A Letter From Abraham Woodhull to His Son Thomas is an entry from the Turn: Washington's Spies official site. Capt Abraham Thomas (1785-1838) - Memorial Find a Grave The Culper spy ring proved to be a vital part of General Washingtons intelligence network, keeping him informed of the British Armys intentions and operations throughout the Colonies. Abraham mentions that his son is almost a year old as he eggs him on to start walking on his own. Under the system that Tallmadge designed, Woodhull travelled to New York every few weeks on business, mixed with Crown soldiers, listened for news, and observed activities. Woodhull enlisted Robert Townsend, a merchant who conducted business in Manhattan, to gather intelligence about British military plans. He was later buried is Setauket, next to his wife, Rebecca and his son, Thomas . 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). At one point he neared an encampment of Loyalist soldiers commanded by General William Tryon. The intelligence would then be retrieved by a certain boatman named Caleb Brewster, who was a lieutenant in the Continental Army. Thankfully, no actual spies were arrested, and the Ring was able to continue its work, although Woodhull and Townsend were again understandably anxious. He had three children with his wife Mary, lived prosperously as a Suffolk County judge, and died in 1826. [15] Rose, Washingtons Spies, 146-151; John Bakeless, Turncoats, Traitors & heroes: Espionage in the American Revolution (New York; J.B. Lippincot, 1959, reprint, Da Capo Press, 1998), 228. Woodhull told Hewlett that Tallmadge would withdraw if the 8 prisoners were exchanged for the captured redcoats, and he eventually negotiated the release of all of the prisoners unconditionally after a rebellious Simcoe killed one of the hostages in an attempt to provoke an attack on the church. your tumblr account link is wrong. They were immigrants from the Ukraine. [11], He died in Setauket on January 23, 1826, and is buried in the Setauket Presbyterian Church and Burial Ground. It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities. 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. Eventually, Rogers lured out the killer by playing the retreat signal on the drums, which is what the killer used to signal Joyce to have a tryst with them, as revealed in a letter that Anna Strong had found in Joyce's belongings in his room in her house. Fall River Press, 2014. Woodhull became one of Washingtons best spies, knowing all the while that he was one step away from a noose. (LogOut/ [17] Washington to Tallmadge, September 22 1779, Writings of George Washington, Vol. (Dont believe me? Woodhull privately conferred with Major Hewlett and told him that he wanted to enter King's College and spy on the Sons of Liberty for him, as his prior connection to them might allow him to bust suspected patriot sympathizers in the college. network. Washingtons Spies: The Story of Americas First Spy Ring. 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. 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 Woodhull - Abraham was a key member of the Culper Spy Ring. Little Thomas Woodhull, whom Abraham fondly calls Sprout, steals the spotlight at the beginning and end of the TURN pilot episode. When Baker left, an angry Simcoe had him tell him about the affair, and Simcoe beat up Woodhull in the woods at night after coming onto him with a few regulars, saying that he retracted an apology that he was going to give him for accusing him of Captain Joyce's murder. The Culper Ring was a successful operation that provided Washington with valuable information on the British Army headquartered in New York from October 1778 to the end of the war. 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. Yet he still completed his mission and submitted a valuable intelligence report to Washington. Abraham Woodhull followed his fathers footsteps and became a magistrate, and was appointed First Judge of Suffolk County in 1799. Woodhull had a problem to face, however, as he had to give Major Hewlett a final report on New York. These agents reported on British activity from their homes in New York City, on Long Island, New York, and in Connecticut. [6] Culper to Tallmadge, February 26, 1779, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. [5] Culper to Maj. Benjamin Tallmadge, November 23, 1778, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. This is a dangerous endeavor. He began providing information to the British in 1779, and started a correspondence with Major John Andre, the head of British intelligence. Woodhull never spoke of his spying activities to anyone. Richard Woodhull | Historica Wiki | Fandom [3] Washington to Brig. But how do you read the non-transcribed Samuel Culper John Bolton GW Papers via http://memory.loc.gov? Woodhull prefaced the information with the admonishment that the intelligence contained news of the greatest consequence perhaps that ever happened to your country.. Then he wrote down his observations and hid them at a secluded cove near Setauket. PDF In Real Life: Abraham Woodhull - Woodhull Genealogy In October of 1777, Woodhull announced to his father, Major Hewlett, his wife, Anna Strong, and other guests at a party commemorating Hewlett that he would be resuming his old studies at King's College to get a law degree, having regained an interest in law after the loss of his farm and his prosecution of the alleged patriots. I understand why they didnt opt for historical accuracy on this one, but boys wearing gowns as children is one of my favorite Colonial oddities and I wished they had included it. His role in the ambush led to him being involved in the revolutioanry cause, although he only did it because Simcoe had been harassing Anna Strong while was quartered at her house. Caleb escaped, and Abraham decided to continue passing information to the patriots. JMS you are correct as with any untranscribed 18th century documents, reading and understading the Culper letters is a tough task. 16, accessed April 19 2014 via http://etext.virginia.edu. Still, the fact is that little hipster Sprouts outfit IS several years ahead of his time, according to the historical record. Abraham and Anna spending time together in Anna's barn. To appear as a devoted subject of King George III he publically took an oath of loyalty in Setauket. And dont worry well be discussing plenty of military details here on the blog soon enough. Woodhull began spying for the Continental Army in late 1778, as part of the Culper Spy Ring. 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. Theyre both economical and practical, especially for a large middle or working-class family. 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. [10] Tallmadge to Washington, November 19, 1778, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. Tallmadge wrote Washington on October 11, 1780 that Arnold knew not a single link in the chain of my correspondence, but that the Culper operatives were too apprehensive of danger to give their immediate usual intelligence.[20] Woodhull and Townsend laid low but returned to providing information. The incident struck fear into Townsends heart, as it demonstrated just how easy it was to be captured. A French fleet was sailing into Rhode Island to attack British forces there, and Washington wanted information that could make the job of the French easier. And the different writing styles of the Culper agents becomes apparant after reading a lot of the correspondence. 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. He thus enlisted the aid of Anna Strong, the wife of Selah Strong, a tavern keeper who was jailed aboard a British prison ship when the Culper Ring was formed. In the spring of 1780 the strain of spying was wearing on both Woodhull and Townsend, and Tallmadge told Washington that Townsend had become less active, and even Culper Senior grows timid and thinks that intercourse had better be dropped for the present.[18] Washington agreed to shut the Culper Ring down, only to reactivate it in July to gain information that would support operations of another French fleet expected later that summer. Behind the Scenes Nevertheless, he continued to send letters to Washington, informing of anything of importance he came across. [4] He was motivated by the murder of his cousin Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull of the New York militia, who was wounded by sword and bayonet cuts after he had been captured on August 29, 1776. Woodhull was essentially the leader of the Culper Spy Ring, deciding what information was transmitted throughout the group, which would eventually make its way to George Washington. [2] Alexander Rose, Washingtons Spies: the Story of Americas first Spy Ring (New York: Bantam Dell, 2006), 74, 84-87. The tactic was sometimes effective but the information often lacked the detail, accuracy and timeliness that Washington needed. Before Simcoe could fire back, Woodhull and Anna Strong arrived and ended the fight, with Anna telling Simcoe that the men were fighting for their honor, not hers, and telling them that they could both leave. When Abraham returned, it took the help of a friend of the Woodhulls, a generals adjutant, to assure Simcoe that Abraham was a proper Loyalist. Fifth generation from Richard Woodhull, the original grantee of a large portion of Brookhaven Town. Woodhull became involved in the revolution around the same time, with Anna convincing him that he should side with the patriots against the British. The house was built in 1660 and was destroyed by fire in 1931. 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. 16, accessed April 19 2014 via http://etext.virginia.edu. At the inn, he helped a Spanish man win at a game of checkers, and the man told him that some sailors were building ships at the west wharf, making life hard for merchants; Woodhull decided to investigate. Two of his children, Elizabeth and Jesse, married into the Brewster family. Caleb succeeded in doing this while Abraham was away, as Robert witnessed Simcoe's rangers beat up his father and burn down his stables when he asked for money in exchange for giving his cavalry to the rangers. I want you to live in a world where you can make your own choices. They did, however, take plenty of liberties with the historical facts, but on the whole, the show presents the major activities and accomplishments of the Culper Ring in a reasonably accurate manner. Washington was impressed: His account has the appearance of a very distinct and good one and makes me desirous of a continuance of his correspondence, he wrote. Abraham enlisted in a Suffolk County militia in the fall of 1775, but he resigned after a few months; his cousin Brigadier-General Nathaniel Woodhull was killed by the British while in their prison on 20 September 1776, when he was killed with bayonets. Woodhull began spying for the. Rose, Alexander. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Tuskegee Airman Clarence D. Lester Broke Barriers, Biography: You Need to Know: Rick Thornton. (LogOut/ Woodhull served as a lieutenant in the Suffolk County militia for a short period of time in the fall of 1775 but resigned after a few months. . Hewlett decided to send the accused to HMS Jersey in lieu of hanging, although this was effectively a death sentence due to the poor conditions there. Eventually, Major Hewlett escaped captivity and secured Woodhull's release, and Townsend agreed to work with Woodhull as "Samuel Culper, Jr."; he gave him information on a plot by Thomas Hickey and William Bradford to assassinate George Washington at his camp in Valley Forge. 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! But the event convinced the spy of his constant danger and he curtailed operations. That would include both Woodhull as "Culper Sr." and Robert Townsend, who used the alias "Samuel Culper Jr."[14]. Culper Spy Ring | American intelligence organization | Britannica Once they were several years old, boys and girls would then make the transition to outfits that were miniature versions of mens and womens adult clothing. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Abraham's wife Mary convinced him that he had to shoot the courier, Corporal Eastin (the man who had been sent to escort Woodhull to New York previously), and not kill Hewlett as he had planned to do. 2022-07-02. But he probably never forgot that day in 1778 when he came very close to being hanged. Suddenly the door to his room flung open and two people burst into his room. He used the alias "Samuel Culper" (later "Samuel Culper Sr."), which was a play on Culpeper County, Virginia, and was suggested by George Washington . [14] Like Woodhull, Townsend played the part of a devoted Loyalist but he was a secret Patriot who had served briefly as a commissary to General Nathaniel Woodhull, Abrahams cousin. Woodhull was a descendant of Richard Lawrence Woodhull, a wealthy settler of Setauket, and was also related to New York militia Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull. He found out of a petition to the provincial congress, and he intended to hunt down the people responsible. Woodhull turned out to be a very effective spy, and his reports were uncannily accurate. Townsend stole and cooked the two brown eggs, serving them to Woodhull when he returned to the inn after nearly leaving the city. The British knew the exact strength of the French fleet, and were going to wait for them to make harbor and ambush them. Abraham pretended to have had sex with Anna, telling the officer that her "roll is already buttered." It was believed that Nathaniel Woodhull had been captured and brutalized by the British, and died a miserable death. Richard Woodhull (1712-1788) was the local magistrate of Setauket, New York under Great Britain during the American Revolution. I was just wondering. Woodhull adopts the alias Samuel Culper, and begins his espionage, making trips to New York to scope out British military strength and eavesdrop on important conversations. 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. His father, Richard, was unharmed, but Simcoe had plundered the house in the most shocking manner in order to obtain compensation for his troubles. Astrological Sign: Libra, Death Year: 1826, Death date: January 23, 1826, Death State: New York, Death City: Setauket, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Abraham Woodhull Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figure/abraham-woodhull, Publisher: A&E Television Networks, Last Updated: July 7, 2020, Original Published Date: May 18, 2015. Schellhammer, Michael. She then passed on the information to American soldiers. [2] His parents were Judge Richard Woodhull and Mary Woodhull (ne Smith).[3]. (His very appearance is a bit of a chronological anomaly, but we'll discuss that later.) In 1781, Woodhull resigned from his duties. His fears were eased when Woodhull sent him a report in November 1778 that provided almost exact figures of British troop strength in New York. with his son William Tallmadge. I hope that one day, the Lord willing, you will grow up to be a man. Shortly after, Richard Woodhull was shot in the chest as he boarded his wagon with Simcoe and Woodhull, with the man using a verse from the Book of Judges as wadding for his musketball. Was is from Morton Pennypacker? [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. Thanks for pointing this out!! [15][16] Other people from Woodhull's life are portrayed in the show as well. ae 53 years and 1 day Abraham Thomas was the son of Nicholas Thomas (1753-1838) and his first wife, Lucy Somes (1759-1792). Tallmadges recruitment of Woodhull enabled them to put their plans into action. The two often went to New York together masquerading as husband and wife, and the trick was effective, despite Strong being ten years older than Woodhull. Little Thomas Woodhull, whom Abraham fondly calls "Sprout," steals the spotlight at the beginning and end of the TURN pilot episode. Breeches and a linen shirt, like the little colonial man he is! So yes, if you were to time-travel back to the era of the American Revolution, you might very well see a young six-year-old boy wearing stays and a gown. It is easy to see why AMC would choose such a spy ring as the subject of a television show. 'Turn' react: The secret link behind Abe's marriage and his brother's He married Mary Smith on 24 November 1781, in New York County, New York, United States. 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. 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. Abraham had in fact joined the county militia in 1775 with no apparent objection from his father, but became disenchanted and quit after two months. [4] In November he reported how Loyalist units were scouring local farms for wood and livestock. She found out when their son Thomas had moved a floorboard, revealing a book of words and code-numbers used to represent them, a book which Caleb had given to Abraham in order to communicate without the British knowing; Caleb also told Woodhull that his alias would be "Samuel Culpeper", with Woodhull shortening it to "Culper". While there, he had a conversation with two Hessians making sauerkraut at their campfire, and they let him try their food. This ruined Woodhull's plan to spy in New York, so he decided to inform his guard that he could wait outside of the city when he entered Manhattan for his studies. Working together, Woodhull and Townsend warned Washington about British activities as the 1779 campaign developed and they discovered British plans to wreck American finances by counterfeiting Continental currency. When the Continentals were busy pushing people into the tavern, Selah Strong made his presence known when he shot at the sign saying "DeJong Tavern", formerly "Strong Tavern", and Abraham was shocked to see him. Eventually operating from Underhills boarding house, Woodhull so successfully played the part of a loyal but inquisitive farmer that he gained all of the information he needed, and more. Woodhull decided to do so, as his father was in the church as well. . Brewster told Woodhull that his encounter with him in Connecticut was the first part of the test to see if Woodhull was fit to join the patriots, and Tallmadge's interrogation was the second part of the test. Benjamin Tallmadge became a wealthy investor, and in 1801 was elected to Congress. His cousin, General Nathaniel Woodhull, Woodhull gave reports to the Continentals from inside the city, noting that Howe's flagship HMSEagle and other Royal Navy ships remained in the harbor as British troop numbers decreased, and when he entered Robert Townsend's boarding inn for some breakfast, Woodhull took note of the people feeling on edge, saying that an assault by 5,000 men could probably take the city. A Letter From Abraham Woodhull to His Son Thomas View source A Letter From Abraham Woodhull to His Son Thomas is an entry from the Turn: Washington's Spies official site. [22] In the same letter he finally bowed out of the spy business. Later that day, Abraham decided to head to King's College to visit the spot where his brother had been killed in a 1773 riot after Woodhull put a Phrygian cap on top of the Liberty Pole there. [24] Culper to Tallmadge, July 5, 1783, GW Papers, accessed April 27 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov. 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. 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. I am wondering, however, about the timing of Mr. It was later decided by Tallmadge and Washington that Woodhull would be given the alias Samuel Culper, and the Culper spy ring was born. Abraham Woodhull is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor. In 1781, Woodhull married Mary Smith. Ive noticed that every time the kid is supposed to make a sound it is superimposed when his face is off screen. 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. Craft's comments since in the first sentence, he refers to the "peace, security and national, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 2018. Abraham Woodhull was born to Richard Woodhull and . October 7, 1750Abraham Woodhull / Date of birth. Robert Townsend went into business with his brother Solomon, but the business failed, and Townsend never got back on his feet. Granted, this particular anachronism is a small detail that is (like little Thomas baby couture) not hugely integral to the larger storyline of TURN. I have a family photo of my grandmother and her siblings in the early 20th century, and her youngest brother is in a gown. Abraham Woodhull was born to Richard Woodhull and Rebecca Woodhull (1728-1757). Anna decided to cover up the whole event by burning down the house, saying that Baker had been killed by retreating patriots while defending the house as they looted it, and that the family would move into Whitehall with Judge Woodhull like they should have long before. 10 Significant Things About The Culper Ring, George Washington's Most Selah and Anna Strong lived out the rest of their lives quietly in Setauket. . In the spring of 1777, Woodhull trysted with Anna at her barn, and he told her that he could not stay there long. In the court case, Simcoe had trouble loading the musketball that hit Richard Woodhull into Tallmadge's gun, as it was a Pennsylvania rifle; only a Brown Bess British musket could use that type of ball. In 1778, he was . Townsend also owned a share of a coffee house popular with British officers operated by James Rivington, printer of the Loyalist Royal Gazette. They continued their march across the Sound, spilling over onto Long Island and into Setauket. Ben has asked me to assist in balancing the scales. Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Death 2 Behind the Scenes 2.1 Appearances Biography Death Thomas Woodhull died in the Battle of Bladensburg during the War of 1812 on August 24, 1814, felled by an British musket. March 30, 1844 (48) Setauket, Suffolk, New York. Excellent sketch of the Culper Rings two Principal Agents Mike. Abraham mentions that his son is "almost a year old" as he eggs him on to start walking on his own. After the United States gained independence, Woodhull served as a magistrate, as had his father before him, and served as a judge in Suffolk County, New York. A farmer and the son of a local Patriot judge, Abraham Woodhull joined the Culper ring in November of 1778. Abraham Woodhull | Wiki | TUR Amino He filed his last intelligence report, not written in code but still signed with the alias Samuel Culper, on February 21, 1783, while the British planned the wars closing act, the evacuation of New York City. A number of close calls with British authorities had made both Woodhull and Robert Townsend jumpy. Introducing the Topic Index page (Just in time for the Season 3Premiere! One night Woodhull was drafting a report with the new ink while British officers were still in his house and Tallmadge hid in the woods. Linda Baumgarten of Colonial Williamsburg writes: The time when a little boy went from skirts to pants, which was called, breeching, occurred anytime from age three to seven and was symbolic of his first step toward becoming a little man.'.