civil War heroes Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker. This is an impressive account of the brilliance, bravery, and boldness of a married couple who escaped enslavement to become spies for Union forces. They were praised while alive but have been overlooked by history—until NOW!” —Sandy Brehl, retired elementary teacher and author of the middle grade WWII historical trilogy Odin’s Promise

“Vermont Avenue Baptist Church (aka Fifth Baptist Church) is honored and excited to share with others the legacy of Dabney and Lucy Ann Walker and their contributions more than 150 years ago. What a commitment in the face of life-threatening obstacles, and an example of using what was available! Readers are encouraged to read how the Union spies used laundry for one cause, and Dabney later helped a Union wagon driver (co-founder and first pastor of this church) serve people in another cause.” —Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.

“The story of Dabney and Lucy Ann Walker is a reminder that even accounts that initially seem “too good to be true” deserve attention.  As a historian of the Civil War era, perhaps the first period in our nation’s history to be recounted in widely accessible popular publications, I’ve run across many larger-than-life stories and have developed a healthy professional skepticism.  So, when I first encountered the Walkers’ story and that of their 1863 clothesline signal, I was quick to dismiss it as another of the war’s many fantastical tales.  In this case, however, my caution was unwarranted – both the Walkers and their clothesline intelligence signaling system were very real, borne out by contemporaneous primary source documents.  Yet this revelation was not the only moment of enlightenment I was to experience with Dabney and Lucy Ann Walker.

Running the Walkers’ story to ground during research for my 2024 article about African-American intelligence contributions during the Civil War, published in the International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, I took the unusual step for an academic researcher of reaching out to the author of a children’s book on the Walkers, assuming little would come of it. Janet Halfmann, author of The Clothesline Code: The Story of Civil War Spies Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker, quickly responded and willingly shared not only her research, but copies of the original, 1863 documents bearing out the Walkers’ daring story.  I was stunned.  Janet and her research had turned my understanding of Dabney and Lucy Ann Walker in a completely unexpected direction, on a dime.

Given this, I can honestly say that her engaging book The Clothesline Code: The Story of Civil War Spies Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker not only brings to life for readers of all ages this fascinating, important account from our American Civil War, but it serves as a reminder that historical truth can be found even in unexpected places.  It opened my eyes, and it will open yours, too.”

—David A. Welker, Author of The Cornfield: Antietam’s Bloody Turning Point and other Civil War history titles