"I regret that I only have one life to lose for my country." These words were uttered in the last moments of a man named Nathan Hale, who was caught spying on the British during the Revolutionary War. Thomas Fleming, who has written many books and articles on his research about the Revolutionary War, stated in a recent article, "…that intelligence (including espionage) was a centerpiece of the strategy of the protracted (Revolutionary) war." Intelligence gathering, disinformation, and double agents, were three key aspects of why the Revolutionary War was won by the Continental Army.
Eavesdropping was one of the ways the Continentals gathered information. The British took over a room in Lydia Darragh's home in Philadelphia. That resulted in the opportunity to eavesdrop on their secret meetings. While she was eavesdropping on one of the meetings, she learned of a surprise attack against the Continentals. She passed the information along to her son, who was a lieutenant for the Continentals. When George Washington received the information, all of his army prepared for the attack. When the British came to “surprise” the Continentals, they quickly found out that their attack wasn't a surprise anymore, and they retreated.
Another way the Continentals gathered information, was by intercepting it from the enemy. For example, Benedict Arnold and Maj. John Andre were trying to sell a fortress at West Point for a half-million dollars, in present currency, to the British. They would have gotten away with it if three militiamen hadn't intercepted Andre in his journey to New York. When Andre was captured, the plans were found in his boot. Andre was hanged shortly after, ending the scheme.
Disinformation was one of Washington's most successful tactics during the Revolutionary War. A magazine published information that the Continentals only had 300 kegs of gunpowder, nine rounds per soldier. Washington spread the lie that he actually had 1800 barrels. The piece of disinformation was also spread throughout the Continental Army to give them encouragement about their strength.
Washington also used disinformation for preventing an attack from happening. The British commander, Henry Clinton, sent six-thousand troops from New York on transport ships to attack French ships in Rhode Island. Because of a spy named Robert Townsend, who figured out the plan, Washington disinformed the British about a huge attack the Continentals were about to make on Clinton's base in New York. Clinton recalled the troops, prepared, and waited weeks for an attack that never came.
Washington also disinformed Clinton to stay in New York, while the French and the Continentals cornered Cornwallis at Yorktown, New Jersey. After three weeks, the attack from the French and the Continentals ended, and Cornwallis finally surrendered, thus ending the war.
There were also double agents and spies, who helped the Continentals. John Honeyman was a double agent who “switched” his loyalty to the British, and gained the trust of British officers. While wandering, Honeyman was captured by a Continental patrol, and was taken to Washington to be “interrogated.” None of the Continentals, except for Washington, knew Honeyman's true loyalty. While under “interrogation”, Honeyman gave a specific description of a British garrison in Trenton, New Jersey. That night Honeyman “escaped” from the Continentals and went back to the British, telling them all about Washington's weak army. The British at the garrison, thinking they could spend their Christmas with no worries, were surprised to be attacked by the continentals, who killed almost all of the British at the garrison.
By mid-1780 the British had assessed the size of Washington's army, and decided to deliver a “final blow” attack that they hoped would finish them off and end the war. Right before the British arrived, an unknown spy warned Washington and his troops about the attack. With the help of the local militia, Washington and his army took some hills nearby and defeated the British. This battle would have probably ended the war, if that spy had not warned the Continentals.
As you can see, gathering information, disinformation, and double agents/spies, were three great assets to why the Revolutionary War was won by the Continentals. Each of the spies mentioned played a critical role, in one way or another, in the Revolutionary War. Disinformation and espionage played equal roles, because of George Washington's brilliance. Without the information gathering efforts of the Revolutionary War, our country would not be what it is today.
Timeline
September 1776 - Nathan Hale is sent on a disastrous espionage mission.
December 1776 -John Honeyman gives enough vital information to the Continental Army to make an attack on the British.
Late December 1776 - George Washington and his troops attack a British stronghold in Trenton, New Jersey.
December 1777- The Continentals ward off a surprise attack made by the British, because of a spy named Lydia Darragh.
June 1780 - The Continentals win a battle against the British because of an unknown spy, who warned the Continentals about the attack.
Mid-1780 - Culper Jr. (Robert Townsend) discovers a plan made by British to destroy the French in Virginia Harbor. Washington uses disinformation to make the British stay in their fort in New York, instead of them sending troops to help the British in Virginia to destroy the French.
Mid-1780 - Cornwallis is surrounded in his fort in VA by the French and the Continentals, thus ending the Revolutionary War.
1780 - Benedict Arnold and Maj. John Andre try to sell a fortress at West Point.
Glossary
Disinformation- Telling someone erroneous information to sidetrack them from a situation.
Erroneous - Wrong/False
Townsend, Robert - an American spy who goes by the alias Culper Jr.
Darragh, Lydia - A woman who eavesdropped on the British army. She was one of the most effective spies for the Continental Army.
Hale, Nathan - An inexperienced spy for the Continental Army, who got caught spying on the British.
Honeyman, John - An American double agent.
Arnold, Benedict - A traitor to the Continental Army, who was involved with a scandal to sell a fortress at West Point.
Andre, Maj. John - One of Benedict Arnold's top spies. Also involved with the West Point scandal.
Sources
- Fleming, Thomas, "George Washington, Spymaster", American Heritage, 51 (February/March 2000): 38.
- Erwin Knoll, “The Spy Game”, Progressive, 56 (January 1992): 36
