What a fun anecdote thanks for sharing! PDF In Real Life: Abraham Woodhull - Woodhull Genealogy 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. Abraham Woodhull (October 7, 1750 - January 23, 1826) was a leading member of the Culper Spy Ring in New York City and Setauket, New York, during the American Revolutionary War. His father, Richard, was unharmed, but Simcoe had plundered the house in the most shocking manner in order to obtain compensation for his troubles. Abraham Woodhull was a farmer in the town of Setauket on Long Island's North Shore. In 1778, he was caught making his way into New York to sell some of his farms yield, and was jailed by the Rebels for selling goods to the enemy.. In this case, I could understand the rationale behind breeching little Thomas several years early in TURN. The near-miss left him shaken, but he was compelled to find another way to continue spying. The Rebels considered the practice trading with the enemy and those caught in the act faced a jail sentence. They likely discussed Woodhulls activities trading with the British. Captain Thomas Woodhull (1746 - 1773) was a British Army officer who served in the King's Militia, the son of Richard Woodhull and Rebecca Woodhull and the brother of Abraham Woodhull. memorial page for Abraham Woodhull (7 Oct 1750-23 Jan 1826), Find a Grave . The job was not without its risks, though, and Woodhull cut it close on many occasions. P.S. If I am caught, I could be hanged as a traitor and a spy. Abraham Woodhull, spy for General George Washington, nearly got himself hanged on one of his first missions. 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. 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. Description: The old Abraham Woodhull House at Setauket. I fight this fight for you. Thanks for pointing this out!! Journal of the American Revolution is the leading source of knowledge about the American Revolution and Founding Era. Woodhull decided to attend Andre's ball for his officers, and Anna told him that she would go there as well to help him, although Abraham told Anna that she should not go in her sad condition, as she would reveal her purpose. See Todd Andrliks James Rivington: Kings Printer and Patriot Spy? Thomas "Sprout" Woodhull (died August 24, 1814) was the son of Culper Ring spy and farmer Abraham Woodhull . So interesting. Two of his children, Elizabeth and Jesse, married into the Brewster family. It was then that I knew I could no longer remain idle in this war. What leverage Tallmadge used to get Woodhull to consider the offer is unknown, but the major may have reminded Woodhull about the death of his cousin, General Nathaniel Woodhull, at British hands. Historians believe that he and his co-conspirators probably uncovered Benedict Arnolds treason, and the information that led to arrest of British Major John Andre. [7] Culper to Tallmadge, March 17, 1779, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. I concur great article. 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! We work with various museums, historical societies and media outlets around the world. Presbyterian Church-Setauket, Setauket- East Setauket, NYAbraham Woodhull / Place of burialSetauket Presbyterian Church and Burial Ground, also known as First Presbyterian Church of Brookhaven, is a historic Presbyterian church and cemetery at 5 Caroline Avenue in the hamlet of Setauket, Suffolk County, New York. As I write this letter you are upstairs in your mothers arms, sleeping peacefully. Tallmadge told Woodhull that George Washington wanted him to work with the patriots as a spy during the American Revolutionary War, and he refused. In the ensuing encounter, Woodhull was rescued by the redcoats, who killed Cyrus. It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities. Abraham was severely troubled by this, and there is no reason to assume his father did not feel likewise. The court case fell apart, leading to uproar. Despite its inaccuracies, TURN: Washingtons Spies is an entertaining yet fitting tribute to the brave operatives of the Culper Ring, and shows just how dangerous and critically important their jobs were. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. [24] Culper to Tallmadge, July 5, 1783, GW Papers, accessed April 27 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov. Abraham Woodhull performed Patriotic Service in New York in the American Revolution. Even after resigning he sent seven more letters about British activities. 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. Woodhull was tortured, being thrown in a cage with patriots; he did not disclose his true loyalties, and he was beaten and hated by the imprisoned patriots. Basing his operation in his British-occupied hometown of Setauket, New York, Woodhull enlists the aid of local tavern keeper Anna Strong to ferry crucial intelligence to their friends in the Continental Army, Caleb Brewster and Benjamin Tallmadge, who in turn bring the intelligence to General George Washington himself. I wish also to know where their shipping lies, and if they appear to be taking measures and what measures for their security in case of a French fleets entering the harbor.[16] However as a commander who needed timely and accurate intelligence, Washington sometimes found Woodhulls skittishness irritating, as he wrote to Tallmadge in September 1779, I have been expecting for some time past a communication from Culper. The British knew the exact strength of the French fleet, and were going to wait for them to make harbor and ambush them. 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. Thomas Woodhull | Turn Wiki | Fandom It was an extraordinary and risky offer both men knew that spying could be a short path to a hanging. Still dedicated to his mission, in June Woodhull expanded the operation by recruiting 25 year-old Robert Townsend, a former lodger at the Underhill boarding house, as an additional agent. [] and visually busy spectacle. Abraham Woodhull was born to Richard Woodhull and . Abraham Woodhull (7 October 1750 23 January 1826) was the leader of the Culper Ringnetwork under the aliasSamuel Culper, Sr. during theAmerican Revolutionary War. At times, Rivington was also an American agent. Sometimes historians give the Culper Ring credit for discovering Benedict Arnold was a traitor. John Graves Simcoe, (born February 25, 1752, Cotterstock, Northamptonshire, Englanddied October 26, 1806, Exeter, Devonshire), British soldier and statesman who became the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada (present-day Ontario). What better way to get back at the enemy, Tallmadge might have said, than by spying on the British under their own noses and helping the American cause? However, the British quickly suspected him of spying; they even went to Setauket to arrest him in June 1779, although he avoided trouble since he wasn't at home. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Crazy Facts About George Washington's Long Island Spies 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. [13] The respite was ill-timed; Woodhull missed most of the signs that the British were beginning an offensive to seize control of the Hudson River, and the campaign of 1779 began with Washington unaware of Clintons plans. 2022-07-02. Place of Burial: Setauket, Suffolk, New York. Watching you fall and get up over and over again swelled my heart with pride and joy. It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities. Continental Army Major Benjamin Tallmadge was Woodhull's neighbor in Setauket and approached Woodhull in August 1778 about gathering intelligence for the Patriot cause during the American Revolutionary War. Normally Woodhull was a farmer in the town of Setauket on Long Islands north shore where he cared for his elderly parents. Bantam, 2014. Woodhull became involved in the revolution around the same time, with Anna convincing him that he should side with the patriots against the British. He also never had a son named Thomas; Mary would give birth to two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, and a son named Jesse. We feature smart, groundbreaking research and well-written narratives from expert writers. Woodhull was beaten, and Cyrus offered to let Woodhull leave if he fought him. Does Baylor Scott and White random drug test? By the end of October he recruited his brother-in-law Amos Underhill, owner of a Manhattan boarding house, to gather information from his British Army lodgers. If you are interested in working with us or have a great story, please get in touch. Capt. Abraham Woodhull, Esq. (1750 - 1826) - Genealogy Abraham copied down the writing in his book before Cook had him leave, but not before the officers gave him a drinking challenge: they asked him who he would kill if he would not be retaliated against. Abraham Woodhull was born in 1750 in Setauket, a town on Long Island, New York. Woodhull was secretly engaged to Anna Strong in 1773 before his brother Thomas, a soldier in the British Army, was killed while quelling a protest at King's College and his father decided to marry him to his brother's fiancee Mary, leading to Abraham and Anna parting. It is easy to see why AMC would choose such a spy ring as the subject of a television show. [8] His plan was to travel to Manhattan, ostensibly to visit his married sister, Mary Underhill, and her husband, Amos, at their boarding house. He married Mary Townsend on December 6th, 1753 at St. Georges Church. [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. Im glad that you all enjoyed the article, and great points from SPM and Ken. Background. 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. What struck me is the summary of the June 1777, I agree, and checked my source before submitting. http://allthingsliberty.com/2014/03/james-rivington-kings-printer-patriot-spy/. Continental Army Major Benjamin Tallmadge began working with Abraham Woodhull in the summer of 1778 at the height of the Revolutionary War to provide Washington information on British Army operations in their headquarters in New York City. If so, how did this myth get created? It was believed that Nathaniel Woodhull had been captured and brutalized by the British, and died a miserable death. In the episode . We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Woodhull, the son of the loyalist magistrate Richard Woodhull, decided to volunteer his services to the Continental Army as the leader of a spy ring in New York City after 1777, assisting George Washington in collecting information on the British Army's activities. I find that magnifying the zoom to 200% makes the cursive far more intelligible. He died in 1835. Townsend may have dabbled in journalism himself, which gave him a perfect excuse to spend long hours picking up information. Free shipping for many products! Abraham Woodhull/Parents The Battle of Monmouth 1778. Britishbattles.com, accessed 15 May 2016. http://www.britishbattles.com/battle-monmouth.htm, Braisted, Todd W. Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hewlett: The Loyal-est Loyalist. TURN to a Historian, 27 April 2015. Abraham Woodhull | Historica Wiki | Fandom Woodhull encountered his childhood friend Caleb Brewster when he arrived in Connecticut, selling him his cabbage in exchange for some money and some silk. List of American Revolutionary War battles, Turn: Washington's Spies official site entries. Breeches and a linen shirt, like the little colonial man he is! Abraham, however, was nowhere to be found- he had left for New York the previous day. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . (Hes not even a year old and hes already turning Setauket into the Brooklyn of the 18th century!). For the first few years of a childs life in the late 18th century, regardless of gender, he or she would wear a gown, a loose-fitting garment that could be tied, pinned, or buttoned shut. Lucy was the daughter of Abraham Somes, one of the. He hardly ever spoke of his work as a spy. Abraham pulled his gun and asked Baker not to arrest him, but Baker said that he would not be a traitor like Abraham. Woodhull was portrayed from 2014 to 2017 by Jamie Bell in AMC's spy thriller and historical drama series Turn: Washington's Spies, which was based on Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring (2007) by Alexander Rose. Abraham was forced to fire, shooting him in the stomach. He is most notable for leading the British side in the Battle of Setauket. He died in 1826 in Setauket. Abraham pretended to have had sex with Anna, telling the officer that her "roll is already buttered." [3], Woodhull returned to Setauket and began his spying in October. The British had been aware of the planned French attack for over a month, thanks to the treason of the infamous General Benedict Arnold himself. It is a choice that comes at a heavy price. The Culper Ring was probably Washingtons most successful spy operation. The two of them spent a moment together before Abraham found out that Major Hewlett's horse Bucephalus had been poisoned through his apples, and Captain Simcoe blamed the poisoning on rebel sympathizers. Woodhull continued to report on the location of British ships and troops, but Townsend eventually took note of the fact that Woodhull was writing secret messages on the brown eggs and not white ones. Since Woodhull was ill at the time, another spy named Austin Roe was sent to New York to get information from Robert Townsend, who sent a report back to Woodhull for forwarding to Washington. And if you werent sure what I was talking about when I mentioned stays earlier, dont forget to check out Baumgartners very helpful glossary of clothing terms, too. He was the son of a prominent judge who supported colonial independence. Lydia Darragh - Lydia spied on British officers who met in her home to discuss battle plans.