Tag: spy

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A Spy Wins a Purple Heart: The Amazing Tale of Daniel Bissell and the Military Order of Merit

On June 8th, 1783, Gen. George Washington issued the following orders to the Continental army from his headquarters in Newburgh, New York: Serjeant Bissel of the 2d Connecticut regt. having per­formed some important services, within the immediate knowledge of the Commander in chief, in which the fidelity, perseverence, and good sense of the said serjeant […]

by Todd W. Braisted
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Ann Bates: British Spy Extraordinaire

With the recent popularity of spies in the Revolutionary War, led by AMC’s TURN cable television series and the bestselling book George Washington’s Secret Six: the Spy Ring that Saved the American Revolution, the impact that spies had on the outcome of campaigns and other aspects of the war has sometimes been exaggerated. I focus […]

by Christian McBurney
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Abraham Woodhull: The Spy Named Samuel Culper

Abraham Woodhull, spy for General George Washington, nearly got himself hanged on one of his first missions.   It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities.  At one point he neared an encampment of Loyalist soldiers commanded by General William Tryon.  Woodhull was probably preparing […]

by Michael Schellhammer
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James Rivington: King’s Printer
and Patriot Spy?

This article was originally published in Journal of the American Revolution, Vol. 1 (Ertel Publishing, 2013). Solving “the Most Astounding” Mystery of the American Revolution In early spring 1773, readers of the Boston Gazette came across an ambitious business proposal when they opened the March 22 issue.  New York printer and bookseller James Rivington, then […]

by Todd Andrlik
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Nathan Hale: A Hero’s Fiasco

Dear Mr. History: What’s the story on Nathan Hale?  Like countless American schoolchildren, I was taught that he was executed for spying and said “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”  A spy who gets caught seems like a dubious distinction to me.  Was Hale an effective spy?  […]

by Michael Schellhammer