General Washington's spies on Long Island and in New York

by Morton Pennypacker

ILLUSTRATIONS

COUNCIL OF WAR, BROOKLYN, AUGUST 29th, 1776	[Frontispiece]
From a painting by John Ward Dunsmore
Showing Generals George Washington, Samuel Parsons, Joseph Spencer, Thomas Mifflin, John Morin Scott, Alexander McDougall, Israel Putnam, Peleg Wadsworth and John Fellows.
FACING PAGE
MAJOR TALLMADGE AND GROUP OF AMERICAN GENERALS		[32]
Philip Schuyler, Marquis de LaFayette, Nathaniel Green, George Clinton, Robert Howe, Israel Putnam, John Lamb and William Heath.
JOHN JAY’S LETTER TO WASHINGTON		[52]
Introducing the mode of secret correspondence invented by his brother James.
WRAPPER ENCLOSING URGENT MESSAGES		[82]
This is in the handwriting of Abraham Woodhull, made directly from the original without reduction.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON’S LETTER TO LAFAYETTE		[84]
Showing how quickly messages from the Culpers were forwarded through Lafayette to the French fleet.
HOUSES ONCE OCCUPIED BY WASHINGTON’S SPIES		[102]
Raynham Hall, Oyster Bay, L. I. Home of Culper Junior and his sister Sarah Townsend. These contemporary silhouettes give their only known likenesses.
Lower left—Present-day home of the Colonial Dames of America. Built by one of Washington’s spies. (See p. 10 in this volume, and Iconography of Manhattan, vol. 6, p. 79.) Lower right—Culper Senior’s home at Setauket. His three great-great-grandchildren in the foreground.
J. L. GARDINER EIGHTEENTH CENTURY RECORD		[115]
His record made near 150 years ago, of a whispered conversation with Clinton, Major André and Col. Simcoe that had been overheard by a servant.
A BENEDICT ARNOLD CODE LETTER		[126]
Advising the British commander that he has accepted the command of West Point and will betray it.
COL. SIMCOE AND PROMINENT BRITISH OFFICERS		[136]
Lord Cornwallis, Major John André, Sir Henry Clinton, Admiral Arbuthnot, General John Burgoyne, General Riedesel and Lord Rawdon.
THE CAPTURE OF MAJOR ANDRÉ		[160]
Engraved from a painting by J. Halpin
ALEXANDER HAMILTON’S NOTE		[178]
Informing General Washington that he was too late to have Arnold recalled.
WASHINGTON’S LETTER		[192]
Thanking those who engaged in the capture of Fort St. George near Mastic, Long Island.
WASHINGTON IN NEW YORK, 1783		[206]
From a painting by J. R. Chapin
There is a story, perhaps true but lacking satisfactory proof, that one of the mounted figures at the right of the picture is there to represent Major Tallmadge and the other, one of his Dragoons; and that the man this way from him with hat in air is Robert Townsend, otherwise Culper Junior.
MASKED LETTER USED BY BRITISH		[208]
Sir Henry Clinton thus informed Burgoyne that there would be no British army to meet him at Albany.
ROBERT MORRIS’ LETTER TO WASHINGTON		[216]
His Quaker friends approved the work of the Culpers, and he could get money for them when it was refused for other purposes.
CODE USED BY WASHINGTON’S SPIES		[218]
This was prepared by Major Tallmadge and used by the Culpers, Senior and Junior.
HANDWRITING THAT DISCOVERED ROBERT TOWNSEND TO BE GENERAL WASHINGTON’S CULPER JUNIOR		[232]
PORTRAITS ON JACKET.
General Washington, Major Tallmadge, John Paulding, Nathan Hale, James Rivington, Sarah Townsend, Robert Townsend, alias Culper Junior. On backstrap of jacket, Washington in 1772.