For the first few years of the Revolution, Continental Army leaders preferred to sneak operatives into British territory where they skulked around for a few days, acquired information, and then slipped back out through the lines to report to American commanders. That night, Abraham saw Anna at the fireplace burning his code book, and he got into a loud argument with her over his spying activities. . [14] Culper to Bolton, June 5, 1779, GW Papers, accessed March 29, 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov (second letter dated June 5). [6] Woodhull had been caught smuggling contraband across Long Island Sound, and Tallmadge spoke with Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull and got him released. And the different writing styles of the Culper agents becomes apparant after reading a lot of the correspondence. Bakeless did not provide a primary source for Townsends employment as a journalist for Rivington so this part of Townsends role is unclear. Craft's comments since in the first sentence, he refers to the "peace, security and national, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 2018. I want you to live in a world where you can make your own choices. Throughout history once the conflict is over, the perceived value of infantrymen and intelligence agents are always called into question. It was believed that Nathaniel Woodhull had been captured and brutalized by the British, and died a miserable death. Woodhull was one of Washington's spies during the revolutionary war. After the war ended in December 1783, Woodhull stayed in Setauket. October 7, 1750Abraham Woodhull / Date of birth. Woodhull later returned to his home, only to find his wife confronting him after she found out about his spy involvement. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Tuskegee Airman Clarence D. Lester Broke Barriers, Biography: You Need to Know: Rick Thornton. INTEL - Culper Spy Ring and Mary Anna (Smith) Woodhull. PDF In Real Life: Abraham Woodhull - Woodhull Genealogy That may be true, but deep down inside it is you, Thomas, who fuels my passion. But Tallmadge secured Woodhulls continued service and gave him a new tool for his trade a vial of disappearing ink, which would lessen the chance of their letters, if ever confiscated, being identified as intelligence reports. Woodhull served as a lieutenant in the Suffolk County militia for a short period of time in the fall of 1775 but resigned after a few months. The loss of his cousin deeply affected Woodhull, who was a somewhat introspective, sensitive character, and he secretly hated the British for what he believed was his cousins unnecessarily brutal demise. Historica Wiki is a FANDOM Games Community. How did the Culper Spy Ring work? Application of another solution developed the ink to reappear. He was the son of a prominent judge who supported colonial independence. [11] Culper to Tallmadge, April 101779, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. Washingtons Spies: The Story of Americas First Spy Ring. But the event convinced the spy of his constant danger and he curtailed operations. Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Death 2 Behind the Scenes 2.1 Appearances Biography Death Thomas Woodhull died in the Battle of Bladensburg during the War of 1812 on August 24, 1814, felled by an British musket. Woodhull refused to give any names to the Congress, and he found out that his interrogator was Benjamin Tallmadge, another childhood friend who had joined a regiment of Connecticut dragoons in the Continental Army. He died in 1826 in Setauket. He was killed by a Queen's Ranger during an exchange trading himself and Abe for Caleb Brewster. In early 1779 it took about a week for Woodhulls letters to reach Washington, which was a substantial improvement to the pre-Culper Ring espionage efforts in New York City. Woodhull was in New York City when the Loyalist troops came to his house, but he later reported how his 66 year-old father was home, and that Simcoe plundered him in a most shocking manner. Woodhull escaped Simcoes wrath by arranging for a prominent local Loyalist to vouch for his character. So, perhaps there are some parts of the Culper Ring, we will never know, Your email address will not be published. Washington had enjoyed an effective spy network operating in Philadelphia, but with the British gone from there and New York crawling with redcoats, his focus now shifted towards starting an effective intelligence network around the British headquarters. Woodhull became one of Washingtons best spies, knowing all the while that he was one step away from a noose. In addition, Abrahams cousin, Nathaniel Woodhull, a general in the Continental Army, had perished in the Battle of Long Island in 1776. In the encounter, Woodhull won a coin toss and was allowed to draw first blood, but his shot missed Simcoe. Abraham Woodhull | Wiki | TUR Amino One night Woodhull was drafting a report with the new ink while British officers were still in his house and Tallmadge hid in the woods. By that time Washington and Tallmadge had developed other agents in New York City and the Culper Rings role diminished. Over time, he began to fear for his safety, and Benjamin Tallmadges reports to Washington reflect Woodhulls growing timidity. . The correspondence between the general and Tallmadge shows that Washington often relied heavily on Culper Ring information during times of crisis. He used the alias "Samuel Culper" (later "Samuel Culper Sr."), which was a play on Culpeper County, Virginia, and was suggested by George Washington. Thomas Sprout Woodhull (died August 24, 1814) was the son of Culper Ring spy and farmer Abraham Woodhull. http://allthingsliberty.com/2014/03/james-rivington-kings-printer-patriot-spy/. Did Abraham Woodhull have a son named Thomas? Anna Smith Strong - Honoring Our Patriots The British responded to this by disarming all of the citizens, and when Benjamin Tallmadge's father Benjamin Tallmadge, Sr. greeted the British as a hostile person when turning in his gun, he was suspected. 2022-07-02. Rogers wanted to lure Benjamin to a prisoner exchange that he would ambush, but the ambush went awry when Caleb Brewster (whom Benjamin sent to retrieve Samuel as he worked at Washington's Morristown office) had Selah (stated to be "Samuel Tallmadge") duck as Rogers shot at him. His father was a judge, and he was a cousin of Nathaniel Woodhull, leader of a New York Patriot . It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities. Abraham Woodhull, spy for General George Washington, nearly got himself hanged on one of his first missions. Woodhull was secretly engaged to Anna Strong in 1773 before his brother Thomas, a soldier in the British Army, was killed while quelling a protest at King's College and his father decided to marry him to his brother's fiancee Mary, leading to Abraham and Anna parting. This is a dangerous endeavor. Unfortunately, Ensign Baker entered the room with his musket, and he heard the whole conversation. He also noted that Howe left New York with most of his army, but he left 200 Hessians in the city, while the city was defended by a dozen 24-pounders and 6 16-pounders at Canal Street. They likely discussed Woodhulls activities trading with the British. Was is from Morton Pennypacker? Yet, in my research, I have not discovered any documents linking them to him, other than their anxieties you mentioned. [9] Culper to Scott, October 31, 1778, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. Townsend then decided he was through with espionage. Still dedicated to his mission, in June Woodhull expanded the operation by recruiting 25 year-old Robert Townsend, a former lodger at the Underhill boarding house, as an additional agent. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! He faced a long sentence, but was freed unexpectedly by Major Tallmadge, a fellow Setauket native and childhood friend who had successfully managed to argue for his release. Abraham Woodhull - Abraham was a key member of the Culper Spy Ring. [5] According to some reports, he had been deprived of medical care and food and suffered an agonizing death on September 20, 1776,[2] and Abraham Woodhull was inflamed against the British by that event. Abraham Woodhull is the American's lone productive spy in 1777 New York, but did we see a glimpse of his bloody fate? When you are that man, I want nothing more than a future for you where you are able to live, love and be free. Ken, I absolutely agree with your outlook. Woodhull continued to report on the location of British ships and troops, but Townsend eventually took note of the fact that Woodhull was writing secret messages on the brown eggs and not white ones. The house was burned to the ground, and the family moved into Whitehall. Woodhull and Cyrus fought, but Cyrus later heard British troops approaching him after they found out that Woodhull had been ambushed. Im glad that you all enjoyed the article, and great points from SPM and Ken. Im no expert on deciphering such documents, but have found that understanding the language of the time and subject matter is helpful. Abraham Woodhull was a member of the Culper Spy Ring, which provided information to George Washington during the American Revolution. His efforts as a spy were some of the most successful efforts in American History. Washington was annoyed; Woodhull had always made a fuss about payment during the war, but Washington saw fit to reward him for his invaluable service. Turn: Washington's Spies. Later in their encounter, Simcoe challenged him to a duel, and Woodhull decided to accept before Ensign Baker arrived and rescued him from Simcoe and his men. He operated under the alias, Samuel Culper and his identity was not learned until the early 20th century. Accessed 18 May 2016. https://allthingsliberty.com/2014/05/abraham-woodhull-the-spy-named-samuel-culper/. Major Edmund Hewlett was in fact named Richard Hewlett, and he was actually married during the entirety of the war, and he and his wife had eleven children; there is no evidence of a relationship between him and Anna Strong either. Did Abraham Woodhull have a son named Thomas? A number of close calls with British authorities had made both Woodhull and Robert Townsend jumpy. The officer was angered by this, and he told Abraham that he should leave. We live in daily fear of death and destruction, this added to my usual anxiety hath almost unmanned me, Woodhull wrote to Tallmadge in June. The task fell to his intelligence aide, Major Benjamin Tallmadge, to begin recruiting spies. Score: 4.9/5 (68 votes) . [20] Tallmadge to Washington, October 11, 1780, GW Papers, accessed April 24, 2014 via. One example is from October 1779, when the Americans anticipated the arrival of a French fleet. Gen. Charles Scott, October 31, 1778, George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress (hereafter, GW Papers), accessed January 26, 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov. Im sure you know that the value of intelligence is often intangible, and therefore not always apparant until viewed with the benefit of hindsight. On a somewhat more practical level I also adjust the contrast on the images, which makes the handwriting more clear. [8], Yet for all of his success, the pressure of spying and leading a double life severely strained Woodhull. See Todd Andrliks James Rivington: Kings Printer and Patriot Spy? What better way to get back at the enemy, Tallmadge might have said, than by spying on the British under their own noses and helping the American cause? Background. But the 27 year-old, unmarried Woodhull was also something of a risk-taker. Even after resigning he sent seven more letters about British activities. Woodhull headed to meet with Colonel Cook afterwards and made a good deal to sell Selah Strong's cauliflower to him, and Cook invited him to Major John Andre's dinner party in order to sell some more of his goods. In the ensuing encounter, Woodhull was rescued by the redcoats, who killed Cyrus. [13] The respite was ill-timed; Woodhull missed most of the signs that the British were beginning an offensive to seize control of the Hudson River, and the campaign of 1779 began with Washington unaware of Clintons plans. In the spring of 1780 the strain of spying was wearing on both Woodhull and Townsend, and Tallmadge told Washington that Townsend had become less active, and even Culper Senior grows timid and thinks that intercourse had better be dropped for the present.[18] Washington agreed to shut the Culper Ring down, only to reactivate it in July to gain information that would support operations of another French fleet expected later that summer. Woodhull held several important local positions in his later years, including magistrate of Setauket, judge of the Court of Common Pleas and first judge of Suffolk County. Building a Cloud Computing Career with Amazon AWS Certified Developer Azure Cognitive Services and Containers: 5 Amazing Benefits for Businesses, Running Your Own Electronics Accessories Ecommerce Store. But there can be no doubt of Woodhulls dedication. An ancillary benefit of reading the non-transcribed document, at least with some writers, is the unbelievable penmanship of some. The couple had three children. Abraham Woodhull was born in 1750 in Setauket, a town on Long Island, New York. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Among the attendees were the Woodhull, Tallmadge and Strong families, along with Caleb Brewster and Austin Roes family. This is a 1790 portrait by American painter Ralph Earl . A Letter From Abraham Woodhull to His Son Thomas - Turn Wiki He married Mary Townsend on December 6th, 1753 at St. Georges Church. Abraham socialized with Andre and the British officers before he snuck into an officer's room where Anna was about to lay with the officer and steal his book (which contained coded messages). Abraham had in fact joined the county militia in 1775 with no apparent objection from his father, but became disenchanted and quit after two months. Abraham mentions that his son is "almost a year old" as he eggs him on to start walking on his own. The two of them spent a moment together before Abraham found out that Major Hewlett's horse Bucephalus had been poisoned through his apples, and Captain Simcoe blamed the poisoning on rebel sympathizers. In 1781, Woodhull resigned from his duties. In Manhattan, he collected information from various sources, including British officers staying at the Underhill boarding house and then return to Setauket, where he passed the information to the Continental Army lieutenant and whaleboat operator Caleb Brewster to take across Long Island Sound to Tallmadge. Your email address will not be published. Abraham enlisted in a Suffolk County militia in the fall of 1775, but he resigned after a few months; his cousin Brigadier-General Nathaniel Woodhull was killed by the British while in their prison on 20 September 1776, when he was killed with bayonets. His first intelligence in October addressed British troop strengths and their shortages in provisions. Woodhull was probably preparing to make careful mental notes of Tryons camp when he unluckily stumbled upon a group of soldiers who immediately detained him and demanded to know why he was wandering around. He hardly ever spoke of his work as a spy. Arnold had defected to the British side after he became increasingly ticked off at the Patriots for not properly recognizing his achievements on the battlefield. Abraham pulled his gun and asked Baker not to arrest him, but Baker said that he would not be a traitor like Abraham. While he was a staunch loyalist, his son Abraham Woodhull would become the leader of the pro-patriot Culper Ring . [] and visually busy spectacle. Continental Army Major Benjamin Tallmadge began working with Abraham Woodhull in the summer of 1778 at the height of the Revolutionary War to provide Washington information on British Army operations in their headquarters in New York City. Benjamin Tallmadge, Setaukets highest-ranking military officer, was appointed the master of ceremonies.. Abraham Woodhull was a main spy in the Culper Spy Ring. Caleb escaped, and Abraham decided to continue passing information to the patriots. In the spring of 1777, Woodhull trysted with Anna at her barn, and he told her that he could not stay there long. Anna remained alone on the family farm during the American Revolution, where she assisted with General Washington's Culper Spy Ring. He discovered that anyone traveling into the city was at exceptional risk of being detained and searched by British authorities, but that married couples almost always were not. However, Judge Woodhull decided to inform Major Hewlett that Woodhull had been spying for the patriots, as Woodhull's suspicions had increasingly grown over time. He was the only surviving son of aging parents, and he stayed on the family farm to attend to his family and their property.[4]. 2022-07-02. However, because his friend Selah Strong was imprisoned after getting into a fight with British officer Charles Joyce with Woodhull in attendance, Woodhull was one of the suspects in Joyce's murder when he turned up dead with his throat slit in Lewis Field, as was Anna Strong, Selah's wife and Woodhull's former fiancee. They have taken over everything, using brute force and the heels of their boots to make their presence known. He began providing information to the British in 1779, and started a correspondence with Major John Andre, the head of British intelligence. As depicted in the show, Abraham Woodhull was a cabbage farmer. He died a lonely man in 1838. Washington sent Caleb Brewster out to Setauket to notify Woodhull of the situation. the lines of a cruel and mistrustful enemy.[11] Tallmadge had Brewster sail him to Setauket an exceptionally dangerous move itself so he could meet with Woodhull and allay his spys concerns. A Loyalist named John Wolsey returned to Long Island after a stint in a Connecticut prison for privateering and reported a rumor that Woodhull was working for the Rebels. All Rights Reserved. network. Despite its inaccuracies, TURN: Washingtons Spies is an entertaining yet fitting tribute to the brave operatives of the Culper Ring, and shows just how dangerous and critically important their jobs were. Journal of the American Revolution also produces annual hardcover volumes, a branded book series, and the podcast, Dispatches. He attempted to stay out of the war, and he smuggled cabbage for his family after their harvest in the autumn of 1776 proved to be insufficient due to maggots eating up his crops. The British had been aware of the planned French attack for over a month, thanks to the treason of the infamous General Benedict Arnold himself. Margaret Smith Woodhull immediately set to work attempting to collect the money due him for his services. Yes, a gown, as in a dress. Sometimes boys even wore stays, too. Even if they decide to spare my life and send me to a prison ship, I would still leave you, your mother, my father, and our entire family disgraced. Great article. The near-miss left him shaken, but he was compelled to find another way to continue spying. Abraham Woodhull was born in 1750 in Setauket, a town on Long Island, New York. Eventually, Rogers lured out the killer by playing the retreat signal on the drums, which is what the killer used to signal Joyce to have a tryst with them, as revealed in a letter that Anna Strong had found in Joyce's belongings in his room in her house. In 1781, Woodhull married Mary Smith. I concur great article. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Abraham Woodhull (1750 - 1826), a key figure of the Culper Ring, was born into a prosperous family in Setauket, a small agricultural community on the north shore of Long Island, New York. Woodhull and Tallmadge deserve to be honored and taught. Austin Roe became the main courier for the ring later after Woodhull stopped going to New York City to gather intelligence personally. memorial page for Abraham Woodhull (7 Oct 1750-23 Jan 1826), Find a Grave . Moments later he realized that the intruders were his nieces, playing a game to surprise their uncle, and successfully so. General Washington had often been frustrated by the exaggerated figures that he had received from spies in the past, and expected more of the same from Woodhull. Abraham Woodhull was a farmer in the town of Setauket on Long Island's North Shore. Other writers and researchers associated with the JAR no doubt have other, and better, techniques. Abraham Woodhull: The Spy Named Samuel Culper Gen. Charles Scott, added their own comments and couriers then sped the messages to Washington at Continental Army headquarters in New Jersey. Woodhull adopts the alias Samuel Culper, and begins his espionage, making trips to New York to scope out British military strength and eavesdrop on important conversations. Woodhull told Brewster about the plans, and Brewster passed the information on to Tallmadge, leading to Tallmadge, Brewster, and other Continental troops ambushing and killing 19 of the 20 British troops, capturing a wounded Simcoe. The British knew the exact strength of the French fleet, and were going to wait for them to make harbor and ambush them. In return, Tallmadge proposed to Woodhull that he start spying for the Continental Army; Woodhull agreed, and Tallmadge received approval from Washington. They did, however, take plenty of liberties with the historical facts, but on the whole, the show presents the major activities and accomplishments of the Culper Ring in a reasonably accurate manner. Abraham decided to help Caleb in escaping New York after their meeting, and Caleb was able to escape on a rowboat as Abraham and Anna distracted British guards by offering them some beer from the Strong tavern. Now, he knew that 1,500 Hessian troops were going to be sent to Trenton, and he decided to pass this on to Caleb. Anna married a wealthy patriot named Selah Strong, an especially unlucky choice once Selah was sent to . I know not exactly a hugely significant issue in the greater storyline of TURN (and definitely not as big of a sartorial gaffe as, say, the bizarre garb that the Queens Rangers are wearing), but I thought readers might enjoy a small and pleasant domestic diversion while I finish making sense of the premiere episodes Swiss-cheese timeline. The 100 Best American Revolution Books of All Time, Perspectives on the Ten Crucial Days of the Revolution, This Week on Dispatches: Gene Procknow on Ethan Allen and Revolutionary-Era Newspapers. At times, Rivington was also an American agent. He will inform me what new works are erected on Long Island besides those at Brooklyn, and where, and of what nature. To overcome these problems Washington and Tallmadge envisioned a permanent network of spies that lived behind British lines and communicated their information through coded messages. There is much more to the story of the Culper Ring and intelligence activities in and around New York City. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. But Im a bit surprised by the []. Woodhull was a descendant of Richard Lawrence Woodhull, a wealthy settler of Setauket,[1] and was also related to New York militia Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull. Normally Woodhull was a farmer in the town of Setauket on Long Islands north shore where he cared for his elderly parents. [19] Culper to John Bolton, July 20, 1780, GW Papers, accessed April 20 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov; Rose, Washingtons Spies, 189-192. And dont forget to join the fun over at TURN to a Historians Facebook Page and tumblr account. P.S. In October of 1777, Woodhull announced to his father, Major Hewlett, his wife, Anna Strong, and other guests at a party commemorating Hewlett that he would be resuming his old studies at King's College to get a law degree, having regained an interest in law after the loss of his farm and his prosecution of the alleged patriots.