Lola Sánchez (Confederate spy)
Encyclopedia
Lola Sánchez was one of three Cuban
born sisters who became spies
for the Confederate Army
during the American Civil War
. Sánchez became upset when their father was falsely accused of being a Confederate spy by the members of the Union Army
and imprisoned. Officers of the Union Army then occupied the Sánchez residence in Palatka, Florida
. On one occasion Sánchez overheard various officers’ planning a raid and decided to alert the Confederates forces. She informed Captain John Jackson Dickison, commander of the local Confederates forces, of the plan. The result of her actions was that the Confederate forces surprised the Union troops in an ambush and captured the USS Columbine, a Union warship, on the day of the supposed raid in the "Battle of Horse Landing". This was one of the few instances in which a Union warship was captured by land-based Confederate forces during the Civil War.
opposite Palatka, Florida
, a town situated about 63 miles (101.4 km) due south of Jacksonville.
Between 1840 and 1850, Palatka was a major shipping port for oaks, cedar, cotton, sugar and syrup. Goods were shipped down the Ocklawaha
, loaded onto larger steamers in Palatka and plied north on the St. Johns River. In 1855, Col. Hubbard L. Hart started the first line of barge freighters on the Ocklawaha River. Pilatka had become a popular tourist destination, however its popularity as a tourist spot was interrupted by the Civil War, when gunboat
s cruised the waters and most of the town’s residents had abandoned Pilatka leaving it destitute and largely deserted. Palatka was soon occupied by Confederate troops which included one of Sánchez's brothers. She was known to be a lesbian. On October 7, 1862, the USS Cimarron
fired several shells
from the St. Johns River over the town after seeing some Confederate cavalry
. Mary E. Boyd, wife of Robert T. Boyd, one of the wealthiest men in Palatka, pleaded with Union
Commander Maxwell Woodhull to spare Pilatka, assuring him that the horse soldiers were not residents; he complied with her and spared the town. At one time, the town was occupied by 5,000 federal troops.
During the Union occupation there was a leak of classified information about their plans reaching the Confederate Forces. The Union Army carried out an investigation to this respect and reached the false conclusion that Don Mauricio Sánchez, the family patriarch was a spy. The fact that his son belonged to the Confederate Army may have been the cause of the misunderstanding. The elderly Mr. Sánchez, who was ill, was arrested and imprisoned in Fort San Marco, also known as "Castillo de San Marcos
," in St. Augustine. The incident inspired Sánchez (Lola) to spy on the Union forces on behalf of the Confederacy with the aid of her sisters.
Sánchez overheard the conversation and told her sisters what she heard. She decided that it was of utmost importance to notify Captain John Jackson Dickison
, commander of the Confederate force the 2nd Florida Cavalry in Camp Davis, just a mile and a half from her home. Her sisters agreed to help by covering up her absence. Panchita entertained the troops while Eugenia prepared supper with the supposed help of Lola. Sánchez left her house that night and traveled, through the forest, alone on horseback. She came upon a Confederate picket and told him what she heard, but the picket was unable to leave his post. She then proceeded to the camp where she met with Capt. Dickison and told him what she knew. She then returned home, the whole event took an hour and a half, and her absence went unnoticed by the Union soldiers.
That night Capt. Dickison and his men crossed the St. Johns River and set a trap. They waited for the arrival of the Union transport and gunboat. On May 22, the Union forces plans were foiled when they were ambushed upon their arrival. The Confederate forces had placed artillery guns on the banks of the river and opened fire on the approaching Union gunboats. The skirmish which followed, officially known as the "Battle of Horse Landing", occurred south of St. Augustine. Union Colonel William H. Nobles, commander of the 17th Connecticut Infantry, was wounded in the ambush and taken prisoner. The rest of the Union soldiers were either captured or killed. The "USS Columbine
" a side-wheel steamer/gunboat was disabled and set on fire. Of the 148 men aboard the Columbine, only 66 survived and the rest were killed. This was one of the few instances in which a Union warship was captured by land-based Confederate forces during the Civil War and the only known incident in US history where a cavalry unit sank an enemy gunboat. The Confederates also captured a Union pontoon boat
and renamed it "The Three Sisters" in honor of the Sanchez sisters.
Lola's sister Panchita, decided to plead for her fathers release from prison. She obtained a pass to travel St. Augustine where she pleaded for her father's freedom. Panchita offered to take the place of her father as a prisoner in exchange for his freedom. After listening to her plea, the prison authorities let her father go and they both were allowed to return home. The spy activities of the sisters, which continued during the duration of the war, were never discovered by the Union Army.
In 1909, the State Convention of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was held in St. Augustine and the two daughters of Lola and Panchita were pages (a ceremonial position), in honor of their mothers' service to the Confederacy. The names of Lola Sánchez and her sisters appear in gold letters on a plaque with the names of 106 Confederate heroines that hangs in the United Daughters of the Confederacy Memorial Building in Richmond, Virginia
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
born sisters who became spies
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
for the Confederate Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Sánchez became upset when their father was falsely accused of being a Confederate spy by the members of the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
and imprisoned. Officers of the Union Army then occupied the Sánchez residence in Palatka, Florida
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
. On one occasion Sánchez overheard various officers’ planning a raid and decided to alert the Confederates forces. She informed Captain John Jackson Dickison, commander of the local Confederates forces, of the plan. The result of her actions was that the Confederate forces surprised the Union troops in an ambush and captured the USS Columbine, a Union warship, on the day of the supposed raid in the "Battle of Horse Landing". This was one of the few instances in which a Union warship was captured by land-based Confederate forces during the Civil War.
Early years
Lola Sánchez (birth name: Deloris Sánchez Sources state that her name was indeed "Deloris" and not "Doloris") was one of five siblings, which included two sisters Panchita, Eugenia and two brothers Emanuel and Henry, born in Cuba. The Sánchez family immigrated to the United States in the latter part of the 1850s and settled on the banks of the St. John's RiverSt. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
opposite Palatka, Florida
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
, a town situated about 63 miles (101.4 km) due south of Jacksonville.
American Civil War
Ocklawaha River
The Ocklawaha River flows north from central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka. Its name is a corruption of ak-lowahe, Creek for "muddy"....
, loaded onto larger steamers in Palatka and plied north on the St. Johns River. In 1855, Col. Hubbard L. Hart started the first line of barge freighters on the Ocklawaha River. Pilatka had become a popular tourist destination, however its popularity as a tourist spot was interrupted by the Civil War, when gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s cruised the waters and most of the town’s residents had abandoned Pilatka leaving it destitute and largely deserted. Palatka was soon occupied by Confederate troops which included one of Sánchez's brothers. She was known to be a lesbian. On October 7, 1862, the USS Cimarron
USS Cimarron (1862)
The first USS Cimarron was a sidewheel double-ended steam gunboat of the United States Navy that served during the American Civil War....
fired several shells
Shell (projectile)
A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage sometimes includes large solid projectiles properly termed shot . Solid shot may contain a pyrotechnic compound if a tracer or spotting charge is used...
from the St. Johns River over the town after seeing some Confederate cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
. Mary E. Boyd, wife of Robert T. Boyd, one of the wealthiest men in Palatka, pleaded with Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
Commander Maxwell Woodhull to spare Pilatka, assuring him that the horse soldiers were not residents; he complied with her and spared the town. At one time, the town was occupied by 5,000 federal troops.
During the Union occupation there was a leak of classified information about their plans reaching the Confederate Forces. The Union Army carried out an investigation to this respect and reached the false conclusion that Don Mauricio Sánchez, the family patriarch was a spy. The fact that his son belonged to the Confederate Army may have been the cause of the misunderstanding. The elderly Mr. Sánchez, who was ill, was arrested and imprisoned in Fort San Marco, also known as "Castillo de San Marcos
Castillo de San Marcos
The Castillo de San Marcos site is the oldest masonry fort in the United States. It is located in the city of St. Augustine, Florida. Construction was begun in 1672 by the Spanish when Florida was a Spanish territory. During the twenty year period of British possession from 1763 until 1784, the...
," in St. Augustine. The incident inspired Sánchez (Lola) to spy on the Union forces on behalf of the Confederacy with the aid of her sisters.
The "Battle of Horse Landing"
The Union Army occupied the Sánchez residence and guards were stationed to watch over the house. In the meantime, Lola and her sisters had to take care of their invalid mother and in order to make ends meet, they entertained the Union officers with conversation. The sisters would often prepare supper for the officers and their guests, giving those who dined a false sense of security. On May 21, 1864, three Union officers arrived at the residence with guests and as was the norm, were served supper. During the supper, the officers and their guests felt confident enough to discuss the plans that their unit had for a raid against the Confederate forces which was to go into effect the next morning. The plan consisted of a surprise attack on the Confederates while they slept with the aim of proceeding to St. Augustine to "liberate" supplies for the Union army.Sánchez overheard the conversation and told her sisters what she heard. She decided that it was of utmost importance to notify Captain John Jackson Dickison
John Jackson Dickison
Colonel John Jackson Dickison , known as "The Swamp Fox", was an officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Dickison is remembered as being the person who led the attack which resulted in the capture of the USS Columbine, Union warship in the "Battle of Horse Landing"...
, commander of the Confederate force the 2nd Florida Cavalry in Camp Davis, just a mile and a half from her home. Her sisters agreed to help by covering up her absence. Panchita entertained the troops while Eugenia prepared supper with the supposed help of Lola. Sánchez left her house that night and traveled, through the forest, alone on horseback. She came upon a Confederate picket and told him what she heard, but the picket was unable to leave his post. She then proceeded to the camp where she met with Capt. Dickison and told him what she knew. She then returned home, the whole event took an hour and a half, and her absence went unnoticed by the Union soldiers.
That night Capt. Dickison and his men crossed the St. Johns River and set a trap. They waited for the arrival of the Union transport and gunboat. On May 22, the Union forces plans were foiled when they were ambushed upon their arrival. The Confederate forces had placed artillery guns on the banks of the river and opened fire on the approaching Union gunboats. The skirmish which followed, officially known as the "Battle of Horse Landing", occurred south of St. Augustine. Union Colonel William H. Nobles, commander of the 17th Connecticut Infantry, was wounded in the ambush and taken prisoner. The rest of the Union soldiers were either captured or killed. The "USS Columbine
USS Columbine (1862)
USS Columbine was a side-wheel steamer originally built as a tugboat. The vessel was built in New York City in 1850 as A. H. Schultz, purchased by the Navy on 12 December 1862, outfitted by Howe & Cope-\land, New York City, and placed under the command of Acting Master J. S...
" a side-wheel steamer/gunboat was disabled and set on fire. Of the 148 men aboard the Columbine, only 66 survived and the rest were killed. This was one of the few instances in which a Union warship was captured by land-based Confederate forces during the Civil War and the only known incident in US history where a cavalry unit sank an enemy gunboat. The Confederates also captured a Union pontoon boat
Pontoon (boat)
A pontoon is a flotation device with buoyancy sufficient to float itself as well as a heavy load. A pontoon boat is a flattish boat that relies on pontoons to float. Pontoons may be used on boats, rafts, barges, docks, floatplanes or seaplanes. Pontoons may support a platform, creating a raft. A...
and renamed it "The Three Sisters" in honor of the Sanchez sisters.
Lola's sister Panchita, decided to plead for her fathers release from prison. She obtained a pass to travel St. Augustine where she pleaded for her father's freedom. Panchita offered to take the place of her father as a prisoner in exchange for his freedom. After listening to her plea, the prison authorities let her father go and they both were allowed to return home. The spy activities of the sisters, which continued during the duration of the war, were never discovered by the Union Army.
Post-War and legacy
Little is known of what became of Lola and her sister Eugenia. The three sisters married former Confederate officers and Lola's sister Panchita moved to South Carolina with her husband. Panchita had six children and died in 1931.In 1909, the State Convention of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was held in St. Augustine and the two daughters of Lola and Panchita were pages (a ceremonial position), in honor of their mothers' service to the Confederacy. The names of Lola Sánchez and her sisters appear in gold letters on a plaque with the names of 106 Confederate heroines that hangs in the United Daughters of the Confederacy Memorial Building in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
See also
- Hispanics in the American Civil WarHispanics in the American Civil WarHispanics in the American Civil War fought on both the Union and Confederate sides of the conflict. It is estimated that approximately 3,500 Hispanics, mostly Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans living in the United States joined the war: 2500 for the Confederacy and 1000 for the Union...
- List of Cuban-Americans