Benedict Arnold. Abraham pulled his gun and asked Baker not to arrest him, but Baker said that he would not be a traitor like Abraham. 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. Abraham Woodhull was a member of the Culper Spy Ring, which provided information to George Washington during the American Revolution. .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. 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. In early May 1779 Woodhulls worst fears almost came true. Click on the title of a post to view the comments and join the conversation! If Woodhull and Townsend were exhausted they remained dedicated and efficient. 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 and Tallmadge deserve to be honored and taught. Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early life 1.2 Death 2 Characters met [4] He was motivated by the murder of his cousin Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull of the New York militia, who was wounded by sword and bayonet cuts after he had been captured on August 29, 1776. 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. 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. The British knew the exact strength of the French fleet, and were going to wait for them to make harbor and ambush them. Anna married a wealthy patriot named Selah Strong, an especially unlucky choice once Selah was sent to . 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. Interesting notes. 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. Your email address will not be published. Woodhull decided to attend Andre's ball for his officers, and Anna told him that she would go there as well to help him, although Abraham told Anna that she should not go in her sad condition, as she would reveal her purpose. Those knickers were adorable, I want the sewing pattern for them anyone have any ideas where / how I can get one? Washington sent Caleb Brewster out to Setauket to notify Woodhull of the situation. Caleb escaped, and Abraham decided to continue passing information to the patriots. These negotiations made Woodhull proud of his son, but Abraham was disappointed when his father and Colonel Cook began to discuss dividing Selah Strong's lands while he was in prison, with Colonel Cook being promised some cauliflower by Woodhull. Any thoughts about this kids blank, emotionless stare and the fact that he never makes a sound? Other writers and researchers associated with the JAR no doubt have other, and better, techniques. Still, the fact is that little hipster Sprouts outfit IS several years ahead of his time, according to the historical record. The show also portrays Richard Woodhull as a devoted Tory, who grows ever suspicious of his sons behavior, but in reality, he was more supportive of the Patriots, and circumstantial evidence supports this. Cant find his name in the cast credits either odd. By the end of October he recruited his brother-in-law Amos Underhill, owner of a Manhattan boarding house, to gather information from his British Army lodgers. Journal of the American Revolution also produces annual hardcover volumes, a branded book series, and the podcast, Dispatches. Thanks for pointing this out!! A Letter From Abraham Woodhull to His Son Thomas View source A Letter From Abraham Woodhull to His Son Thomas is an entry from the Turn: Washington's Spies official site. Even after resigning he sent seven more letters about British activities. His efforts as a spy were some of the most successful efforts in American History. A number of close calls with British authorities had made both Woodhull and Robert Townsend jumpy. Abraham's own family is also quite fictionalized in the show; he was unmarried during most of the war, and did not wed Mary Smith until 1781. ae 53 years and 1 day Abraham Thomas was the son of Nicholas Thomas (1753-1838) and his first wife, Lucy Somes (1759-1792). His position as a merchant in New York City put him in an excellent position to learn British plans from his Crown business contacts. Gen. Charles Scott, September 25, 1778, GW Papers, accessed January 18, 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov. Was is from Morton Pennypacker? JMS you are correct as with any untranscribed 18th century documents, reading and understading the Culper letters is a tough task. The Culper intelligence allowed Washington to arrange countermoves, and the episode was one of the Rings greatest successes. [7] Tallmadge added two couriers to the operation to speed the reports from New York City to Setauket. Perhaps Sprouts wealthy grandfather has servants churning out breeches for his grandchildren! 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. For the first few years of a childs life in the late 18th century, regardless of gender, he or she would wear a gown, a loose-fitting garment that could be tied, pinned, or buttoned shut. Abraham went as a guest of Cook, and Anna later infiltrated the party while disguised as a prostitute. 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. Abraham Woodhull followed his fathers footsteps and became a magistrate, and was appointed First Judge of Suffolk County in 1799. If I am caught, I could be hanged as a traitor and a spy. [3], Woodhull returned to Setauket and began his spying in October. The TV show TURN took plenty of historical liberties; for instance, there is no evidence of a love affair between Abraham Woodhull and Anna Strong. Description: The old Abraham Woodhull House at Setauket. Abraham Woodhull was born in 1750 in Setauket, a town on Long Island, New York. 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. List of American Revolutionary War battles, Turn: Washington's Spies official site entries. While there, he had a conversation with two Hessians making sauerkraut at their campfire, and they let him try their food. They continued their march across the Sound, spilling over onto Long Island and into Setauket. 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. He was killed while putting down a riot at King's College. In the court case, Simcoe had trouble loading the musketball that hit Richard Woodhull into Tallmadge's gun, as it was a Pennsylvania rifle; only a Brown Bess British musket could use that type of ball. (LogOut/ The task fell to his intelligence aide, Major Benjamin Tallmadge, to begin recruiting spies. They likely discussed Woodhulls activities trading with the British. What General Washington, the ultimate consumer of Culper Ring intelligence, thought of the operation is unclear. Failure was not an option. But how do you read the non-transcribed Samuel Culper John Bolton GW Papers via http://memory.loc.gov? I concur great article. Richard Woodhull (1712-1788) was the local magistrate of Setauket, New York under Great Britain during the American Revolution. [19] Culper to John Bolton, July 20, 1780, GW Papers, accessed April 20 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov; Rose, Washingtons Spies, 189-192. 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. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. He was the son of Richard Woodhull, a wealthy judge, and Margaret Smith Woodhull, who did not die when Abraham was young as portrayed in the show, but in fact died in 1803, fifteen years after Richard. Woodhull wrote, I received their threats for coming there that made me almost tremble knowing my situation and business.[1] His statement only hinted at what he inwardly knew; that if the soldiers discovered his espionage mission, they would have hanged him without compunction. Abraham Woodhull - Abraham was a key member of the Culper Spy Ring. With all due respect to Mary Woodhull, . His cousin, General Nathaniel Woodhull, Historians believe that he and his co-conspirators probably uncovered Benedict Arnolds treason, and the information that led to arrest of British Major John Andre. ; on back: Old Abraham Woodhull home Seatuket. 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. Im no expert on deciphering such documents, but have found that understanding the language of the time and subject matter is helpful. In this case, I could understand the rationale behind breeching little Thomas several years early in TURN. But there can be no doubt of Woodhulls dedication. Neither man recorded the details of their meeting but we can make some inferences by the result. 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! http://www.britishbattles.com/battle-monmouth.htm, https://spycurious.wordpress.com/2015/04/27/lieutenant-colonel-richard-hewlett-the-loyal-est-loyalist/, http://www.longislandsurnames.com/getperson.php?personID=I0519&tree=Woodhull, https://allthingsliberty.com/2014/05/abraham-woodhull-the-spy-named-samuel-culper/. Sensing the volatile mental state of both his top operatives, General Washington decided to halt the operations of the Culper Ring. He thus enlisted the aid of Anna Strong, the wife of Selah Strong, a tavern keeper who was jailed aboard a British prison ship when the Culper Ring was formed. Possibly after testing his old friends allegiance, Tallmadge probably dropped his bomb; it was he who secured his early release from Governor Trumbull, and would Woodhull be willing to spy for the American cause? Can beard oil clog pores? Abe married Mary, and soon had a son named Thomas. [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 was born on October 7th 1750 in Setauket, New York, on Long Island. Abraham Woodhull/Parents Background. Does Baylor Scott and White random drug test? Townsend then decided he was through with espionage. Woodhull and Strong must accomplish this right underneath the noses of the British soldiers occupying their hometown, as well as Woodhulls Loyalist father. 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. Woodhull had a problem to face, however, as he had to give Major Hewlett a final report on New York. Hewlett decided to send the accused to HMS Jersey in lieu of hanging, although this was effectively a death sentence due to the poor conditions there. While I am caught in the middle of a war I hope will be over soon, I can only hope we are on the side of right and good. Behind the Scenes . [9][10], Woodhull married his friend Mary Smith in 1781 and had three children with her. Sometimes historians give the Culper Ring credit for discovering Benedict Arnold was a traitor. It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities. Both of those can help give you the context to figure out words and phrases that seem unintelligable. Once they were several years old, boys and girls would then make the transition to outfits that were miniature versions of mens and womens adult clothing. In the encounter, Woodhull won a coin toss and was allowed to draw first blood, but his shot missed Simcoe. His father, Richard, was unharmed, but Simcoe had plundered the house in the most shocking manner in order to obtain compensation for his troubles. 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. The patriots withdrew from Setauket, but Anna decided to leave Selah's side and stay in Setauket to help Abraham. [20] Tallmadge to Washington, October 11, 1780, GW Papers, accessed April 24, 2014 via. 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. Woodhull's father helped him in getting his way out of the case, and Woodhull and ranger captain Robert Rogers both investigated the murder. Over time, he began to fear for his safety, and Benjamin Tallmadges reports to Washington reflect Woodhulls growing timidity. Senaste mnen. 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. Before he left Connecticut, Woodhull was probably stunned when he received a visit from Benjamin Tallmadge, who he knew as a fellow Setauket native. In mid-1778 he began sailing across Long Island Sound to British-held New York to sell his farms produce for hard currency. However, Woodhull sent him to persuade Townsend to join the rebel cause, as Woodhull had previously met with his father Samuel Townsend in attempts to persuade Robert to join the patriots. It's possible it was incorrectly annotated. 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. 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. 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. . The formed an unlikely alliance, and Rogers helped Abraham in covering up Eastin's murder. 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. Colonel John Graves Simcoe, commander of the Loyalist Queens American Rangers, promptly launched a raid to grab the spy. He was a Presbyterian, occupying a "Pew of Authority" in the old church and doing much toward the building of the new church. [9] Culper to Scott, October 31, 1778, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. He had three children with his wife Mary, lived prosperously as a Suffolk County judge, and died in 1826. It is likely that the hidden letters, became brittle and fell off. In order to spy against the British, Woodhull needed to enter New York City with Anna, whom he would claim was his wife. Under the system that Tallmadge designed, Woodhull travelled to New York every few weeks on business, mixed with Crown soldiers, listened for news, and observed activities. [13] Culper to John Bolton, June 5, 1779, GW Papers, accessed March 29, 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov; Rose, Washingtons Spies, 129. Abraham Woodhull (7 October 1750 - 23 January 1826) was the leader of the Culper Ring network under the alias Samuel Culper, Sr. during the American Revolutionary War. Washington planned a naval attack on New York City and pressed Tallmadge for Woodhull to at all times keep his attention on changes of situation, or the new positions which may be taken by the enemy. TURN Season 3: All Quiet on the HistoryFront? He hardly ever spoke of his work as a spy. Background. The two often went to New York together masquerading as husband and wife, and the trick was effective, despite Strong being ten years older than Woodhull. Abraham Woodhull, spy for General George Washington, nearly got himself hanged on one of his first missions. Creator: Thomas R. Bayles Identifier: aql:14389 trb-000045 trb-000045.tif. He used the alias "Samuel Culper" (later "Samuel Culper Sr."), which was a play on Culpeper County, Virginia, and was suggested by George Washington . What a fun anecdote thanks for sharing! Woodhull encountered his childhood friend Caleb Brewster when he arrived in Connecticut, selling him his cabbage in exchange for some money and some silk. In 1778, he was . Where your own reasoning forges your path rather than blindly following others. Woodhull turned out to be a very effective spy, and his reports were uncannily accurate. 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. War History Online welcomes many guest authors who share their knowledge of the history on our pages. Townsend may have dabbled in journalism himself, which gave him a perfect excuse to spend long hours picking up information. 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. Linda Baumgarten of Colonial Williamsburg writes: The time when a little boy went from skirts to pants, which was called, breeching, occurred anytime from age three to seven and was symbolic of his first step toward becoming a little man.'. He married Mary Smith on 24 November 1781, in New York County, New York, United States. 2022-07-02. Abraham Woodhull (October 7, 1750 January 23, 1826) was a leading member of the Culper Spy Ring in New York City and Setauket, New York, during the American Revolutionary War. For more information, I highly recommend reading Linda Baumgartens primer on colonial childrens clothing (the source of the above quote). 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. This week I was reviewing Muster, Payrolls and List of Effectives for Capt Gross Scruggs company of the Fifth Virginia. Abraham Woodhull: The Spy Named Samuel Culper. Journal of the American Revolution, 19 May 2014. Woodhull began spying in October 1778 and sent his first "Samuel Culper" letter on October 29, 1778, after he had sworn an oath of loyalty to the Crown as cover. Woodhull somehow successfully answered the soldiers questions but the encounter still shook him to his bones. 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. Excellent sketch of the Culper Rings two Principal Agents Mike. After collecting the messages, Woodhull waited for signals from his neighbor and fellow conspirator, Anna Strong, who communicated by hanging specific laundry out on her line. Husband of Anna Maria Brewster; Hannah Skidmore and Charity A. Smith. 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. Highwaymen on the road near the town of Huntington robbed him of all of his money in early April 1779, and Woodhull told Tallmadge that he felt a life of anxiety to be within . Watching you fall and get up over and over again swelled my heart with pride and joy. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Also, his cousin, Continental Brigadier-General Nathaniel Woodhull, died at the battle of Long Island in 1776. I knew I had to do this for our family. Abraham Woodhull was born on October 7th 1750 in Setauket, New York, on Long Island. Washington sent another vial of ink.[12]. Abraham Woodhull was a main spy in the Culper Spy Ring. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); "TURN to a Historian" is an independent blog for people searching for historically-accurate information and analysis about "TURN: Washington's Spies", AMC's fictionalized television drama about Revolutionary War spies. Abraham Woodhull, Esq. In July 1778 Woodhull paid for his daring when a Continental naval patrol intercepted his boat and Rebel authorities threw him into a Connecticut jail. Abraham Woodhull is the American's lone productive spy in 1777 New York, but did we see a glimpse of his bloody fate? 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. In the spring of 1777, Woodhull trysted with Anna at her barn, and he told her that he could not stay there long. . Unfortunately, several British officers decided to billet at Woodhulls farm at the same time and a violent storm prevented Brewster from retrieving Tallmadge. I understand why they didnt opt for historical accuracy on this one, but boys wearing gowns as children is one of my favorite Colonial oddities and I wished they had included it. Tallmadge then sent the information to General George Washington. . This led to Abraham being disappointed with his father, whose loyalist sympathies set the two of them apart. He was herded into the tavern with the other people, and Tallamdge and Brewster took him aside from the crowd to tell him that he was going to negotiate the release of the prisoners. While in the city, he was able to observe naval strength, troop numbers, and glean potentially important information by eavesdropping on the conversations of British soldiers. Im glad that you all enjoyed the article, and great points from SPM and Ken. The show also portrays Richard Woodhull as a devoted Tory, who grows ever suspicious of his sons behavior, but in reality, he was more supportive of the Patriots, and circumstantial evidence supports this. ), Spy Chat in Fairfield: Revolutionary Spies in CT (Featuring Caleb Brewster and the WhaleboatWars), New Scholarly Roundtable on Historical Accuracy vs. Truth inTURN. He was killed by a Queen's Ranger during an exchange trading himself and Abe for Caleb Brewster. Now Tallmadge wore the uniform of a major in the Second Continental Dragoons. Are there transcriptions at any other accessible digital websites? Brother of Mary (Woodhull) Arthur and . Thanks for reading and commenting, and enjoy researching! Journal of the American Revolution is the leading source of knowledge about the American Revolution and Founding Era. Woodhull refused his father's offer of releasing him from prison if he would stop spying, and he also refused to escape with Caleb Brewster, who had infiltrated New York in David Bushnell's Turtle and disguised himself as a British officer. Abraham was severely troubled by this, and there is no reason to assume his father did not feel likewise. Captain Simcoe, a gruff and raucous character, had taken over the same outfit of Rangers once commanded by legendary tracker Robert Rogers. He was the son of a prominent judge who supported colonial independence. A recovering Judge Woodhull accepted Abraham's offer to prosecute the accused in his stead, as Abraham wanted to lose on purpose; this would show the townspeople that Simcoe was the man responible. Early on, Woodhull had urged General Scott to destroy every letter after reading for fear of some unforeseen accident that may befall you and the letter get into the enemies hands and probably find me out and take me before I have any warning.[9] A month later Tallmadge told Washington that Woodhull used extreme caution and even timidity.[10] Woodhull particularly hated traveling the 50 miles to New York City because every trip put him at risk of questioning and discovery at military checkpoints. [17] Washington to Tallmadge, September 22 1779, Writings of George Washington, Vol. ), 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). Abraham mentions that his son is "almost a year old" as he eggs him on to start walking on his own. Adding to these problems was the threat of an attack on New York City by the Rebels and their new allies, the French. If you are interested in working with us or have a great story, please get in touch. . Great article. Despite his success, the espionage business wore Woodhull out physically as well as mentally. He delivered messages via dead drop, burying them in a box in a pasture that he rented on Woodhull's property. Woodhull also recruited other spies into the ring; one such spy was Robert Townsend, who worked in a New York boardinghouse which was frequented by British soldiers. 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. Abraham was severely troubled by this, and there is no reason to assume his father did not feel likewise. 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. We work with various museums, historical societies and media outlets around the world. 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. He traveled regularly from Setauket to Manhattan, ostensibly to visit his sister. Woodhull and Cyrus fought, but Cyrus later heard British troops approaching him after they found out that Woodhull had been ambushed. 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. 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. Fall River Press, 2014. European history isnt my area of expertise, but I wonder if there are still areas of Europe where gowns for toddlers (and beyond) are still common today.

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