Still, the fact is that little hipster Sprouts outfit IS several years ahead of his time, according to the historical record. Where your own reasoning forges your path rather than blindly following others. 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. 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. Abraham Woodhull | Historica Wiki | Fandom Abraham enlisted in a Suffolk County militia in the fall of 1775, but he resigned after a few months; his cousin Brigadier-General Nathaniel Woodhull was killed by the British while in their prison on 20 September 1776, when he was killed with bayonets. It was then that I knew I could no longer remain idle in this war. Im sure you know that the value of intelligence is often intangible, and therefore not always apparant until viewed with the benefit of hindsight. 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. Then he wrote down his observations and hid them at a secluded cove near Setauket. 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 house was burned to the ground, and the family moved into Whitehall. Free shipping for many products! Introducing the Topic Index page (Just in time for the Season 3Premiere! 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. [19], But on the heels of this victory came a threat to their security. October 7, 1750Abraham Woodhull / Date of birth. Woodhull and the Culper Ring continued spying until the war's official end in 1783, although it appears they did not gather much useful intelligence during their final years. [7] Tallmadge then set up a spy network in New York, with Woodhull as the lead agent. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Benjamin Tallmadge, Setaukets highest-ranking military officer, was appointed the master of ceremonies.. The tactic was sometimes effective but the information often lacked the detail, accuracy and timeliness that Washington needed. Interestingly enough, Woodhull, Strong, Brewster and Tallmadge existed in real life, as did almost all of the other main characters of the show. Gen. Charles Scott, September 25, 1778, GW Papers, accessed January 18, 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov. Did Abraham Woodhull have a son named Thomas? TV Show. INTEL - Culper Spy Ring He was the son of a prominent judge who supported colonial independence. More on the way soon! Abraham Woodhull was a member of the Culper Spy Ring, which provided information to George Washington during the American Revolution. 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. How did the Culper Spy Ring work? Now Tallmadge wore the uniform of a major in the Second Continental Dragoons. PDF Espionage During the Revolutionary War: Abraham Woodhull and the Culper 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. Im no expert on deciphering such documents, but have found that understanding the language of the time and subject matter is helpful. That would include both Woodhull as "Culper Sr." and Robert Townsend, who used the alias "Samuel Culper Jr."[14]. Setauket Presbyterian Church and Burial Ground, Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring, Intelligence operations in the American Revolutionary War, "Grave Stones and Epitaphs from the Churchyard", "TCA: AMC Picks Up 'Halt & Catch Fire' & 'Turn' To Series", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abraham_Woodhull&oldid=1135483720, Jesse Smith Woodhull, Mary Woodhull, Elizabeth Woodhull, "Samuel Culper" and then "Samuel Culper Sr.", This page was last edited on 24 January 2023, at 23:13. 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. 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. The Rebels considered the practice trading with the enemy and those caught in the act faced a jail sentence. 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. List of American Revolutionary War battles, Turn: Washington's Spies official site entries. 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. Washington sent Caleb Brewster out to Setauket to notify Woodhull of the situation. 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. Thomas Sprout Woodhull (died August 24, 1814) was the son of Culper Ring spy and farmer Abraham Woodhull. [21], In 1781 British and Loyalist units still patrolled Long Island and though Woodhull continued reporting, he remained concerned about his safety. Certainly they had an emotional reunion and talked about the rebellion. Abraham pulled his gun and asked Baker not to arrest him, but Baker said that he would not be a traitor like Abraham. In AMCs drama TURN: Washingtons Spies, we follow Abraham Woodhull and company as they play a cunning game of deceit and trickery to gather intelligence for the Continental Army in the American War for Independence. 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. Abraham Woodhull was a noted hero of the American Revolution. [9] Culper to Scott, October 31, 1778, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. While Im working on a longer post concerning the convoluted chronology of TURNs pilot episode, I thought Id write a short post concerning a (literally) tiny realm of 18th century material culture seen in the show thus far: babies! PDF In Real Life: Abraham Woodhull - Woodhull Genealogy 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. While there, he had a conversation with two Hessians making sauerkraut at their campfire, and they let him try their food. Woodhull began spying for the Continental Army in late 1778, as part of the Culper Spy Ring. 72years (17401812)Anna Strong / Age at death. P.S. Abraham Woodfull Facts - The Revolutions Great Spy Woodhull turned out to be a very effective spy, and his reports were uncannily accurate. Abrahams 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. (Dont believe me? (His very appearance is a bit of a chronological anomaly, but well discuss that later.) 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). He found out of a petition to the provincial congress, and he intended to hunt down the people responsible. Letter Dear Thomas , As I write this letter you are upstairs in your mother 's arms, sleeping peacefully. 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. Bakeless did not provide a primary source for Townsends employment as a journalist for Rivington so this part of Townsends role is unclear. In the spring of 1777, Woodhull trysted with Anna at her barn, and he told her that he could not stay there long. Abraham Woodhull followed his fathers footsteps and became a magistrate, and was appointed First Judge of Suffolk County in 1799. 2022-07-02. Abraham Woodhull is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor. Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Death 2 Behind the Scenes 2.1 Appearances Biography Death Thomas Woodhull died in the Battle of Bladensburg during the War of 1812 on August 24, 1814, felled by an British musket. That may be true, but deep down inside it is you, Thomas, who fuels my passion. 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. Caleb Brewster joined what is today the Coast Guard in 1793, retired in 1816, and died in 1827. 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. Does beard oil expire? 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. 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 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). I knew I had to do this for our family. [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 Manhattan, he collected information from various sources, including British officers staying at the Underhill boarding house and then return to Setauket, where he passed the information to the Continental Army lieutenant and whaleboat operator Caleb Brewster to take across Long Island Sound to Tallmadge. 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. 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. 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. This week I was reviewing Muster, Payrolls and List of Effectives for Capt Gross Scruggs company of the Fifth Virginia. Woodhull returned to Anna and told him of this, and Anna told him that Selah had died of dysentery on the Jersey two months earlier; however, Robert Rogers had bribed the captain of the ship to say that Selah had died and that Samuel Tallmadge, Benjamin Tallmadge's deceased brother, was the one who survived. your tumblr account link is wrong. Thanks for reading and commenting, and enjoy researching! [5] In February 1779 he sent information on troop movements, supply problems, naval matters, the total strength of enemy forces around New York, the possibility of reinforcements, and other military plans; the report was seven pages long. Woodhull prefaced the information with the admonishment that the intelligence contained news of the greatest consequence perhaps that ever happened to your country.. 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. 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. If so, how did this myth get created? Abraham was severely troubled by this, and there is no reason to assume his father did not feel likewise. Woodhull was thereby able to locate and relay messages to whale boat captain Caleb Brewster, who then delivered them to Tallmadge. Aliased Samuel Culper, Jr., Townsend gave Woodhull a reliable source within the city itself, and made his job much easier. This led to Abraham being disappointed with his father, whose loyalist sympathies set the two of them apart. In addition, Abrahams cousin, Nathaniel Woodhull, a general in the Continental Army, had perished in the Battle of Long Island in 1776. 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." The near-miss left him shaken, but he was compelled to find another way to continue spying. Abraham Woodhull was born on October 7th 1750 in Setauket, New York, on Long Island. The British knew the exact strength of the French fleet, and were going to wait for them to make harbor and ambush them. Ben has asked me to assist in balancing the scales. Posted on April 8, 2014 Updated on April 9, 2014. They likely discussed Woodhulls activities trading with the British. (LogOut/ The patriots withdrew from Setauket, but Anna decided to leave Selah's side and stay in Setauket to help Abraham. . Also, if you havent seen the preview for next Sundays episode yet, you can view it here. They did, however, take plenty of liberties with the historical facts, but on the whole, the show presents the major activities and accomplishments of the Culper Ring in a reasonably accurate manner. While he was a staunch loyalist, his son Abraham Woodhull would become the leader of the pro-patriot Culper Ring . When you are that man, I want nothing more than a future for you where you are able to live, love and be free. Tallmadges recruitment of Woodhull enabled them to put their plans into action. There is much more to the story of the Culper Ring and intelligence activities in and around New York City. 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. He died in 1826 in Setauket. As the British departed the colonies, a celebration was thrown in Setauket. The rumor fell upon the ears of a certain Queens Rangers captain by the name of John Graves Simcoe. Culper Spy Ring | American intelligence organization | Britannica Caleb escaped, and Abraham decided to continue passing information to the patriots. 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. It's possible it was incorrectly annotated. [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. Im glad that you all enjoyed the article, and great points from SPM and Ken. Except what he should be wearing at that tender age is a gown. 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. 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. TURN Season 3: All Quiet on the HistoryFront? 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. Abraham Woodhull, Esq. Anna remained alone on the family farm during the American Revolution, where she assisted with General Washington's Culper Spy Ring. 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. 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. 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. It was believed that Nathaniel Woodhull had been captured and brutalized by the British, and died a miserable death. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.