Spies, Lies, and Good Guys

“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.