Woodhull had a problem to face, however, as he had to give Major Hewlett a final report on New York. He was later buried is Setauket, next to his wife, Rebecca and his son, Thomas . However, I have come across letters that have the sympathetic stain across entire pages. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! There is nothing I love more than watching you in your crib, but tonight I am wide awake, alone with my thoughts, unable to rest as dark intentions keep my mind preoccupied. [2], Woodhull was to be a new type of American spy. Abraham's 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. TURN: Washington's Spies: Created by Craig Silverstein. The incident struck fear into Townsends heart, as it demonstrated just how easy it was to be captured. Son: Thomas 'Sprout' Woodhull: General Information. He died a lonely man in 1838. The Life Summary of Abraham When Abraham Woodhull was born on 7 October 1750, in Setauket, Suffolk, New York Colony, British Colonial America, his father, Hon Richard Woodhull IV, was 38 and his mother, Margaret Smith, was 36. Moments later he realized that the intruders were his nieces, playing a game to surprise their uncle, and successfully so. Abraham Woodhull was born on October 7th 1750 in Setauket, New York, on Long Island. Woodhull returned to Anna and told him of this, and Anna told him that Selah had died of dysentery on the Jersey two months earlier; however, Robert Rogers had bribed the captain of the ship to say that Selah had died and that Samuel Tallmadge, Benjamin Tallmadge's deceased brother, was the one who survived. Abraham Woodhull followed his fathers footsteps and became a magistrate, and was appointed First Judge of Suffolk County in 1799. Whatever tactic the major used, Woodhull accepted the offer. 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. Townsend then decided he was through with espionage. They continued their march across the Sound, spilling over onto Long Island and into Setauket. Anna Strong (Heather Lind) We know she lived in Setauket until her death at age 72 on Aug. 12, 1812 (coincidentally exactly 205 years before the Turn series finale). Culper Spy Ring | American intelligence organization | Britannica However, he was arrested by British troops and thrown in prison by Inspector-General Joseph Innes, who believed that he was spying for the rebels. 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. On 28 June, his Continental Army engaged Clintons army at Monmouth, but thanks to incompetence on the part of his second-in-command, General Charles Lee, Clinton was able to make it to New York with little more than a bloody nose. Woodhull passed on information that he had learned from his father's meeting with Major Edmund Hewlett to discuss the exoneration of Abraham from his role as a murder suspect; he had found a letter with a coded message that stated that the British under John Graves Simcoe would raid a patriot safehouse in Meigs Harbor, Connecticut. type. Abraham Woodhull (1750-1826) - Find a Grave Memorial We work with various museums, historical societies and media outlets around the world. Abraham Woodhull was a noted hero of the American Revolution. A Letter From Abraham Woodhull to His Son Thomas is an entry from the Turn: Washington's Spies official site. Abraham negotiated that his father could sell his hogs for 7 pounds each, saying that Cook could make an extra profit by giving the quartermaster the required 20 hogs and some more hogs to other merchants, which would benefit Cook. Woodhull and Cyrus fought, but Cyrus later heard British troops approaching him after they found out that Woodhull had been ambushed. Fixed the link. Failure was not an option. http://www.britishbattles.com/battle-monmouth.htm, https://spycurious.wordpress.com/2015/04/27/lieutenant-colonel-richard-hewlett-the-loyal-est-loyalist/, http://www.longislandsurnames.com/getperson.php?personID=I0519&tree=Woodhull, https://allthingsliberty.com/2014/05/abraham-woodhull-the-spy-named-samuel-culper/. Building a Cloud Computing Career with Amazon AWS Certified Developer Azure Cognitive Services and Containers: 5 Amazing Benefits for Businesses, Running Your Own Electronics Accessories Ecommerce Store. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); "TURN to a Historian" is an independent blog for people searching for historically-accurate information and analysis about "TURN: Washington's Spies", AMC's fictionalized television drama about Revolutionary War spies. The loss of his cousin deeply affected Woodhull, who was a somewhat introspective, sensitive character, and he secretly hated the British for what he believed was his cousins unnecessarily brutal demise. 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. with his son William Tallmadge. 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. Gen. Charles Scott, added their own comments and couriers then sped the messages to Washington at Continental Army headquarters in New Jersey. October 7, 1750Abraham Woodhull / Date of birth. 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. Score: 4.9/5 (68 votes) . Certainly they had an emotional reunion and talked about the rebellion. The British knew the exact strength of the French fleet, and were going to wait for them to make harbor and ambush them. He also never had a son named Thomas; Mary would give birth to two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, and a son named Jesse. The British responded to this by disarming all of the citizens, and when Benjamin Tallmadge's father Benjamin Tallmadge, Sr. greeted the British as a hostile person when turning in his gun, he was suspected. Now, he knew that 1,500 Hessian troops were going to be sent to Trenton, and he decided to pass this on to Caleb. A Long Island farmer bands together a group of childhood friends to form an unlikely group of spies who turn the tide in America's fight for independence. Gen. Charles Scott, October 31, 1778, George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress (hereafter, GW Papers), accessed January 26, 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov. Still dedicated to his mission, in June Woodhull expanded the operation by recruiting 25 year-old Robert Townsend, a former lodger at the Underhill boarding house, as an additional agent. What better way to get back at the enemy, Tallmadge might have said, than by spying on the British under their own noses and helping the American cause? Brother of Mary (Woodhull) Arthur and . [11], He died in Setauket on January 23, 1826, and is buried in the Setauket Presbyterian Church and Burial Ground. Senaste mnen. [11] Culper to Tallmadge, April 101779, GW Papers, accessed January 26, 2014, via http://memory.loc.gov. It was in October 1778, when Woodhull toured British-held New York City and its environs, observing Crown military activities. I have a family photo of my grandmother and her siblings in the early 20th century, and her youngest brother is in a gown. 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. [23] Culper to Tallmadge, February 21, 1783, GW Papers, accessed April 27 2014 via http://memory.loc.gov. 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. Makes me feel resentful, though, at our Long Island schools. He died two years later, on 23 January 1826. While this piece underscores some of the glaring inaccuracies of the TV series TURN, it also highlights the intrigue and anxiety spies like Woodhull must have experienced day to day. Capt. Abraham Woodhull, Esq. (1750 - 1826) - Genealogy Historica Wiki is a FANDOM Games Community. In the spring of 1777, Woodhull trysted with Anna at her barn, and he told her that he could not stay there long. TURN in Real Life: Abraham Woodhull, Setauket, and - Warhistoryonline Abraham Woodhull | Historica Wiki | Fandom Woodhull was mildly supportive of the American cause but before 1778 the closest he came to the rebellion was an uneventful two-month stint in his county militia. That would include both Woodhull as "Culper Sr." and Robert Townsend, who used the alias "Samuel Culper Jr."[14]. With all due respect to Mary Woodhull, . Students deserve to know about their hometown heroes. Old Abraham Woodhull Home, Seatuket - Queens Public Library For the first few years of a childs life in the late 18th century, regardless of gender, he or she would wear a gown, a loose-fitting garment that could be tied, pinned, or buttoned shut. 9. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Abraham Woodhull, spy for General George Washington, nearly got himself hanged on one of his first missions. Woodhull returned to New York, defeated. Colonel John Graves Simcoe, commander of the Loyalist Queens American Rangers, promptly launched a raid to grab the spy. [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. Both of those can help give you the context to figure out words and phrases that seem unintelligable. His first intelligence in October addressed British troop strengths and their shortages in provisions. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Did Abraham Woodhull have a son named Thomas? We live in daily fear of death and destruction, this added to my usual anxiety hath almost unmanned me, Woodhull wrote to Tallmadge in June. Theyre both economical and practical, especially for a large middle or working-class family. His parents were Judge Richard Woodhull and Mary Woodhull (ne Smith). This entry was posted in clothing, material culture and tagged 18th century clothing, 18th century gowns, Abraham Woodhull, amc turn, historical costuming, Linda Baumgarten, material culture, sprout, Thomas Woodhull, TURN, turn amc, TURN premiere. Lydia Darragh - Lydia spied on British officers who met in her home to discuss battle plans. Abraham Woodfull Facts - The Revolutions Great Spy More on the way soon! So little Thomas Sprout Woodhull appears to be quite the little hipster baby wearing breeches before they were cool. 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. 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. Devoutly religious, he founded a missionary school in 1817, and was known to be sharply critical of the institution of slavery. In the encounter, Woodhull won a coin toss and was allowed to draw first blood, but his shot missed Simcoe. Letter Dear Thomas , As I write this letter you are upstairs in your mother 's arms, sleeping peacefully. Abraham Woodhull is the American's lone productive spy in 1777 New York, but did we see a glimpse of his bloody fate? It was Brewsters job to sail across the Sound, retrieve Woodhulls communications from their hiding spot, and return the missives to Tallmadge in Rebel-held Connecticut. Washington and his rebel army are fighting back and Ben is a part of that resistance, battling the Royal Army alongside thousands of other brave men. Woodhull refused to give any names to the Congress, and he found out that his interrogator was Benjamin Tallmadge, another childhood friend who had joined a regiment of Connecticut dragoons in the Continental Army. 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. Nevertheless, he continued to send letters to Washington, informing of anything of importance he came across. I know not exactly a hugely significant issue in the greater storyline of TURN (and definitely not as big of a sartorial gaffe as, say, the bizarre garb that the Queens Rangers are wearing), but I thought readers might enjoy a small and pleasant domestic diversion while I finish making sense of the premiere episodes Swiss-cheese timeline. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Poster: Abraham Lincoln, With His Son Tad (Thomas) Leaning On A Table, 1865 at the best online prices at eBay! He was a Presbyterian, occupying a "Pew of Authority" in the old church and doing much toward the building of the new church. He is most notable for leading the British side in the Battle of Setauket. The Culper Ring was probably Washingtons most successful spy operation. Granted, this particular anachronism is a small detail that is (like little Thomas baby couture) not hugely integral to the larger storyline of TURN. While Anna objected to either plot, Abraham stole his father's pistol and ambushed Eastin as he rode down a road, shooting him off of his horse. 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. [8] His plan was to travel to Manhattan, ostensibly to visit his married sister, Mary Underhill, and her husband, Amos, at their boarding house. Yet he still completed his mission and submitted a valuable intelligence report to Washington. Woodhull became involved in the revolution around the same time, with Anna convincing him that he should side with the patriots against the British. Journal of the American Revolution also produces annual hardcover volumes, a branded book series, and the podcast, Dispatches. Son of Richard W. & Margaret Smith. Anna Smith Strong - Honoring Our Patriots Did Abraham Woodhull have a son named Thomas? Wikipedia. In October 1778, he began making trips to New York every few weeks with the excuse that he was on business or visiting his sister. The two of them spent a moment together before Abraham found out that Major Hewlett's horse Bucephalus had been poisoned through his apples, and Captain Simcoe blamed the poisoning on rebel sympathizers. Among the attendees were the Woodhull, Tallmadge and Strong families, along with Caleb Brewster and Austin Roes family. Abraham Woodhull | Wiki | TUR Amino Two of his children, Elizabeth and Jesse, married into the Brewster family. 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. Benjamin Tallmadge, Setaukets highest-ranking military officer, was appointed the master of ceremonies.. His position as a merchant in New York City put him in an excellent position to learn British plans from his Crown business contacts. The rumor fell upon the ears of a certain Queens Rangers captain by the name of John Graves Simcoe. He died in 1826 in Setauket. He married Mary Smith on 24 November 1781, in New York County, New York, United States. Even if they decide to spare my life and send me to a prison ship, I would still leave you, your mother, my father, and our entire family disgraced. Abraham Woodhull was born to Richard Woodhull and . Woodhull prefaced the information with the admonishment that the intelligence contained news of the greatest consequence perhaps that ever happened to your country.. In addition, Abrahams cousin, Nathaniel Woodhull, a general in the Continental Army, had perished in the Battle of Long Island in 1776. And the different writing styles of the Culper agents becomes apparant after reading a lot of the correspondence. Abraham pretended to have had sex with Anna, telling the officer that her "roll is already buttered." Woodhull immediately set to work attempting to collect the money due him for his services. 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. Jesse Smith Woodhull (1796 - 1844) - Genealogy 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. He faced a long sentence, but was freed unexpectedly by Major Tallmadge, a fellow Setauket native and childhood friend who had successfully managed to argue for his release. 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. Woodhull and Strong must accomplish this right underneath the noses of the British soldiers occupying their hometown, as well as Woodhulls Loyalist father. Look at the above painting and take a guess as to how much airtime would be needed to explain that boys outfit to a modern-day viewer.) Woodhull decided to have Baker as his second for the duel, and he met Simcoe on a small patch of land at a creek. In fact, in 1790, Benjamin Tallmadges own son was wearing them at the tender age of three. Abraham was severely troubled by this, and there is no reason to assume his father did not feel likewise. Little Thomas Woodhull, whom Abraham fondly calls Sprout, steals the spotlight at the beginning and end of the TURN pilot episode. But while their passion is thick, their numbers are overshadowed by the fastest and largest navy in the world. Does Dragoncrest ring work on miracles? Richard Woodhull (died 1780) was the father of Culper Ring spy and farmer Abraham Woodhull. Woodhull held several important local positions in his later years, including magistrate of Setauket, judge of the Court of Common Pleas and first judge of Suffolk County. Abraham pulled his gun and asked Baker not to arrest him, but Baker said that he would not be a traitor like Abraham. He did not immediately take up arms or begin spying, however, and was more placid than some of his friends, who joined the Continental Army at the outset of the war. Thomas "Sprout" Woodhull | Turn Wiki | Fandom This trend lasted way beyond that period, too. Townsend, in fact, had somewhat foolishly recruited his cousin James into the ring, who ended up being arrested by the Continental Army for allegedly being a British spy! Cant find his name in the cast credits either odd. I wish also to know where their shipping lies, and if they appear to be taking measures and what measures for their security in case of a French fleets entering the harbor.[16] However as a commander who needed timely and accurate intelligence, Washington sometimes found Woodhulls skittishness irritating, as he wrote to Tallmadge in September 1779, I have been expecting for some time past a communication from Culper. Abraham Woodhull was born in 1750 in Setauket, a town on Long Island, New York. [U.S.]died May 18, 1795, London, Eng. Captain Simcoe, a gruff and raucous character, had taken over the same outfit of Rangers once commanded by legendary tracker Robert Rogers. 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. Normally Woodhull was a farmer in the town of Setauket on Long Islands north shore where he cared for his elderly parents. Under the alias "Samuel Culper Jr.," Townsend sent information by courier to Woodhulls farm in Setauket. [7] Tallmadge added two couriers to the operation to speed the reports from New York City to Setauket. Selah and Anna Strong lived out the rest of their lives quietly in Setauket. See Todd Andrliks James Rivington: Kings Printer and Patriot Spy? But there can be no doubt of Woodhulls dedication. ; on back: Old Abraham Woodhull home Seatuket. If so, how did this myth get created? 2022-07-02. During the American Revolution, Abraham Woodhull became a member of the Culper Spy Ring, which provided intelligence to .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}George Washington to assist the Patriots war effort. 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. Ben has asked me to assist in balancing the scales. I fight this fight for you. That may be true, but deep down inside it is you, Thomas, who fuels my passion. Washington was annoyed; Woodhull had always made a fuss about payment during the war, but Washington saw fit to reward him for his invaluable service. If I am caught, I could be hanged as a traitor and a spy. Woodhull and Tallmadge deserve to be honored and taught. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. I believe it should be http://www.spycurious.tumblr.com, Many thanks for bringing that to my attention, Shea! Woodhull would copy what information he could gather onto paper, and on his way back home to Setauket, he would hide the information in a prearranged location, a hidden cove on Long Island Sound. 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 recently married Mary Smith, and was afraid of putting his family at undue risk. Woodhull planted a false letter from John Andre on him, saying that Andre had no interest in a farmer's services, but he was garroted by Robert Rogers, who told him that he was going to work for him. 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. [6] In March Woodhull sent intelligence on British plans to raid the port of New London, Connecticut. Abraham Woodhull (October 7, 1750 - January 23, 1826) was a leading member of the Culper Spy Ring in New York City and Setauket, New York, during the American Revolutionary War. Setauket Presbyterian Church and Burial Ground, Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring, Intelligence operations in the American Revolutionary War, "Grave Stones and Epitaphs from the Churchyard", "TCA: AMC Picks Up 'Halt & Catch Fire' & 'Turn' To Series", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abraham_Woodhull&oldid=1135483720, Jesse Smith Woodhull, Mary Woodhull, Elizabeth Woodhull, "Samuel Culper" and then "Samuel Culper Sr.", This page was last edited on 24 January 2023, at 23:13. Where your own reasoning forges your path rather than blindly following others. In 1781, Woodhull married Mary Smith. In 1778, he was . Bantam, 2014. These negotiations made Woodhull proud of his son, but Abraham was disappointed when his father and Colonel Cook began to discuss dividing Selah Strong's lands while he was in prison, with Colonel Cook being promised some cauliflower by Woodhull. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Rogers wanted to lure Benjamin to a prisoner exchange that he would ambush, but the ambush went awry when Caleb Brewster (whom Benjamin sent to retrieve Samuel as he worked at Washington's Morristown office) had Selah (stated to be "Samuel Tallmadge") duck as Rogers shot at him. He recruited Woodhull, a native of Tallmadge's hometown of Setauket, Long Island, New York. Woodhull offered to send some cabbage to them, but they said that their brigade was being shipped out for Trenton, New Jersey soon. The ink was a solution developed by John Jays brother, Sir James Jay. The house was burned to the ground, and the family moved into Whitehall. 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). 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.