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The rumor fell upon the ears of a certain Queens Rangers captain by the name of John Graves Simcoe. Townsend told him never to show up at his inn again, warning him that he knew about his messages and told him that he could have given them to a British officer instead. 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. Lydia Darragh - Lydia spied on British officers who met in her home to discuss battle plans. Where you can stand on your own two feet. Woodhull became one of Washingtons best spies, knowing all the while that he was one step away from a noose. Granted, this particular anachronism is a small detail that is (like little Thomas baby couture) not hugely integral to the larger storyline of TURN. (Hes not even a year old and hes already turning Setauket into the Brooklyn of the 18th century!). The three would look out for each other and do many things together, including escorting Abe to secretly gain a kiss from Anna Strong. A little boy wearing a feminine gown would be confusing and strange to the average 21st-century viewer, and distracting enough to detract from the main storyline. Turn: Washington's Spies. Abraham was severely troubled by this, and there is no reason to assume his father did not feel likewise. 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. Im no expert on deciphering such documents, but have found that understanding the language of the time and subject matter is helpful. Is this just presumed to be legend or myth now? He hardly ever spoke of his work as a spy. Abraham Woodhull is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor. [14] Like Woodhull, Townsend played the part of a devoted Loyalist but he was a secret Patriot who had served briefly as a commissary to General Nathaniel Woodhull, Abrahams cousin. (LogOut/ Woodhull decided to have Baker as his second for the duel, and he met Simcoe on a small patch of land at a creek. Abraham Woodhull was born on 7 October 1750 in Setauket, New York, the son of Judge Richard Woodhull and Mary Smith. 2022-07-02. [2] Alexander Rose, Washingtons Spies: the Story of Americas first Spy Ring (New York: Bantam Dell, 2006), 74, 84-87. Tuskegee Airman Clarence D. Lester Broke Barriers, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Abraham Woodhull, Birth Year: 1750, Birth date: October 7, 1750, Birth State: New York, Birth City: Setauket, Birth Country: United States. He also never had a son named Thomas; Mary would give birth to two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, and a son named Jesse. S1 E6. In the spring of 1777, Woodhull trysted with Anna at her barn, and he told her that he could not stay there long. Startled, Woodhull sprang to his feet and snatched up his writing paper, breaking the vial of special ink on the floor. One day, Ensign Baker told Abraham's wife Mary about the time when he caught Abraham and Anna having sex on the table of Abraham's house after Anna informed him of her former slave's willingness to spy on Major John Andre for them while sent to him after the Dunmore Proclamation (which effectively made American slaves into British soldiers for the men, or British servants for the women and children). Another of Tallmadges operatives was Caleb Brewster, a Continental artillery lieutenant and skilled mariner stationed on the Connecticut coast who previously supplied Washington with naval intelligence. Woodhull and Strong must accomplish this right underneath the noses of the British soldiers occupying their hometown, as well as Woodhulls Loyalist father. [6] Woodhull had been caught smuggling contraband across Long Island Sound, and Tallmadge spoke with Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull and got him released. It is easy to see why AMC would choose such a spy ring as the subject of a television show. [21] Carl Van Doren, Secret History of the American Revolution: An Account of the Conspiracies of Benedict Arnold and Numerous Others, Drawn from the Secret Service Papers of the British Headquarters in North America, now for the First Time Examined and Made Public (Garden City, NY, Garden City Publishing, 1941), 380. Schellhammer, Michael. It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities. 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 member of the Culper Spy Ring, which provided information to George Washington during the American Revolution. Despite his success, the espionage business wore Woodhull out physically as well as mentally. Woodhull was a descendant of Richard Lawrence Woodhull, a wealthy settler of Setauket, and was also related to New York militia Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull. Woodhull somehow successfully answered the soldiers questions but the encounter still shook him to his bones. Woodhull served as a lieutenant in the Suffolk County, New York, militia in the fall of 1775 but resigned after a few months. Two of his children, Elizabeth and Jesse, married into the Brewster family. Even after resigning he sent seven more letters about British activities. [24] Culper to Tallmadge, July 5, 1783, GW Papers, accessed April 27 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov. [7] Culper to Tallmadge, March 17, 1779, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. The tactic was sometimes effective but the information often lacked the detail, accuracy and timeliness that Washington needed. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Poster: Abraham Lincoln, With His Son Tad (Thomas) Leaning On A Table, 1865 at the best online prices at eBay! Woodhull was essentially the leader of the Culper Spy Ring, deciding what information was transmitted throughout the group, which would eventually make its way to George Washington. . I fight this fight for you. I had to help win this fight. At one point he neared an encampment of Loyalist soldiers commanded by General William Tryon. Not two months had passed, however, when Washington needed their services again. As depicted in the show, Abraham Woodhull was a cabbage farmer. Woodhull was portrayed from 2014 to 2017 by Jamie Bell in AMC's spy thriller and historical drama series Turn: Washington's Spies, which was based on Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring (2007) by Alexander Rose. In October 1778, he began making trips to New York every few weeks with the excuse that he was on business or visiting his sister. Fall River Press, 2014. It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities. After the war ended in December 1783, Woodhull stayed in Setauket. Woodhull would copy what information he could gather onto paper, and on his way back home to Setauket, he would hide the information in a prearranged location, a hidden cove on Long Island Sound. . Abraham Woodhull was born in 1750 in Setauket, a town on Long Island, New York. Woodhull offered to send some cabbage to them, but they said that their brigade was being shipped out for Trenton, New Jersey soon. When the Continentals were busy pushing people into the tavern, Selah Strong made his presence known when he shot at the sign saying "DeJong Tavern", formerly "Strong Tavern", and Abraham was shocked to see him. 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. Abe married Mary, and soon had a son named Thomas. Later that day, Abraham decided to head to King's College to visit the spot where his brother had been killed in a 1773 riot after Woodhull put a Phrygian cap on top of the Liberty Pole there. The Culper Ring was a successful operation that provided Washington with valuable information on the British Army headquartered in New York from October 1778 to the end of the war. 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 Woodhull was a main spy in the Culper Spy Ring. Woodhull was forced to work by himself, and he attempted to plant evidence for Major Hewlett so that it would appear as if he had made a discovery of some of the Sons of Liberty's activities. Free shipping for many products! The Culper intelligence allowed Washington to arrange countermoves, and the episode was one of the Rings greatest successes. In 1778, he was . See Todd Andrliks James Rivington: Kings Printer and Patriot Spy? He began providing information to the British in 1779, and started a correspondence with Major John Andre, the head of British intelligence. Abraham Woodhull, spy for General George Washington, nearly got himself hanged on one of his first missions. Now, he knew that 1,500 Hessian troops were going to be sent to Trenton, and he decided to pass this on to Caleb. His fears were eased when Woodhull sent him a report in November 1778 that provided almost exact figures of British troop strength in New York. A farmer and the son of a local Patriot judge, Abraham Woodhull joined the Culper ring in November of 1778. At the inn, he helped a Spanish man win at a game of checkers, and the man told him that some sailors were building ships at the west wharf, making life hard for merchants; Woodhull decided to investigate. Woodhull's tip from the fellow boarder led him to the west wharf on 17 October 1777, where he spotted 32-gun frigateAlarm and 28-gun frigateSybilmoored at Peck's Slip along with the 18-gun sloopTobago. Cant find his name in the cast credits either odd. Woodhull prefaced the information with the admonishment that the intelligence contained news of the greatest consequence perhaps that ever happened to your country.. Townsend may have dabbled in journalism himself, which gave him a perfect excuse to spend long hours picking up information. 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. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Abraham and Anna spending time together in Anna's barn. [11] Culper to Tallmadge, April 101779, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. Woodhull planted a false letter from John Andre on him, saying that Andre had no interest in a farmer's services, but he was garroted by Robert Rogers, who told him that he was going to work for him. It's possible it was incorrectly annotated. [2], Woodhull was to be a new type of American spy. [] and visually busy spectacle. One example is from October 1779, when the Americans anticipated the arrival of a French fleet. 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. Richard Woodhull (1712-1788) was the local magistrate of Setauket, New York under Great Britain during the American Revolution. 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. In 1781, Woodhull married Mary Smith. Change). Creator: Thomas R. Bayles Identifier: aql:14389 trb-000045 trb-000045.tif. Eventually operating from Underhills boarding house, Woodhull so successfully played the part of a loyal but inquisitive farmer that he gained all of the information he needed, and more. Woodhull and Tallmadge deserve to be honored and taught. That would include both Woodhull as "Culper Sr." and Robert Townsend, who used the alias "Samuel Culper Jr."[14]. 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. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. In 1781, Woodhull resigned from his duties. His father, Richard, was unharmed, but Simcoe had plundered the house in the most shocking manner in order to obtain compensation for his troubles. Poor quality print. Woodhull began spying for the Continental Army in late 1778, as part of the Culper Spy Ring. What a fun anecdote thanks for sharing! Woodhull, the son of the loyalist magistrate Richard Woodhull, decided to volunteer his services to the Continental Army as the leader of a spy ring in New York City after 1777, assisting George Washington in collecting information on the British Army's activities. 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. Description: The old Abraham Woodhull House at Setauket. While he was a staunch loyalist, his son Abraham Woodhull would become the leader of the pro-patriot Culper Ring . Ive noticed that every time the kid is supposed to make a sound it is superimposed when his face is off screen. Then he wrote down his observations and hid them at a secluded cove near Setauket. In late July the agents reported that the British knew about the expected fleet and were moving naval forces to counter a planned French attack on Rhode Island. Woodhull was beaten, and Cyrus offered to let Woodhull leave if he fought him. Nevertheless, he continued to send letters to Washington, informing of anything of importance he came across. At times, Rivington was also an American agent. So, perhaps there are some parts of the Culper Ring, we will never know, Your email address will not be published. Woodhull returned to New York, defeated. Devoutly religious, he founded a missionary school in 1817, and was known to be sharply critical of the institution of slavery. Local orchard owner Lucas Brewster was blamed for the poisoning, and he was arrested. AMC. It is likely that the hidden letters, became brittle and fell off. Woodhull privately conferred with Major Hewlett and told him that he wanted to enter King's College and spy on the Sons of Liberty for him, as his prior connection to them might allow him to bust suspected patriot sympathizers in the college. Washington sent Caleb Brewster out to Setauket to notify Woodhull of the situation. His position as a merchant in New York City put him in an excellent position to learn British plans from his Crown business contacts. Now there are redcoats everywhere, swathed in every nook of our hometown. Sensing the volatile mental state of both his top operatives, General Washington decided to halt the operations of the Culper Ring. Woodhull immediately set to work attempting to collect the money due him for his services. How did the Culper Spy Ring work? Woodhull returned to Anna and told him of this, and Anna told him that Selah had died of dysentery on the Jersey two months earlier; however, Robert Rogers had bribed the captain of the ship to say that Selah had died and that Samuel Tallmadge, Benjamin Tallmadge's deceased brother, was the one who survived. That may be true, but deep down inside it is you, Thomas, who fuels my passion. Later that day, 22 August 1777, Benjamin Tallmadge raided Setauket to free his father and the other accused townspeople, taking over the town. The Rebels considered the practice trading with the enemy and those caught in the act faced a jail sentence. 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. 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. Washington was impressed: His account has the appearance of a very distinct and good one and makes me desirous of a continuance of his correspondence, he wrote. http://allthingsliberty.com/2014/03/james-rivington-kings-printer-patriot-spy/. 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. [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. I have a family photo of my grandmother and her siblings in the early 20th century, and her youngest brother is in a gown. Additionally, you can browse through a slideshow of primary source images concerning children and babies over at the 18th Century Material Culture Resource Center. P.S. In 1778, he was caught making his way into New York to sell some of his farms yield, and was jailed by the Rebels for selling goods to the enemy.. Abraham Woodhull is the American's lone productive spy in 1777 New York, but did we see a glimpse of his bloody fate? When I came home after seeing Ben, I sat down and watched you playing on the floor near the fireplace. Benjamin Tallmadge, Setaukets highest-ranking military officer, was appointed the master of ceremonies.. Following the directions of Benjamin Tallmadge, his childhood friend and General George Washingtons director of military intelligence, Woodhull operated under the code name "Samuel Culper." It was later decided by Tallmadge and Washington that Woodhull would be given the alias Samuel Culper, and the Culper spy ring was born. 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. Captain Thomas Woodhull (1746 - 1773) was a British Army officer who served in the King's Militia, the son of Richard Woodhull and Rebecca Woodhull and the brother of Abraham Woodhull. Thankfully, no actual spies were arrested, and the Ring was able to continue its work, although Woodhull and Townsend were again understandably anxious. This week I was reviewing Muster, Payrolls and List of Effectives for Capt Gross Scruggs company of the Fifth Virginia. Aliased Samuel Culper, Jr., Townsend gave Woodhull a reliable source within the city itself, and made his job much easier. Before Simcoe could fire back, Woodhull and Anna Strong arrived and ended the fight, with Anna telling Simcoe that the men were fighting for their honor, not hers, and telling them that they could both leave. I hope that one day, the Lord willing, you will grow up to be a man. Thomas Sprout Woodhull (died August 24, 1814) was the son of Culper Ring spy and farmer Abraham Woodhull. When Baker left, an angry Simcoe had him tell him about the affair, and Simcoe beat up Woodhull in the woods at night after coming onto him with a few regulars, saying that he retracted an apology that he was going to give him for accusing him of Captain Joyce's murder. Washington and his rebel army are fighting back and Ben is a part of that resistance, battling the Royal Army alongside thousands of other brave men. [11][13], Warren Walker suggested in 1956 that James Fenimore Cooper's character Harvey Birch had been based upon the work of "Samuel Culper" as a spy. 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. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Austin Roe became the main courier for the ring later after Woodhull stopped going to New York City to gather intelligence personally. He died in 1835. Robert Rogers, (born Nov. 7, 1731, Methuen, Mass. Abraham Woodhull was a noted hero of the American Revolution. Woodhull was tortured, being thrown in a cage with patriots; he did not disclose his true loyalties, and he was beaten and hated by the imprisoned patriots. The Culper spy ring proved to be a vital part of General Washingtons intelligence network, keeping him informed of the British Armys intentions and operations throughout the Colonies. One day, Woodhull was kidnapped by a desperate patriot named Cyrus who wanted to return to Washington's army in Morristown, as Cyrus believed that Woodhull was a Tory like his father and knew where Washington was; he did not listen to Woodhull's revelation that he was a spy. In this case, I could understand the rationale behind breeching little Thomas several years early in TURN. To protect their identities Tallmadge assigned aliases for their correspondence; Tallmadge went by John Bolton and Woodhull used the name Samuel Culper. It was the beginning of what became known as the Culper Ring., Woodhull was good at the espionage business. Perhaps Sprouts wealthy grandfather has servants churning out breeches for his grandchildren! And dont forget to join the fun over at TURN to a Historians Facebook Page and tumblr account. To appear as a devoted subject of King George III he publically took an oath of loyalty in Setauket. . Application of another solution developed the ink to reappear. He delivered messages via dead drop, burying them in a box in a pasture that he rented on Woodhull's property. [18] John Bolton to Washington, May 8, 1780, GW Papers, accessed April 19, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. He was killed by a Queen's Ranger during an exchange trading himself and Abe for Caleb Brewster. 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. 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. Later in 1776, Richard Woodhull asked his son to come with him to test his bartering skills for a deal with Colonel Jonathan Cook, the head of the commissary in New York City. Journal of the American Revolution also produces annual hardcover volumes, a branded book series, and the podcast, Dispatches. In the ensuing encounter, Woodhull was rescued by the redcoats, who killed Cyrus. ), American frontier soldier who raised and commanded a militia force, known as Rogerss Rangers, which won wide repute during the French and Indian War (175463). Posted on April 8, 2014 Updated on April 9, 2014. 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. Abraham "Abe" Woodhull, known also by his spy alias of Samuel Culpeper and Samuel Culper, his chosen version of the alias, is a New York farmer that went on to become a spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. List of American Revolutionary War battles, Turn: Washington's Spies official site entries. Woodhull was mildly supportive of the American cause but before 1778 the closest he came to the rebellion was an uneventful two-month stint in his county militia. He filed his last intelligence report, not written in code but still signed with the alias Samuel Culper, on February 21, 1783, while the British planned the wars closing act, the evacuation of New York City. [23] Woodhulls expense report submitted in July was the final curtain on his clandestine service.[24]. His first intelligence in October addressed British troop strengths and their shortages in provisions. This ruined Woodhull's plan to spy in New York, so he decided to inform his guard that he could wait outside of the city when he entered Manhattan for his studies. 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. Anna left with him, ostensibly to petition for Selah Strong's release from the HMS Jersey; Abraham would supposedly sell some cauliflower to the British. That he has gone so far beyond his promise makes me rather uneasy on his account.[17] And the ever-frugal general often testily reminded his spies not to waste the expensive disappearing ink and to find ways to communicate their intelligence faster. General Sir Henry Clinton, the commander of the British armies in Philadelphia, was ordered to leave the city and take his soldiers to New York to bolster defenses against a possible American and French attack. Richard Woodhull (died 1780) was the father of Culper Ring spy and farmer Abraham Woodhull. The evacuating British were forced to make the trip to New York by land due to the threat of French naval attack, giving General Washington an opportunity to strike a crippling blow. 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.