George Washington, Spymaster: Chapters 7–9

And, to raise morale, he had the same reports planted among his own men.

They were also told to make sure that their “secret” moves became known to “persons who you are sure will divulge” those secrets.

Among his agents Clark found one who agreed to go to Howe and offer to “risque my all in procuring him intelligence.”

A Patriot guerrilla force called the Green Boys watched over the area—and at least once ambushed a Hessian patrol.

The mother of four, she worked as a nurse, a midwife, and even as an undertaker to help support her family.

On December 3 Major Clark gave Washington information only hours old: “This morning, a Sergeant, a countryman of my spy’s, assured him that the Troops had received orders to hold themselves in readiness when called for, and to draw two days provisions. Biscuit was served out to them when he came away, and ’twas the current language in the city among the Troops and citizens that they were going to make a move.”

A “little poor-looking insignificant Old Woman came in & solicited leave to go into the Country to buy some flour,” he later wrote.

Arnold passed the British many secrets, such as how many French troops were landing in America and where and when they were landing. He also revealed an American-French deception plan (the “manifesto” mentioned in the letter) that was supposed to make the British expect an invasion of Canada.

Washington learned from some of his agents operating in New York that “some secret expedition is in contemplation, the success of which depends altogether on its being kept a secret.”

Arnold wrote Washington and threatened that if André were hanged, Arnold would “retaliate on such unhappy Persons of your Army as may fall within my Power.”

Thomas Jefferson, governor of Virginia, was the next plotter. He concocted a scheme to abduct “this greatest of traitors” while he was leading raids in Virginia.

A false message carried by an American courier hoodwinks the British.

But Lafayette’s maneuvers helped set up what would be the battle that ended the war.

Agents managed to intercept Cornwallis’s encrypted reports to Clinton during the siege of Yorktown, and James Lovell cracked the code that Cornwallis used.

Details of Rivington’s exploits, founded more on legend than on fact, remain mysterious.