Now Tallmadge wore the uniform of a major in the Second Continental Dragoons. The near-miss left him shaken, but he was compelled to find another way to continue spying. As you know, after the war Washington actually questioned whether the funds used for this operation had been worth the results. His parents were Judge Richard Woodhull and Mary Woodhull (ne Smith). The two proceeded to strip down and have sex in Baker's bed, with Abraham telling Anna that he could do so because it was his house, and Anna responded by telling him to prove it. This is a 1790 portrait by American painter Ralph Earl . It is likely that the hidden letters, became brittle and fell off. The formed an unlikely alliance, and Rogers helped Abraham in covering up Eastin's murder. [23] Woodhulls expense report submitted in July was the final curtain on his clandestine service.[24]. [2] Alexander Rose, Washingtons Spies: the Story of Americas first Spy Ring (New York: Bantam Dell, 2006), 74, 84-87. Theyre both economical and practical, especially for a large middle or working-class family. Does beard oil expire? 2022-07-02. A Long Island farmer bands together a group of childhood friends to form an unlikely group of spies who turn the tide in America's fight for independence. 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. He rushed to the dying Baker and cried, having killed his first man. The job was not without its risks, though, and Woodhull cut it close on many occasions. 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. The Culper intelligence allowed Washington to arrange countermoves, and the episode was one of the Rings greatest successes. 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 "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. But how do you read the non-transcribed Samuel Culper John Bolton GW Papers via http://memory.loc.gov? At one point he neared an encampment of Loyalist soldiers commanded by General William Tryon. (His very appearance is a bit of a chronological anomaly, but well discuss that later.) [16] Washington to Tallmadge, October 6 1779, Writings of George Washington, Vol. 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. Woodhull's father helped him in getting his way out of the case, and Woodhull and ranger captain Robert Rogers both investigated the murder. Normally Woodhull was a farmer in the town of Setauket on Long Islands north shore where he cared for his elderly parents. Yet, in my research, I have not discovered any documents linking them to him, other than their anxieties you mentioned. Woodhull began spying for the Continental Army in late 1778, as part of the Culper Spy Ring. If you are interested in working with us or have a great story, please get in touch. Abraham Woodhull: The Spy Named Samuel Culper. Journal of the American Revolution, 19 May 2014. However, his rowboat was pulled in by a ship at night while he was headed for New York, and he was told that he was being arrested by the Continental Congress for smuggling. 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? He was the son of a prominent judge who supported colonial independence. Husband of Anna Maria Brewster; Hannah Skidmore and Charity A. Smith. 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. Woodhull told him to ask Major Hewlett, who would vouch for him, but he was unaware that Hewlett had been kidnapped by the patriots from his home after Simcoe framed him for the murder ot their captain. TV Show. S1 E6. 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. As I write this letter you are upstairs in your mothers arms, sleeping peacefully. While there, he had a conversation with two Hessians making sauerkraut at their campfire, and they let him try their food. . The task fell to his intelligence aide, Major Benjamin Tallmadge, to begin recruiting spies. Abraham Woodhull, Esq. 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. 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. Abraham was severely troubled by this, and there is no reason to assume his father did not feel likewise. Abraham had Baker reload his gun, but he was convinced to leave the duel with honor. 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. Two of his children, Elizabeth and Jesse, married into the Brewster family. Yes, a gown, as in a dress. Sometimes boys even wore stays, too. Background. 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] 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. Woodhull became one of Washingtons best spies, knowing all the while that he was one step away from a noose. But he probably never forgot that day in 1778 when he came very close to being hanged. 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. And dont worry well be discussing plenty of military details here on the blog soon enough. Thanks for pointing this out!! Woodhull was mildly supportive of the American cause, and the closest he came to the rebellion was an uneventful two months 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. They have taken over everything, using brute force and the heels of their boots to make their presence known. [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. 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. British forces on Manhattan obtained much of their supplies from the farms of Long Island, which meant that Woodhull could travel regularly to New York, ostensibly to sell his goods but really to observe military activities. ae 53 years and 1 day Abraham Thomas was the son of Nicholas Thomas (1753-1838) and his first wife, Lucy Somes (1759-1792). Abraham mentions that his son is "almost a year old" as he eggs him on to start walking on his own. 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. He died a lonely man in 1838. JMS you are correct as with any untranscribed 18th century documents, reading and understading the Culper letters is a tough task. Richard Woodhull While Anna objected to either plot, Abraham stole his father's pistol and ambushed Eastin as he rode down a road, shooting him off of his horse. Abraham and Anna spending time together in Anna's barn. In 1779, Simcoe found out that Abraham Woodhull was a spy and he travelled to Setauket to find him; . Later that day, 22 August 1777, Benjamin Tallmadge raided Setauket to free his father and the other accused townspeople, taking over the town. And dont forget to join the fun over at TURN to a Historians Facebook Page and tumblr account. type. I find that magnifying the zoom to 200% makes the cursive far more intelligible. Woodhull later returned to his home, only to find his wife confronting him after she found out about his spy involvement. Woodhull returned to New York, defeated. Richard Woodhull (1712-1788) was the local magistrate of Setauket, New York under Great Britain during the American Revolution. Rogers followed Woodhull to his secret hideout in the basement of his burnt-down farm, and Woodhull was told that he had to work with Rogers to get revenge on Andre before Rogers would kill him. A French fleet was sailing into Rhode Island to attack British forces there, and Washington wanted information that could make the job of the French easier. [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. Robert Townsend went into business with his brother Solomon, but the business failed, and Townsend never got back on his feet. In order to spy against the British, Woodhull needed to enter New York City with Anna, whom he would claim was his wife. Creator: Thomas R. Bayles Identifier: aql:14389 trb-000045 trb-000045.tif. She found out when their son Thomas had moved a floorboard, revealing a book of words and code-numbers used to represent them, a book which Caleb had given to Abraham in order to communicate without the British knowing; Caleb also told Woodhull that his alias would be "Samuel Culpeper", with Woodhull shortening it to "Culper". The war is raging now, and General Washington has been driven out of York City and the Royal Army has taken over there. 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. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. While Hewlett acknowledged Woodhull's excuse that he was in prison, he told Woodhull that he would send the report to Major John Andre in Philadelphia. Look at the above painting and take a guess as to how much airtime would be needed to explain that boys outfit to a modern-day viewer.) Not two months had passed, however, when Washington needed their services again. Can beard oil clog pores? [11][12] Mary died in 1806,[11] and he married Lydia Terry in 1824. Im sure you know that the value of intelligence is often intangible, and therefore not always apparant until viewed with the benefit of hindsight. His name is Benjamin Tallmadge, and he has asked me to do something dangerous. Nevertheless, he continued to send letters to Washington, informing of anything of importance he came across. 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. 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). I believe it should be http://www.spycurious.tumblr.com, Many thanks for bringing that to my attention, Shea! His father, Richard, was unharmed, but Simcoe had plundered the house in the most shocking manner in order to obtain compensation for his troubles. Little Sprout Woodhulls curiousclothing, Linda Baumgartens primer on colonial childrens clothing, the 18th Century Material Culture Resource Center, Vexatious Vexillology TURN to a historian, TURN Historical Timeline updated for Season 4 (PartOne), TURN Historical Timeline updated for Season3. Abraham Woodhull is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor. Abraham Woodhull was born in 1750 in Setauket, a town on Long Island, New York. 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. Benedict Arnold. The tactic was sometimes effective but the information often lacked the detail, accuracy and timeliness that Washington needed. (Hes not even a year old and hes already turning Setauket into the Brooklyn of the 18th century!). 72years (17401812)Anna Strong / Age at death. 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. Woodhull was one of Washington's spies during the revolutionary war. Abraham Woodhull was a farmer in the town of Setauket on Long Island's North Shore. [14] Culper to Bolton, June 5, 1779, GW Papers, accessed March 29, 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov (second letter dated June 5). [8], Yet for all of his success, the pressure of spying and leading a double life severely strained Woodhull. 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. Neither man recorded the details of their meeting but we can make some inferences by the result. Woodhull encountered his childhood friend Caleb Brewster when he arrived in Connecticut, selling him his cabbage in exchange for some money and some silk. When I came home after seeing Ben, I sat down and watched you playing on the floor near the fireplace. and Mary Anna (Smith) Woodhull. 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. Watching you fall and get up over and over again swelled my heart with pride and joy. After the war ended in December 1783, Woodhull stayed in Setauket. Now, he knew that 1,500 Hessian troops were going to be sent to Trenton, and he decided to pass this on to Caleb. Letter Dear Thomas , As I write this letter you are upstairs in your mother 's arms, sleeping peacefully. Abraham copied down the writing in his book before Cook had him leave, but not before the officers gave him a drinking challenge: they asked him who he would kill if he would not be retaliated against. Benjamin Tallmadge became a wealthy investor, and in 1801 was elected to Congress. 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. That would include both Woodhull as "Culper Sr." and Robert Townsend, who used the alias "Samuel Culper Jr."[14]. 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. She then passed on the information to American soldiers. Abraham Woodhull/Parents Background. Abraham Woodhull Courier route to and from General Washington's Headquarters Courier route across Long Island Sound Courier route from New York City to Setauket Route used by Culper Ring members to send intelligence from New York City to General Washington's headquarters in downstate New York and New Jersey. He found out of a petition to the provincial congress, and he intended to hunt down the people responsible. Basing his operation in his British-occupied hometown of Setauket, New York, Woodhull enlists the aid of local tavern keeper Anna Strong to ferry crucial intelligence to their friends in the Continental Army, Caleb Brewster and Benjamin Tallmadge, who in turn bring the intelligence to General George Washington himself. Behind the Scenes Abraham Woodhull was born in 1750 in Setauket, a town on Long Island, New York. 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. network. In 1781, Woodhull married Mary Smith. But Im a bit surprised by the []. It was believed that Nathaniel Woodhull had been captured and brutalized by the British, and died a miserable death. [9] Culper to Scott, October 31, 1778, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. He married Mary Smith on 24 November 1781, in New York County, New York, United States. As depicted in the show, Abraham Woodhull was a cabbage farmer. Accessed 18 May 2016. https://spycurious.wordpress.com/2015/04/27/lieutenant-colonel-richard-hewlett-the-loyal-est-loyalist/, Long Island Surnames: Abraham Woodhull. Longislandsurnames.com, accessed 15 May 2016. http://www.longislandsurnames.com/getperson.php?personID=I0519&tree=Woodhull, Markle, Donald E. The Fox and the Hound: The Birth of American Spying. [17] Washington to Tallmadge, September 22 1779, Writings of George Washington, Vol. Margaret Smith Best Known For: Abraham Woodhull was a member of the Culper Spy Ring, which provided information to George Washington during the American Revolution. 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. 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.