Major General George H. Sharpe and the Creation of American Military Intelligence in the Civil War

This biography examines Major General George H. Sharpe's role in establishing the Union's intelligence network during the Civil War. Historian Peter G. Tsouras argues that Sharpe's creation of the Bureau of Military Information (BMI), an all-source intelligence operation, served as a decisive advantage that contributed to Union victory. By early 1863, before the Chancellorsville Campaign, Sharpe had prepared detailed intelligence on Confederate forces, identifying every brigade in Lee's army, providing regiment-level order-of-battle information, and analyzing railroad infrastructure. He assembled a staff of thirty to fifty scouts and support personnel to conduct intelligence operations for the Army of the Potomac. Later, the BMI played a fundamental role in Union operations against Richmond during the Siege of Petersburg. After the war, Sharpe became a prominent Republican politician in New York State, maintained close friendships with Presidents Grant and Arthur, and advocated for African American civil rights. Drawing on newly discovered primary documents, including diaries of Sharpe's deputy John C. Babcock, this biography provides new insight into the development of Civil War intelligence reporting.