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

by Morton Pennypacker

TOWNSEND’S PERSONALITY

There is no good reason to question those who say in the veins of Robert Townsend flowed the blood of Norman Conquerors. Upon his own immediate ancestors he could look with pardonable pride. The first on Long Island was John Townsend, one of the patentees of Flushing in 1645 and of Rustdorp as Jamaica, Long Island, was then called, in 1656.

Among John’s children was John, usually called John 2d. He had, among others, a son James, whose son Jacob, born in 1692, was the father of Samuel Townsend and grandfather of Robert Townsend, whose alias was Culper Junior. Robert’s father, Samuel, was born in 1717. He married Sarah, the daughter of William and Mary (Hicks) Stoddard. Mary’s parents were John and Deborah (Almy) Hicks.

When Robert’s father, Samuel Townsend, was in his twenty-fourth year, he was appointed by George Clarke, then Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New York, Ensign in the Company of Militia Foot in Queens County, Joseph Weeks then being Captain. His commission is dated December 15, 1741, and bears the signature of George Clarke, and also of the Deputy Secretary, George Moore.

HOUSES ONCE OCCUPIED BY WASHINGTON’S SPIES.

See [page xi].

Samuel Townsend is described in family documents as a fine old gentleman, of regular features, straight nose, a large blue eye, high forehead. A snuff-colored or gray suit, with silver knee- and shoe-buckles, a white stock of cambric lawn gathered in five plaits, fastened behind with a paste buckle, showing no collar, narrow ruffles at the shirt-bosom, gold-headed cane, and cocked hat. An uncle used to say he hated to see Sam and Sarah come into meeting, they looked so tall and proud. He was said to be a member of Meeting by birthright, his parents being strict Friends, and his wife, although baptized in the Episcopal Church, preferred the Friends. They had sons, Solomon, Samuel, Robert, William, and David, and daughters, Audrey Sarah and Phebe.

Solomon was seven years older than his brother Robert. Much has already been published about him. He married Anne daughter of Peter Townsend of Orange County, New York, and they had eight children:[(128)] Hannah, Anne, Mary, Phebe, Samuel, Jacob, Peter, and Solomon.

Robert Townsend, alias Culper Junior, was born November 25, 1753, and died at Oyster Bay, Long Island, March 7, 1838, aged eighty-four years, three months, and ten days.

Robert Townsend’s father, Samuel, was always a successful merchant. He conducted his business at Jericho, Long Island, until 1743, after which he moved to the property now known as “Raynham Hall” at Oyster Bay, which he had purchased in 1740. Himself a learned man, he was always careful to see that the education of his children was not neglected. Pride radiates in the handwriting still preserved on a page of his ledger, where he records:

“Sarah Townsend went to school to Rebeccah Coles ye 27th of October, 1766. Rebecca Coles School ceased ye last of February, 1767. Sarah and Phebe Townsend bagan school with John Townsend’s wife ye 16th March, 1767.”

The ages of the girls at that time were five and seven years. Ten years earlier the tuition of Robert who became Culper Junior began under the same teacher. Notes preserved by a nephew read: “My uncle Robert Townsend went to her school when only three years old, so young that Madam Townsend used to permit him and her little son Ephraim of about the same age to play at the pond with the young ducks instead of obliging them at their tender age to pour over to them unintelligable school books.”

A sister-in-law of Madam Townsend was Zerviah Townsend who married Dr. Matthew Parish, here mentioned because of her influence over the destiny of Robert. It is recorded by a contemporary that “while the British lay at Boston on the eve of the Revolution, she said to Solomon Wooden, ‘The Lord has assured me and spoken to me and advised’ that the Troops by Boston shall withdraw; likewise all the Men of War; and that America shall be the Mother of Nations and feed them with bread.”

At the commencement of hostilities, Samuel Townsend was slow in renouncing his allegiance to the King. A former experience was probably responsible for this caution. When in 1758 he had attempted to get justice for the neutral French and prisoners of war that had been brought into Kings County in 1756, he was held in the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms of the General Assembly of New York for several days and was then not released until they had passed a Resolve, that “the said Samuel Townsend, for writing and sending the said Letter, is guilty of a high misdemeanor and most daring Insult on the Honour, Justice and Authority of this House,” and he was further required to pay a heavy fine and promise that for the future he would be more cautious to avoid every occasion of exposing himself to their censure or reproof.

There was another Samuel Townsend in Oyster Bay active for the Crown as early as December, 1774, “who proposed to convince the world that his Majesty is not without friends here who will support his government.” Later he joined the American army and if British Headquarters confused the two men, they did no more than some of the biographers have done. Upon capture he was severely punished by the British in the Provost, New York, while for Samuel of Raynham Hall most of them had great respect.[25]

Samuel Townsend began active service in the Provincial Congress on May 24, 1775, and usually was present in the sessions to July 1st. Toward the end of July, he again took his seat and toward the close of May, 1776, he became active. He was with them at White Plains from July 9th to August, and during August attended the Provincial Convention and was also one of the Committee of Safety. But he did not follow them to Fishkill, where they began meeting on September 5, 1776. He, therefore, although elected a member of the committee to draft the first State Constitution, was not able actively to participate in their deliberations, and choosing to remain at home was obliged to subscribe to the Oath of Allegiance to the King.[26]

His appointment on committees to advise with and assist Brigadier-General Woodhull in protecting the stock was an important service, as the letters still preserved show. One, dated July 12, 1776, emphasizes this:[27]

The Provincial Convention on August 24th unanimously resolved, that Robert Townsend be a commissary to supply General Woodhull’s Brigade with provisions till such time as General Washington shall give further orders for that purpose, and that Mr. William Smith and Mr. Samuel Townsend be a committee to wait on General Washington with a copy of these resolutions and submit the expediency and necessity of the same to his consideration and advice; also that they submit to His Excellency’s consideration the propriety of ordering Colonel Smith’s and Colonel Remsen’s regiments of militia to join the said brigade.

On the 26th of August, Samuel Townsend and William Smith reported in the following words:

“Your committee, ordered to wait on General Washington with a request from this Convention that he would be pleased to order Col. Smith and Remsen’s regiments, that are now in General Greene’s lines at Brookland, into the western part of Queens county, to join General Woodhull, with that part of his brigade that has been lately ordered out from the western part of Suffolk and Queens counties by this Convention.... That according to order they waited on His Excellency, and conferred with him on the subject above mentioned, and that he seemed well pleased, but he said he was afraid it was too late.... General Washington appeared well satisfied with the proceedings of the Convention, and said that he should at all times, when he had it in his power, be ready to give them any assistance consistent with the public good; and that he would immediately give orders that Col. Smith’s and Remsen’s regiments should march into Queens county to join General Woodhull....”

The Convention, upon receipt of the above report, addressed General Woodhull as follows:

“Sir—Yours of yesterday is just come to hand in answer to which we would inform you that Robert Townsend, the son of Samuel Townsend, Esqr. is appointed commissary for the troops under your command, of which we beg you will give him the earliest notice, and that we have made application to Genl. Washington for the regiments under the command of Cols. Smith and Remsen to join you; he assured our committee that he would issue out orders immediately for that purpose, and we expect that they are upon the spot by this time....”

General Woodhull replied to this in a letter addressed to the Honourable the Convention of the State of New York, at Harlem, which is as follows:

“Jamaica, August, 27, 1776.

“Gentlemen, I am now at Jamaica with less than one hundred men; having brought all the cattle from the westward southward of the hills, and have sent them off with the troops of horse, with orders to take all the rest eastward of this place to and eastward of Hempstead plains, and to put them into the fields, and set a guard over them. The enemy I am informed are intrenching from the heights near Howard’s, southward. I have now received yours, with several resolutions, which I wish was in my power to put in execution; but, unless Cols. Smith and Remsen, mentioned in yours, join me with their regiments, or some other assistance, immediately, I shall not be able; for the people are all moving east, and I cannot get any assistance from them. I shall continue here as long as I can, in hopes of a reinforcement; but if none comes soon, I shall retreat, and drive the stock before me, into the woods. Cols. Smith and Remsen I think can not join me. Unless you can send me some other assistance, I fear I shall soon be obliged to quit this place. I hope soon to hear from you. I am, gentlemen, Your most obedient humble servt.

“Nathl. Woodhull.”

The next mention of Samuel Townsend will be found in the minutes of the Committee of Safety, dated

Harlem, Augt. 29, 1776.

The Committee of Safety met.

Colo. Phenehas Fanning waited on the Committee with a letter from Colo. Josiah Smith, colonel of the drafts of the militia of Suffolk, Queens and Kings counties, stationed at Brookland, in Kings county, informing the Committee that his regiment is ordered by Genl. Washington to withdraw from Long Island, and wait the further orders of the Convention of this State. Thereupon it was

Ordered, That Colo. Josiah Smith do, with all possible despatch, march his regiment to Horn’s Hook, there to receive further orders from Mr. Samuel Townsend and Major Lawrence and that he apply to the Commissary-General for five day’s provisions, and to the Quarter-Master-General for baggage wagons, it being of the utmost consequence that his regiment should march without delay. And

Resolved, That Mr. Samuel Townsend and Major Lawrence be requested and authorized to attend the regiment commanded by Colo. Smith, in order to supply the said regiment with provisions, and to devise the most safe and expeditious means of transporting the said regiment from Long island; and that they be authorized and impowered to impress horses, wagons, boats, vessels, &c. for that purpose, for the payment of which, and every other necessary expense, this Committee pledge the public faith.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of this State pay to Mr. Samuel Townsend and Major Lawrence the sum of one hundred pounds, to be by them accounted for to the Convention of this State. [p. 601]

James Townsend, uncle of Robert Townsend, who with John Sloss Hobart attempted to make a stand at Huntington, addressed a letter from there to the Provincial Congress on August 30th, which in part reads:

“Gentlemen—To our unspeakable mortification, we found when we arrived in Queens county, that the militia had dispersed, and General Woodhull had fallen into the hands of the enemy. We then proceeded with all despatch to this town as the only place where we could have any prospect of making an effectual stand, as the enemy were in full possession of the western parts of that county as far as Jamaica, and the disaffected from the east were gone in to them. Though we were not authorized for the purpose by Convention, we have taken upon ourselves to order out the militia of the county to rendezvous here, and have wrote to Col. Mulford at East Hampton, to come up and take the command, as he is now the senior officer in the brigade.... We shall direct the commissary to furnish the militia with provisions....”

Only a few more days on Long Island remained for the faithful followers of Washington and the army. On September 16th, a lone individual passed the spot where Townsend and Hobart had attempted to make a stand only seventeen days before. It was Nathan Hale on his way to a glorified martyrdom.