I just finished watching Turn: Washington's Spies, a top quality historical drama set during the American Revolutionary War. The series was released from 2014-2017 with four seasons and 40 episodes. The content mixes historical settings with some fiction and is based off the book by Alexander Rose, Washington's Spies: America's First Spy Network. Just as the title suggests it tells the story of a group of spies working for Washington, attempting to infiltrate British intelligence. For anyone who is a history nerd or admires a good period piece I would highly recommend this series.
Washington's Need for Spies
Long before the CIA, FBI, or even the Pinktertons could be established as effective government intelligence agencies, there was a spy network that played a vital role in America's War for Independence. It was born from the Sons of Liberty as a secretive means to infiltrate the British military occupants. These intelligence gathering missions were a necessary tool for Gen George Washington and the Continental Army to stand a chance against the mighty British army. However the risk was deadly, as was the case for Nathan Hale in 1776, who was captured and hanged by British officers. Nathan's dying words, "My only regret is that I have but one life to give" became a rallying cry for further revolutionary spirit.
By 1778 George Washington founded a new spy network in New York with the sole purpose to acquire British military intelligence. The organization was based out of Setauket and New York City. It's leading member was Major Benjamin Tallmadge a trusted officer of the Continental Army. Tallmadge recruited childhood friends whom he could trust such as Abraham Woodhull, Caleb Brewster, and later Robert Townshend. They all shared information discretely thru letters, codes, couriers, and secret alias and thus they became known as the Culper Spy Ring. It was the most effective and successful spy network during the American Revolution.
Key Members of the Culper Ring
Major Benjamin Tallmadge: He was the leader of the organization based out of Setauket to acquire intel from the British occupied region and deliver it to New York City and the Continental Army
Abraham Woodhull: He was one of Benjamin Tallmadge's most trusted friends in the ring and collected information from New York to relay to Tallmadge via coded letters and a secret courier system
Austin Roe: He was a tavern keeper and courier who delivered messages from Setauket to New York City, posing as a merchant to avoid suspicion
Caleb Brewster: Worked as a courier on a whaleboat, carrying messages between Tallmadge and Woodhull from Setauket to New York City
Robert Townshend: Joined the network in 1779 and posed as a Loyalist merchant in New York City. He was able to acquire British information as a society journalist
Anna Strong: Her role was to send signal to the whaleboat courier when a message was ready. She did this by placing a black petticoat on a clothesline, which could be seen from the Long Island Sound
Exposing British Planned Attack of Newport
The Culper Spy Ring was the most successful spy organization for both British and Continental Armies during the war. They succeed in providing the most information for the longest duration of time (1778-1783) without any of it's members being caught. While they played a crucial part in exposing many British military plots there were two achievements in particular that played a pivotal role for the Continental Army.
The first major achievement was that of exposing Britain's plans to attack the arriving French armies at Rhode Island. In July of 1780 the French navy under the leadership of Admiral Chevalier de Ternay was preparing to arrive in Rhode Island and begin it's campaign to aid the Continental Army. On board this navy were approximately 6000 soldiers under the command of General Comte de Rochambeau. However the British General Henry Clinton planned to welcome the French army with his full military and navy force at the port island of Newport, crushing them before they could settle and build their defenses.
The arrival of the French military support was vital to General George Washington and he relied on all the information he could gather in the New York harbor regarding British military movements. It was the Culper Spy Ring that came thru in delivering on Washington's request. The information was gathered by Townshend who noticed large British ground forces gathering on Long Island. He passed the urgent letter to the courier Roe, who rode 55 miles on horseback to the town of Setauket, to deliver the message to Woodhull. Woodhull then delivered the message to Brewster telling him it was the most urgent message he has ever received. Brewster bypassed Tallmadge, to make up time, and the message was quickly delivered at the Connecticut Shore to the hands of Alexander Hamilton.
This information quickly made it to Gen Washington, who quickly planned a decoy offensive to draw the British armies away from Newport. Washington devised a bluff offensive on New York City which caused Gen Clinton to withdraw his plan, and ultimately allowed the French navy to arrive at Newport without any hindrance. It was thanks to this information provided by the Culper Spy Ring, that the French military was able to secure it's military alliance with the Americans that played a crucial role in defeating the British.
Exposing Benedict Arnold
The second and perhaps more famous achievement by the Culper Spy Ring was that of exposing the infamous traitor Benedict Arnold and his counterpart John Andre. In 1780 Gen Benedict Arnold had proven himself with the American Continental Army and was granted the command of the important strategic post of West Point in New York.
However Benedict Arnold was conflicted with past encounters as well as from his Loyalist wife, Peggy Shippen. By 1779 he began secret communications with British General Henry Clinton with a plot to surrender West Point. Clinton assigned the British Major, John Andre, to become the new British spy chief and work with Arnold to coordinate the surrender of West Point.
Benedict Arnold and his conspicuous wife Peggy Shippen began frequent communications with John Andre. Arnold exposed much of Washington's military movements in writings to Andre. Also during his command Arnold began to subtly weaken the defenses of the West Point military base. In Sept of 1780 Arnold and Andre met in person to discuss these plans, however on his return trip, disguised in civilian clothes, Andre was captured by American militiamen with papers detailing the plot. At which point Major Tallmadge used his Culper Spy Ring intelligence to apprehend Andre and expose Benedict Arnold.
Thanks to the Culper Ring's interception of these plans, Benedict Arnold was exposed for treason. John Andre was hanged as a British spy in October of 1780, and although Benedict Arnold was able to escape the important fort of West Point remained secure in American control. Arnold went on to serve for the British army however became the utmost symbol of American treason. Had it not been thanks to the information provided by the Culper Spy Ring, Benedict Arnold may have succeeded in surrendering West Point or the French army may have never landed in America.
Washington's Need for Spies
By 1778 George Washington founded a new spy network in New York with the sole purpose to acquire British military intelligence. The organization was based out of Setauket and New York City. It's leading member was Major Benjamin Tallmadge a trusted officer of the Continental Army. Tallmadge recruited childhood friends whom he could trust such as Abraham Woodhull, Caleb Brewster, and later Robert Townshend. They all shared information discretely thru letters, codes, couriers, and secret alias and thus they became known as the Culper Spy Ring. It was the most effective and successful spy network during the American Revolution.
Key Members of the Culper Ring
Abraham Woodhull: He was one of Benjamin Tallmadge's most trusted friends in the ring and collected information from New York to relay to Tallmadge via coded letters and a secret courier system
Austin Roe: He was a tavern keeper and courier who delivered messages from Setauket to New York City, posing as a merchant to avoid suspicion
Caleb Brewster: Worked as a courier on a whaleboat, carrying messages between Tallmadge and Woodhull from Setauket to New York City
Robert Townshend: Joined the network in 1779 and posed as a Loyalist merchant in New York City. He was able to acquire British information as a society journalist
Anna Strong: Her role was to send signal to the whaleboat courier when a message was ready. She did this by placing a black petticoat on a clothesline, which could be seen from the Long Island Sound
Exposing British Planned Attack of Newport The Culper Spy Ring was the most successful spy organization for both British and Continental Armies during the war. They succeed in providing the most information for the longest duration of time (1778-1783) without any of it's members being caught. While they played a crucial part in exposing many British military plots there were two achievements in particular that played a pivotal role for the Continental Army.
The first major achievement was that of exposing Britain's plans to attack the arriving French armies at Rhode Island. In July of 1780 the French navy under the leadership of Admiral Chevalier de Ternay was preparing to arrive in Rhode Island and begin it's campaign to aid the Continental Army. On board this navy were approximately 6000 soldiers under the command of General Comte de Rochambeau. However the British General Henry Clinton planned to welcome the French army with his full military and navy force at the port island of Newport, crushing them before they could settle and build their defenses.
The arrival of the French military support was vital to General George Washington and he relied on all the information he could gather in the New York harbor regarding British military movements. It was the Culper Spy Ring that came thru in delivering on Washington's request. The information was gathered by Townshend who noticed large British ground forces gathering on Long Island. He passed the urgent letter to the courier Roe, who rode 55 miles on horseback to the town of Setauket, to deliver the message to Woodhull. Woodhull then delivered the message to Brewster telling him it was the most urgent message he has ever received. Brewster bypassed Tallmadge, to make up time, and the message was quickly delivered at the Connecticut Shore to the hands of Alexander Hamilton.This information quickly made it to Gen Washington, who quickly planned a decoy offensive to draw the British armies away from Newport. Washington devised a bluff offensive on New York City which caused Gen Clinton to withdraw his plan, and ultimately allowed the French navy to arrive at Newport without any hindrance. It was thanks to this information provided by the Culper Spy Ring, that the French military was able to secure it's military alliance with the Americans that played a crucial role in defeating the British.
Exposing Benedict Arnold
The second and perhaps more famous achievement by the Culper Spy Ring was that of exposing the infamous traitor Benedict Arnold and his counterpart John Andre. In 1780 Gen Benedict Arnold had proven himself with the American Continental Army and was granted the command of the important strategic post of West Point in New York.However Benedict Arnold was conflicted with past encounters as well as from his Loyalist wife, Peggy Shippen. By 1779 he began secret communications with British General Henry Clinton with a plot to surrender West Point. Clinton assigned the British Major, John Andre, to become the new British spy chief and work with Arnold to coordinate the surrender of West Point.
Benedict Arnold and his conspicuous wife Peggy Shippen began frequent communications with John Andre. Arnold exposed much of Washington's military movements in writings to Andre. Also during his command Arnold began to subtly weaken the defenses of the West Point military base. In Sept of 1780 Arnold and Andre met in person to discuss these plans, however on his return trip, disguised in civilian clothes, Andre was captured by American militiamen with papers detailing the plot. At which point Major Tallmadge used his Culper Spy Ring intelligence to apprehend Andre and expose Benedict Arnold.
Thanks to the Culper Ring's interception of these plans, Benedict Arnold was exposed for treason. John Andre was hanged as a British spy in October of 1780, and although Benedict Arnold was able to escape the important fort of West Point remained secure in American control. Arnold went on to serve for the British army however became the utmost symbol of American treason. Had it not been thanks to the information provided by the Culper Spy Ring, Benedict Arnold may have succeeded in surrendering West Point or the French army may have never landed in America.
