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. Woodhull served as a lieutenant in the Suffolk County, New York, militia in the fall of 1775 but resigned after a few months. Abraham told Anna that he was fighting for freedom and confronted her about their true beliefs, and she told him that she wanted her husband. Woodhull prefaced the information with the admonishment that the intelligence contained news of the greatest consequence perhaps that ever happened to your country.. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 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. 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. Abraham Woodhull/Parents 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. 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. His efforts as a spy were some of the most successful efforts in American History. 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. 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. At one point he neared an encampment of Loyalist soldiers commanded by General William Tryon. (LogOut/ 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. Later, petition signer Moses Paine decided to turn in the petition, saying that he was drunk when he signed it, giving Hewlett a list of patriots; he proceeded to have those men rounded up and arrested along with Paine himself. The ink was a solution developed by John Jays brother, Sir James Jay. I was just wondering. Does Baylor Scott and White random drug test? 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]. 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. 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. Failure was not an option. He used the alias Samuel Culper when sending messages and working as a spy. The task fell to his intelligence aide, Major Benjamin Tallmadge, to begin recruiting spies. 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.He was killed while putting down a riot at King's College. Poor quality print. Richard Woodhull Now that York City is dark to the rebel army, they need a man who can get inside and gather information. Fall River Press, 2014. Sensing the volatile mental state of both his top operatives, General Washington decided to halt the operations of the Culper Ring. Thankfully, no actual spies were arrested, and the Ring was able to continue its work, although Woodhull and Townsend were again understandably anxious. Under the alias "Samuel Culper Jr.," Townsend sent information by courier to Woodhulls farm in Setauket. Now there are redcoats everywhere, swathed in every nook of our hometown. [] and visually busy spectacle. Startled, Woodhull sprang to his feet and snatched up his writing paper, breaking the vial of special ink on the floor. But the event convinced the spy of his constant danger and he curtailed operations. 2022-07-02. He was later buried is Setauket, next to his wife, Rebecca and his son, Thomas . In mid-1778 he began sailing across Long Island Sound to British-held New York to sell his farms produce for hard currency. Abraham Woodhull was born to Richard Woodhull and Rebecca Woodhull (1728-1757). 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/. Both of those can help give you the context to figure out words and phrases that seem unintelligable. One of the facts he provided was that a spy ring was operating on Long Island, and before long suspected spies were being arrested throughout the area. 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. Townsend then decided he was through with espionage. and Mary Anna (Smith) Woodhull. In late August, Woodhull received an unexpectedly early release from jail by order of Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull. [8], Yet for all of his success, the pressure of spying and leading a double life severely strained Woodhull. Woodhull never spoke of his spying activities to anyone. Benjamin Tallmadge, Setaukets highest-ranking military officer, was appointed the master of ceremonies.. Abraham was forced to fire, shooting him in the stomach. Abraham Woodhull: The Spy Named Samuel Culper. Journal of the American Revolution, 19 May 2014. 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? 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. It is a choice that comes at a heavy price. [22] In the same letter he finally bowed out of the spy business. 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. 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." While this piece underscores some of the glaring inaccuracies of the TV series TURN, it also highlights the intrigue and anxiety spies like Woodhull must have experienced day to day. Aliased Samuel Culper, Jr., Townsend gave Woodhull a reliable source within the city itself, and made his job much easier. What leverage Tallmadge used to get Woodhull to consider the offer is unknown, but the major may have reminded Woodhull about the death of his cousin, General Nathaniel Woodhull, at British hands. I believe it should be http://www.spycurious.tumblr.com, Many thanks for bringing that to my attention, Shea! Anna remained alone on the family farm during the American Revolution, where she assisted with General Washington's Culper Spy Ring. [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 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. Since Woodhull was ill at the time, another spy named Austin Roe was sent to New York to get information from Robert Townsend, who sent a report back to Woodhull for forwarding to Washington. Abraham Woodhull was born to Richard Woodhull and . S1 E6. [15] Rose, Washingtons Spies, 146-151; John Bakeless, Turncoats, Traitors & heroes: Espionage in the American Revolution (New York; J.B. Lippincot, 1959, reprint, Da Capo Press, 1998), 228. Abraham was severely troubled by this, and there is no reason to assume his father did not feel likewise. Your email address will not be published. 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. Woodhull began spying for the. Woodhull encountered his childhood friend Caleb Brewster when he arrived in Connecticut, selling him his cabbage in exchange for some money and some silk. He recruited Woodhull, a native of Tallmadge's hometown of Setauket, Long Island, New York. The job was not without its risks, though, and Woodhull cut it close on many occasions. ), 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 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. TURN: Washington's Spies: Created by Craig Silverstein. This is a 1790 portrait by American painter Ralph Earl . Makes me feel resentful, though, at our Long Island schools. So little Thomas Sprout Woodhull appears to be quite the little hipster baby wearing breeches before they were cool. The three would look out for each other and do many things together, including escorting Abe to secretly gain a kiss from Anna Strong. Lucy was the daughter of Abraham Somes, one of the. 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. Yet he still completed his mission and submitted a valuable intelligence report to Washington. Though, they must have been pre-made, as by the time they would have been finished, Sprout would have sprouted some more. I want you to live in a world where you can make your own choices. 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. [21], In 1781 British and Loyalist units still patrolled Long Island and though Woodhull continued reporting, he remained concerned about his safety. 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.'. 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. Im no expert on deciphering such documents, but have found that understanding the language of the time and subject matter is helpful. Abraham's wife Mary convinced him that he had to shoot the courier, Corporal Eastin (the man who had been sent to escort Woodhull to New York previously), and not kill Hewlett as he had planned to do. JMS you are correct as with any untranscribed 18th century documents, reading and understading the Culper letters is a tough task. In 1781, Woodhull married Mary Smith. 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. (Hes not even a year old and hes already turning Setauket into the Brooklyn of the 18th century!). Later that day, 22 August 1777, Benjamin Tallmadge raided Setauket to free his father and the other accused townspeople, taking over the town. At one point he neared an encampment of Loyalist soldiers commanded by General William Tryon. Abraham Woodhull, spy for General George Washington, nearly got himself hanged on one of his first missions. See Todd Andrliks James Rivington: Kings Printer and Patriot Spy? 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. Abraham Woodhull is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor. Despite his success, the espionage business wore Woodhull out physically as well as mentally. Margaret Smith 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. In the summer of 1778, the need arose for a Rebel spy network in New York City, the site of the British Armys continental headquarters. http://allthingsliberty.com/2014/03/james-rivington-kings-printer-patriot-spy/. Normally Woodhull was a farmer in the town of Setauket on Long Islands north shore where he cared for his elderly parents. For more information, I highly recommend reading Linda Baumgartens primer on colonial childrens clothing (the source of the above quote). Anna married a wealthy patriot named Selah Strong, an especially unlucky choice once Selah was sent to . Is this just presumed to be legend or myth now? There is nothing I love more than watching you in your crib, but tonight I am wide awake, alone with my thoughts, unable to rest as dark intentions keep my mind preoccupied. The British knew the exact strength of the French fleet, and were going to wait for them to make harbor and ambush them. 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. 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. Tallmadges recruitment of Woodhull enabled them to put their plans into action. [8] His plan was to travel to Manhattan, ostensibly to visit his married sister, Mary Underhill, and her husband, Amos, at their boarding house. Anna Strong (Heather Lind) We know she lived in Setauket until her death at age 72 on Aug. 12, 1812 (coincidentally exactly 205 years before the Turn series finale). [22] Culper to Tallmadge, June 4, 1781, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov. Does Dragoncrest ring work on miracles? It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities. 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). We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Abraham Woodhull/Parents Background. A Letter From Abraham Woodhull to His Son Thomas is an entry from the Turn: Washington's Spies official site. Abraham went as a guest of Cook, and Anna later infiltrated the party while disguised as a prostitute. [13] Culper to John Bolton, June 5, 1779, GW Papers, accessed March 29, 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov; Rose, Washingtons Spies, 129. [3] Washington to Brig. 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. If I am caught, I could be hanged as a traitor and a spy. Colonel John Graves Simcoe, commander of the Loyalist Queens American Rangers, promptly launched a raid to grab the spy. 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. [12] Tallmadge to Washington, April 21, 1779, GW Papers, accessed March 29, 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov; Rose, Washingtons Spies, 128. . After the United States gained independence, Woodhull served as a magistrate, as had his father before him, and served as a judge in Suffolk County, New York. Was Abraham Woodhulls father a loyalist? Woodhull told Anna to raise a black petticoat on her clothing line to signal Tallmadge's courier, and it turned out to be Caleb Brewster. Gen. Charles Scott, added their own comments and couriers then sped the messages to Washington at Continental Army headquarters in New Jersey. He was recruited by Benjamin Tallmadge and served the Continental Army for many years. Woodhull was one of Washington's spies during the revolutionary war. War History Online welcomes many guest authors who share their knowledge of the history on our pages. 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. Still, the fact is that little hipster Sprouts outfit IS several years ahead of his time, according to the historical record. 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. When I came home after seeing Ben, I sat down and watched you playing on the floor near the fireplace. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 2022-07-02. What a fun anecdote thanks for sharing! Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Ive noticed that every time the kid is supposed to make a sound it is superimposed when his face is off screen. 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. 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 . Upon hearing of Woodhulls rumored espionage, Simcoe marched his Rangers into Setauket and proceeded to raid the Woodhull household. . [6] Culper to Tallmadge, February 26, 1779, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. As the British departed the colonies, a celebration was thrown in Setauket. 16, accessed April 19 2014 via http://etext.virginia.edu. Letter Dear Thomas , As I write this letter you are upstairs in your mother 's arms, sleeping peacefully. October 7, 1750Abraham Woodhull / Date of birth. 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. Place of Burial: Setauket, Suffolk, New York. His position as a merchant in New York City put him in an excellent position to learn British plans from his Crown business contacts. Woodhull immediately set to work attempting to collect the money due him for his services. The couple had three children. [9][10], Woodhull married his friend Mary Smith in 1781 and had three children with her. 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. He died in 1835. A farmer and the son of a local Patriot judge, Abraham Woodhull joined the Culper ring in November of 1778. 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. As depicted in the show, Abraham Woodhull was a cabbage farmer. They have taken over everything, using brute force and the heels of their boots to make their presence known. In fact, in 1790, Benjamin Tallmadges own son was wearing them at the tender age of three. Thanks for pointing this out!! [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. 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 was the son of a prominent judge who supported colonial independence. Washington sent another vial of ink.[12]. There is much more to the story of the Culper Ring and intelligence activities in and around New York City. Neither man recorded the details of their meeting but we can make some inferences by the result. Now Tallmadge wore the uniform of a major in the Second Continental Dragoons. The house was burned to the ground, and the family moved into Whitehall. Anna found out about the duel from Simcoe and warned Richard Woodhull, and the two headed to stop the duel. Breeches and a linen shirt, like the little colonial man he is! 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. Robert Townsend went into business with his brother Solomon, but the business failed, and Townsend never got back on his feet. What struck me is the summary of the June 1777, I agree, and checked my source before submitting. Abraham and Anna spending time together in Anna's barn. Fixed the link. Astrological Sign: Libra, Death Year: 1826, Death date: January 23, 1826, Death State: New York, Death City: Setauket, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Abraham Woodhull Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figure/abraham-woodhull, Publisher: A&E Television Networks, Last Updated: July 7, 2020, Original Published Date: May 18, 2015. On 28 June, his Continental Army engaged Clintons army at Monmouth, but thanks to incompetence on the part of his second-in-command, General Charles Lee, Clinton was able to make it to New York with little more than a bloody nose. 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. The intelligence provided by the Culper Ring prevented what might have been a terrible disaster, and was one of its most important triumphs. But how do you read the non-transcribed Samuel Culper John Bolton GW Papers via http://memory.loc.gov? Soon after Benedict Arnold defected to the British, he directed the arrest of people in New York and Long Island that he suspected as American spies, based on his knowledge of Continental Army intelligence. While he was a staunch loyalist, his son Abraham Woodhull would become the leader of the pro-patriot Culper Ring . 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. And the different writing styles of the Culper agents becomes apparant after reading a lot of the correspondence. Excellent sketch of the Culper Rings two Principal Agents Mike. Did Abraham Woodhull have a son named Thomas? Tallmadge wrote Washington on October 11, 1780 that Arnold knew not a single link in the chain of my correspondence, but that the Culper operatives were too apprehensive of danger to give their immediate usual intelligence.[20] Woodhull and Townsend laid low but returned to providing information. When Woodhull and Anna were finally able to go to New York, Woodhull and Anna shared a room together, and Woodhull and Anna had an argument about the cancellation of their engagement, with Abraham refusing to tell her about his brother's death. Woodhull became involved in the revolution around the same time, with Anna convincing him that he should side with the patriots against the British. For five days Tallmadge hid in the woods while Woodhull sneaked him food. Thomas Sprout Woodhull (died August 24, 1814) was the son of Culper Ring spy and farmer Abraham Woodhull. Members of the Spy . When Abraham returned, it took the help of a friend of the Woodhulls, a generals adjutant, to assure Simcoe that Abraham was a proper Loyalist. We feature smart, groundbreaking research and well-written narratives from expert writers. Documents answer this question positively without doubt. Washington sent Caleb Brewster out to Setauket to notify Woodhull of the situation. 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. 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. In return, Tallmadge proposed to Woodhull that he start spying for the Continental Army; Woodhull agreed, and Tallmadge received approval from Washington. Schellhammer, Michael. 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. 2022-07-02. 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. Now, he knew that 1,500 Hessian troops were going to be sent to Trenton, and he decided to pass this on to Caleb. 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.