William Alvin Lloyd
Encyclopedia
William Alvin Lloyd, a steamboat and railroad guide publisher, was employed during the Civil War as a personal spy for President Abraham Lincoln
. Lloyd along with his associates Thomas H.S. Boyd and F.J. Bonfanti were able to travel throughout the south during the war, and gather intelligence. After his death, Lloyd's estate filed suit against the government for unpaid compensation. This suit resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court case Totten v. United States
.
. The passport would allow Lloyd to do research for his guide books on railroad and steam boat transportation. Lincoln agreed to issue Lloyd the passport on the condition that he would act as Lincoln's personal secret agent. Despite initial disinterest, Lloyd accepted Lincoln's proposal. Lincoln issued passports for Lloyd, Mr. Boyd, Mr. Bonfanti, Mrs. Boyd, and her maid in July 1861. When receiving his passport, Lloyd signed a contract with Lincoln stipulating:
) to President Lincoln. Over the course of the war, Lloyd traveled across the Confederacy and spent time in: Richmond, Savannah
, Chattanooga, and New Orleans. Lloyd and his business partners had a well established presence in the Confederacy prior to the war, which afforded them an easier time moving about the country. Despite their reputation, Lloyd's activities drew suspicion from government and military officials. Over the course of his four years in the Confederacy, Lloyd was incarcerated on at least four separate occasions. Lloyd was also questioned by authorities on many occasions, to determine his intentions. Prior to one of these interrogations Lloyd was forced to destroy the contract, which he kept inside his hat, before it was discovered.
It is believed that Lloyd's intelligence dispatches were used by Lincoln to check reports made from military commanders. However, due to the provisions of his contract, Lloyd and his associates experienced problems sending intelligence to President Lincoln. Lloyd was unable to send the intelligence through the Union Army, which had easier means to send dispatches via telegraph. President Lincoln also did not provide Lloyd with any code or cipher system which would have allowed the encryption of the intelligence documents, which increased the risk of being exposed. Instead, Lloyd and his associates were forces to find alternate ways to send dispatches. Dispatches were often sent to members of Boyd's family living near Washington, D.C.
Boyd's relatives would then deliver the message directly to the White House
. On at least one other occasion, Boyd himself delivered a dispatch directly to President Lincoln. As a result of these challenges, intelligence provided by Lloyd often lacked critical timeliness. Still, over the course of the war Lloyd is known to have provided maps of fortifications, harbors, and troop strengths to Lincoln.
Lincoln, and the end of the war, Lloyd returned to the north. Lloyd submitted bills for his expenses to the government when he returned north. Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton issued a reimbursement for his expenses totaled $2,380. However, the Stanton refused to pay Lloyd his $200 a month stipend, which totaled $9,753.32 at the end of the war. The payment was refused because there was no remaining copy of the Lloyd's contract with President Lincoln. Lloyd returned to his business and the issue was dropped until his death in 1868.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. Lloyd along with his associates Thomas H.S. Boyd and F.J. Bonfanti were able to travel throughout the south during the war, and gather intelligence. After his death, Lloyd's estate filed suit against the government for unpaid compensation. This suit resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court case Totten v. United States
Totten v. United States
Totten v. United States, 92 U.S. 105 , was a United States Supreme Court case in which the court ruled on judicial jurisdiction in espionage cases...
.
Lloyd's Visit to Lincoln in 1861
In the summer of 1861 William Aldrich Lloyd came to President Abraham Lincoln. Lloyd came to request a passport to allow him travel into Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. The passport would allow Lloyd to do research for his guide books on railroad and steam boat transportation. Lincoln agreed to issue Lloyd the passport on the condition that he would act as Lincoln's personal secret agent. Despite initial disinterest, Lloyd accepted Lincoln's proposal. Lincoln issued passports for Lloyd, Mr. Boyd, Mr. Bonfanti, Mrs. Boyd, and her maid in July 1861. When receiving his passport, Lloyd signed a contract with Lincoln stipulating:
- He would on the number of troops at specific points.
- He would procure the plans of the Confederacy forts and other battle structures.
- He would receive no codes or ciphers to use in his messages.
- He was to report to President Lincoln only.
- He would paid $200 monthly stipend, and be compensated for expenses.
Activities in the Confederacy
Lloyd and his associates entered the Confederacy on 13 July 1861. In the following four years Lloyd remained in the Confederacy researching for his publications, and providing human intelligence (HUMINTHUMINT
HUMINT, a syllabic abbreviation of the words HUMan INTelligence, refers to intelligence gathering by means of interpersonal contact, as opposed to the more technical intelligence gathering disciplines such as SIGINT, IMINT and MASINT...
) to President Lincoln. Over the course of the war, Lloyd traveled across the Confederacy and spent time in: Richmond, Savannah
Savannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
, Chattanooga, and New Orleans. Lloyd and his business partners had a well established presence in the Confederacy prior to the war, which afforded them an easier time moving about the country. Despite their reputation, Lloyd's activities drew suspicion from government and military officials. Over the course of his four years in the Confederacy, Lloyd was incarcerated on at least four separate occasions. Lloyd was also questioned by authorities on many occasions, to determine his intentions. Prior to one of these interrogations Lloyd was forced to destroy the contract, which he kept inside his hat, before it was discovered.
It is believed that Lloyd's intelligence dispatches were used by Lincoln to check reports made from military commanders. However, due to the provisions of his contract, Lloyd and his associates experienced problems sending intelligence to President Lincoln. Lloyd was unable to send the intelligence through the Union Army, which had easier means to send dispatches via telegraph. President Lincoln also did not provide Lloyd with any code or cipher system which would have allowed the encryption of the intelligence documents, which increased the risk of being exposed. Instead, Lloyd and his associates were forces to find alternate ways to send dispatches. Dispatches were often sent to members of Boyd's family living near Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Boyd's relatives would then deliver the message directly to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. On at least one other occasion, Boyd himself delivered a dispatch directly to President Lincoln. As a result of these challenges, intelligence provided by Lloyd often lacked critical timeliness. Still, over the course of the war Lloyd is known to have provided maps of fortifications, harbors, and troop strengths to Lincoln.
The End of the War
Following the assassination toLincoln, and the end of the war, Lloyd returned to the north. Lloyd submitted bills for his expenses to the government when he returned north. Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton issued a reimbursement for his expenses totaled $2,380. However, the Stanton refused to pay Lloyd his $200 a month stipend, which totaled $9,753.32 at the end of the war. The payment was refused because there was no remaining copy of the Lloyd's contract with President Lincoln. Lloyd returned to his business and the issue was dropped until his death in 1868.