A few weeks’ suspension was sufficient to convince Headquarters that the services of the Culpers were indispensable. Messengers were rushed to Major Tallmadge to re-engage them, as the next communication shows:
“Head Quarters, Bergen County, 11th July, 1780.
“Dear Sir. As we may every moment expect the arrival of the French Fleet a revival of the correspondence with the Culpers will be of very great importance. If the younger cannot be engaged again, you will endeavor to prevail upon the older to give you information of the movements and position of the enemy upon Long Island—as whether they are all confined to the port at Brooklyn or whether they have any detached posts and where, and what is their strength at those posts—in short desire him to inform you of whatever comes under his notice and what seems worthy of communication. You will transmit your letters to Genl. Howe, who will forward them to me. I am, &c.
“Go. Washington.
“P.S. Desire him to attend particularly to the provision which they are making of wood and forage—and whether they drive in any stock.”
It is regrettable that at this critical period several of the most important letters were not preserved or have been lost. But it is fortunate that enough remains to clearly indicate the purport of the missing documents. It was three days before the above letter from Headquarters in Bergen County reached Major Tallmadge at Cortlandt’s Manor. Then promptly on July 14th, 1780, he addressed General Washington, saying:
“Your Excellency’s favour of the 11th inst. has just come to hand; That the instructions therein contained may be faithfully executed, I shall set out tomorrow morning for Fairfield, where I will endeavour to put matters on such a footing, (which by omission have in some measure got deranged) as may answer your Excellency’s expectations. I would at the same time hint that by Cr’s last letter, we are something in arrears to him, and in order to enable him to prosecute the business, it may be necessary to afford him a small supply of money.”
Tallmadge succeeded in finding Caleb Brewster, who promptly started across the Sound with messages for Abraham Woodhull and Robert Townsend. None of them yet knew that the British reinforcements under Admiral Graves were at that moment arriving in New York. Brewster found Woodhull ill, but Austin Roe was located and hastened off on the best obtainable steed to New York City. Had he gone slower he might have been overtaken by a British spy who on that day traveled the same road, carrying from East Hampton the news that a French fleet was off Rhode Island. In New York Roe was kept waiting whilst Townsend collected the news. To him it seemed the most important yet transmitted. He was never more fearful of discovery. Efforts were being made to detain everyone who might carry any information. Fortunately he still had a limited supply of the stain but to conceal these apparently blank sheets in a package of heavy goods as was the usual method would delay by perhaps a day the delivery of the message to headquarters. A happy thought suggested itself to Townsend. Colonel Benjamin Floyd, a British subject, had recently been robbed of many articles and was now obliged to make new purchases. A letter directed to him would attract no suspicion and its contents would account for the messenger returning apparently empty handed. Here is his note, which of course was to be delivered to Woodhull and not to Floyd:
“New York, July 20th, 1780.
Sir, I recd your favor by [Mr. Roe, crossed out but still readable] and note the contents. The articles you want cannot be procured, as soon as they can will send them. I am, Your humble Servant,