Behind Rebel Lines: The Incredible Story of Emma Edmonds, Civil War Spy

Behind Rebel Lines: The Incredible Story of Emma Edmonds, Civil War Spy by Seymour Reit is a work of historical fiction and children’s literature based on the true story of a young woman who pretends to be a man so that she can join the Union army during the US Civil War. The book’s target audience is ages 10-14, and it uses a simple style to appeal to a young audience. It is categorized as both Teen & Young Adult Canadian Historical Fiction and Teen & Young Adult United States Colonial and Revolutionary Periods History.

Originally published by Gulliver Books in 1988, Behind Rebel Lines is currently available in a 2014 edition from Clarion Books. Page references in this study guide refer to the 2014 Kindle edition.

Reit may be best known for creating the children’s cartoon character Casper the Friendly Ghost (1939). In addition to his work as an illustrator, Reit was a prolific children’s author, writing more than 80 children’s novels (most on topics related to history, nature, and technology). He also wrote adult works, including the true-crime novel The Day They Stole the Mona Lisa (1981).

In the book Behind Rebel Lines, Reit uses a third-person narrative style from the protagonist’s viewpoint throughout most of the story to convey what she experiences. The story covers the period between April 1861 and May 1863 (from locations that the Union Army occupied) and follows events in Emma’s life through 1884.

Plot Summary

Emma Edmonds lives in St. John, Canada. Her full name is Sarah Emma Edmonds, but she drops her first name while still a child. Her father has always resented the fact that she’s a girl. To win his approval she becomes tougher and braver than the boys her age. She flees to the US and settles in Flint, Michigan.

When she’s 21 years old, the American Civil War breaks out. She supports the Union’s goal to emancipate the enslaved and strikes upon the bold idea of disguising herself as a man to enlist in the Union Army. Because of her harsh upbringing, Emma is comfortable with the idea of going to war. She poses as a man named Franklin Thompson, and her ruse is successful. Upon enlisting, Emma’s first assignment is as a male nurse in an army hospital. However, a friend’s death moves her to take a more active role in the conflict.

Emma volunteers for a Union spy mission behind enemy lines. Adept at transforming her appearance, she’s so successful in gaining vital information that she receives several more espionage assignments.

Two years later, she develops malaria. This curtails her military career, as going to an army hospital might expose her gender, so she instead flees to Illinois for treatment. After recovering, Emma learns that the Union considers her male persona, Franklin Thompson, a deserter. Unable to rejoin her unit, Emma moves to Washington and serves as a female nurse until the end of the war.

Shortly after the conflict ends, Emma writes a book about her exploits as a soldier and spy, which becomes a bestseller. Years later, her army comrades convince her to set the military record straight and clear her name as a deserter. In 1884, a special act of Congress grants Emma a soldier’s pension and an honorable discharge as well as a place on the list of those who served in the Grand Army of the Republic—its only female member among 400,000 men.

As the book follows Emma’s daring exploits behind enemy lines, it explores the themes of what women can really do, how appearance determines treatment, and the need to make a difference in the world. In addition, the story examines the emerging role of women during the US civil war and touches on concepts of freedom, justice, and the fight for personal integrity.