A record exists in a letter written on May 8th, 1797, showing that Rivington was then in jail for debts contracted by others but which he was held responsible for. On the fourth of July, 1802, he breathed his last, at the age of 78, and was buried in the cemetery of the New Dutch Church.
After discovering that the chiefs of General Washington’s spies were Robert Townsend and Abraham Woodhull the problem was still to be solved how these two men could so frequently meet without attracting suspicion. For many months it seemed beyond solution. Townsend’s books showed that he changed his boarding place usually after a year’s stay but this could be attributed to no more than a precautionary measure. However when the account books of Woodhull were compared with those of Townsend it was noticed that both men carried ledger accounts with these landlords. The first for example was Amos Underhill.[4] There seemed nothing significant in the name until the family genealogies were searched. Then it was discovered that on March 21, 1774, Amos Underhill had married Mary Woodhull. Mary Woodhull was the sister of Abraham Woodhull. The matter was solved! Townsend was an incidental roomer at the Underhills’ and Woodhull was a frequent caller on his sister and brother in law. Culper Senior and Junior could therefore be with each other whenever necessary without attracting the least suspicion.
Townsend next boarded with Jacob Seaman, who was married to Margaret Birdsall. This Margaret was the daughter of Col. Benjamin Birdsall who furnished our Gen. George Clinton with much valuable information.
Townsend and Woodhull found it necessary to personally scout for information at its source (see Woodhull’s letter dated Oct. 31, 1778). Their system also included a score of the most respectable citizens who were never seen anywhere in situations the least suspicious, but each employed trusted friends who regularly corresponded with them and the items they secured were promptly communicated to either Townsend or Woodhull. Much in these letters might be called camouflage. They usually began with some expression such as “We have no news” and then followed the style suggested by General Washington in several of his communications. Sometimes the information was promptly forwarded, the following letter being an example:
My dear Friend:
We all arrived here yesterday at three o’clock after a passage of 2 hours. The kindness of yourself and wife and the pleasure I found at your house are strongly fixed on my mind, and make me desirous of contributing any thing to the information, amusement &c. of yourself and friends. I enclose a paper which will give you all the news that is yet published about Charles Town. Tomorrow a hand bill will come out with the Capitulation. Yesterday most of the troops here, Staten Island &c. were embarked in Sloops &c. to the number, it is said, of 7 or 8 thousand, and proceeding up the Kills, landed about sunset near Elizabeth Town, and immediately began their march to attack Washington in his camp at Morris Town. At five o’clock this morning the troops had got to Springfield, 8 miles short of the place without much opposition, but since, much firing has been heard. Brigadier Genl. Sterling[5] was wounded in the thigh by a random shot at Elizabeth Town last evening and is brought back but the British met with no other loss there.
A vessel is just arrived from St. Kits but brings no news except that the fleets were within sight of each other and another action expected. The British had been reinforced with three sail.
My Respects to C. Wistar and family. I am sorry katy’s indisposition prevented her coming with us. I shall send the nickanees by Tommy. I am affectionately &c.
William T. Robinson.
7 June, 1780.