[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. [11][12] Mary died in 1806,[11] and he married Lydia Terry in 1824. Tallmadge and his commander, Brig. In one incident, a Tory privateer named John Wolsey reported a rumor that Woodhull was spying for the Continental Army. 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. Under the alias "Samuel Culper Jr.," Townsend sent information by courier to Woodhulls farm in Setauket. Place of Burial: Setauket, Suffolk, New York. Abraham Woodhull followed his fathers footsteps and became a magistrate, and was appointed First Judge of Suffolk County in 1799. [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. 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. Interesting notes. Benjamin Tallmadge became a wealthy investor, and in 1801 was elected to Congress. Bantam, 2014. [8] His plan was to travel to Manhattan, ostensibly to visit his married sister, Mary Underhill, and her husband, Amos, at their boarding house. [11] He held a few minor political appointments, including magistrate in Suffolk County, New York, from 1799 to 1810. Abraham Woodhull - Abraham was a key member of the Culper Spy Ring. Eventually, Major Hewlett escaped captivity and secured Woodhull's release, and Townsend agreed to work with Woodhull as "Samuel Culper, Jr."; he gave him information on a plot by Thomas Hickey and William Bradford to assassinate George Washington at his camp in Valley Forge. 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. Simcoe arrested him after he gave a pro-patriot sermon to people at a tavern, and he was accused of being the shooter. . 2022-07-02. Later that day, 22 August 1777, Benjamin Tallmadge raided Setauket to free his father and the other accused townspeople, taking over the town. The Culper Ring had not seen the last of Benedict Arnold, though. Fall River Press, 2014. It was Brewsters job to sail across the Sound, retrieve Woodhulls communications from their hiding spot, and return the missives to Tallmadge in Rebel-held Connecticut. So yes, if you were to time-travel back to the era of the American Revolution, you might very well see a young six-year-old boy wearing stays and a gown. 2022-07-02. 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. ae 53 years and 1 day Abraham Thomas was the son of Nicholas Thomas (1753-1838) and his first wife, Lucy Somes (1759-1792). In 1779, Simcoe found out that Abraham Woodhull was a spy and he travelled to Setauket to find him; . P.S. Breeches and a linen shirt, like the little colonial man he is! Was is from Morton Pennypacker? At times, Rivington was also an American agent. Introducing the Topic Index page (Just in time for the Season 3Premiere! Abraham Woodhull performed Patriotic Service in New York in the American Revolution. [3], Woodhull returned to Setauket and began his spying in October. One example is from October 1779, when the Americans anticipated the arrival of a French fleet. [11], He died in Setauket on January 23, 1826, and is buried in the Setauket Presbyterian Church and Burial Ground. He was recruited by Benjamin Tallmadge and served the Continental Army for many years. Abraham Woodhull was born on 7 October 1750 in Setauket, New York, the son of Judge Richard Woodhull and Mary Smith. 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 began spying for the Continental Army in late 1778, as part of the Culper Spy Ring. They continued their march across the Sound, spilling over onto Long Island and into Setauket. Woodhull later returned to his home, only to find his wife confronting him after she found out about his spy involvement. So, perhaps there are some parts of the Culper Ring, we will never know, Your email address will not be published. (LogOut/ 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. 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. Little Thomas Woodhull, whom Abraham fondly calls Sprout, steals the spotlight at the beginning and end of the TURN pilot episode. On a somewhat more practical level I also adjust the contrast on the images, which makes the handwriting more clear. 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. What a fun anecdote thanks for sharing! Townsend then decided he was through with espionage. Required fields are marked *. 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. But Im a bit surprised by the []. 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. 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. Journal of the American Revolution is the leading source of knowledge about the American Revolution and Founding Era. Continental Army Major Benjamin Tallmadge was Woodhull's neighbor in Setauket and approached Woodhull in August 1778 about gathering intelligence for the Patriot cause during the American Revolutionary War. I was just wondering. 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. 16, accessed April 19 2014 via http://etext.virginia.edu. John Graves Simcoe, (born February 25, 1752, Cotterstock, Northamptonshire, Englanddied October 26, 1806, Exeter, Devonshire), British soldier and statesman who became the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada (present-day Ontario). 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. Abraham and Anna spending time together in Anna's barn. Working together, Woodhull and Townsend warned Washington about British activities as the 1779 campaign developed and they discovered British plans to wreck American finances by counterfeiting Continental currency. Woodhull served as a lieutenant in the Suffolk County, New York, militia in the fall of 1775 but resigned after a few 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. 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. Abraham socialized with Andre and the British officers before he snuck into an officer's room where Anna was about to lay with the officer and steal his book (which contained coded messages). Now Tallmadge wore the uniform of a major in the Second Continental Dragoons. Does Dragoncrest ring work on miracles? The job was not without its risks, though, and Woodhull cut it close on many occasions. Two of his children, Elizabeth and Jesse, married into the Brewster family. 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. 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. 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." Abraham went as a guest of Cook, and Anna later infiltrated the party while disguised as a prostitute. I know versions of his diary exist elsewhere, but the war time entries can be found, Thank you for sharing that, Adam. It is likely that the hidden letters, became brittle and fell off. In addition, the Culper Ring likely helped prevent a British attack against French forces that had arrived in Rhode Island to assist the colonists. Woodhull never spoke of his spying activities to anyone. Does Baylor Scott and White random drug test? In mid-1778 he began sailing across Long Island Sound to British-held New York to sell his farms produce for hard currency. We work with various museums, historical societies and media outlets around the world. He recruited Woodhull, a native of Tallmadge's hometown of Setauket, 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. Except what he should be wearing at that tender age is a gown. Fueled by a strong desire to avenge his cousins allegedly brutal murder, Woodhull threw himself into his new job with a passion. He was the son of a prominent judge who supported colonial independence. He had an older brother, Thomas.In his youth, Abe made friends with Caleb Brewster and Benjamin Tallmadge. Despite his success, the espionage business wore Woodhull out physically as well as mentally. 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. The patriots withdrew from Setauket, but Anna decided to leave Selah's side and stay in Setauket to help Abraham. It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities. 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. 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. Robert Rogers, (born Nov. 7, 1731, Methuen, Mass. Background. In late August, Woodhull received an unexpectedly early release from jail by order of Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull. And if you werent sure what I was talking about when I mentioned stays earlier, dont forget to check out Baumgartners very helpful glossary of clothing terms, too. Richard Woodhull (died 1780) was the father of Culper Ring spy and farmer Abraham Woodhull. 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). However, he was arrested by British troops and thrown in prison by Inspector-General Joseph Innes, who believed that he was spying for the rebels. Margaret Smith Creator: Thomas R. Bayles Identifier: aql:14389 trb-000045 trb-000045.tif. Students deserve to know about their hometown heroes. Nevertheless, he continued to send letters to Washington, informing of anything of importance he came across. His father was a judge, and he was a cousin of Nathaniel Woodhull, leader of a New York Patriot . 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. 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. 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. The intelligence would then be retrieved by a certain boatman named Caleb Brewster, who was a lieutenant in the Continental Army. Washington sent Caleb Brewster out to Setauket to notify Woodhull of the situation. . Woodhull was probably preparing to make careful mental notes of Tryons camp when he unluckily stumbled upon a group of soldiers who immediately detained him and demanded to know why he was wandering around. Woodhull's father helped him in getting his way out of the case, and Woodhull and ranger captain Robert Rogers both investigated the murder. [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. 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. . [22] In the same letter he finally bowed out of the spy business. His position as a merchant in New York City put him in an excellent position to learn British plans from his Crown business contacts. 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. [20] Tallmadge to Washington, October 11, 1780, GW Papers, accessed April 24, 2014 via. During the American Revolution, Abraham Woodhull became a member of the Culper Spy Ring, which provided intelligence to .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}George Washington to assist the Patriots war effort. Our work has been featured by the New York Times, TIME magazine, History Channel, Discovery Channel, Smithsonian, Mental Floss, NPR, and more. Throughout history once the conflict is over, the perceived value of infantrymen and intelligence agents are always called into question. Abraham Woodhull was a main spy in the Culper Spy Ring. 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. Abraham Woodhull, spy for General George Washington, nearly got himself hanged on one of his first missions. Adorable outfit hes wearing, right? 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. 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. Woodhull was thereby able to locate and relay messages to whale boat captain Caleb Brewster, who then delivered them to Tallmadge. [23] Culper to Tallmadge, February 21, 1783, GW Papers, accessed April 27 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov. 9. 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. Ironically, Woodhulls exploits could not be recognized after the war so its information like that presented in Mikes article that puts the things to right. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Anna married a wealthy patriot named Selah Strong, an especially unlucky choice once Selah was sent to . Among the attendees were the Woodhull, Tallmadge and Strong families, along with Caleb Brewster and Austin Roes family. Woodhull gave reports to the Continentals from inside the city, noting that Howe's flagship HMSEagle and other Royal Navy ships remained in the harbor as British troop numbers decreased, and when he entered Robert Townsend's boarding inn for some breakfast, Woodhull took note of the people feeling on edge, saying that an assault by 5,000 men could probably take the city. The two of them spent a moment together before Abraham found out that Major Hewlett's horse Bucephalus had been poisoned through his apples, and Captain Simcoe blamed the poisoning on rebel sympathizers. Colonel John Graves Simcoe, commander of the Loyalist Queens American Rangers, promptly launched a raid to grab the spy. I concur great article. Thomas "Sprout" Woodhull (died August 24, 1814) was the son of Culper Ring spy and farmer Abraham Woodhull . In June, the British had been forced to evacuate Philadelphia after the city became untenable due to vulnerability and stretched supply lines. I saw an old friend today. 2022-07-02. Woodhull and Cyrus fought, but Cyrus later heard British troops approaching him after they found out that Woodhull had been ambushed. Historica Wiki is a FANDOM Games Community. 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. 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. Richard Woodhull (1712-1788) was the local magistrate of Setauket, New York under Great Britain during the American Revolution. How do you stay on task while doing homework? The near-miss left him shaken, but he was compelled to find another way to continue spying. Best Known For: Abraham Woodhull was a member of the Culper Spy Ring, which provided information to George Washington during the American Revolution. Over time, he began to fear for his safety, and Benjamin Tallmadges reports to Washington reflect Woodhulls growing timidity. 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. March 30, 1844 (48) Setauket, Suffolk, New York. 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. 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. But Tallmadge secured Woodhulls continued service and gave him a new tool for his trade a vial of disappearing ink, which would lessen the chance of their letters, if ever confiscated, being identified as intelligence reports. Abraham Woodhull/Parents Background. Abraham Woodhull is the American's lone productive spy in 1777 New York, but did we see a glimpse of his bloody fate? It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities. Woodhull was one of Washington's spies during the revolutionary war. Woodhull and Strong must accomplish this right underneath the noses of the British soldiers occupying their hometown, as well as Woodhulls Loyalist father. 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. your tumblr account link is wrong. For more information, I highly recommend reading Linda Baumgartens primer on colonial childrens clothing (the source of the above quote). Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place!
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