The Setauket Spy Ring
What was the Spy Ring?Did you know that spies exited during the Revolutionary War? Did you
know that a group of spies who worked for General George Washington
were located on Long Island? The Setauket Spy Ring, also know as the
Culper Ring, was located in Setauket New York on Long Island. The purpose
of this spy ring was to keep George Washington aware of the movements
of the British in New York City and on Long Island. |
General George Washington |
Who were the members of the Spy Ring?Benjamin Tallmadge-Benjamin Tallmadge, also known as John Bolton, was the head of the spy ring who reported to General George Washington. Benjamin Tallmadge chose the men who would work for him in the spy ring. |
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| Robert Townsend-Robert Townsend was also known as "Culper Jr." He was responsible for collecting information about the British in New York City that would be of interest to George Washington and the Continental Army. |  |
| Austin Roe-Austin Roe lived in Setauket and served as a messenger. He brought the information collected by Robert Townsend in NYC by horseback to a secret place in Setauket for the middleman in the spy ring to pick it up. |  |
| Abraham Woodhull- Abraham Woodhull was also known as "Samuel Culper or Culper, Sr.". He was the middleman would deliver messages from Austin Roe to Caleb Brewster. Woodhull was also responsible for making sure that the information that was collected was from a good source. This helped to make sure the messages being delivered to George Washington was as truthful as possible. |
Abraham Woodhull |
| Caleb Brewster-Caleb Brewster would collect the information from Abraham Woodhull and then deliver the information by boat across the Long Island Sound. He delivered the information to Benjamin Tallmadge's headquarters in Connecticut. From there the information would be given to General George Washington. | |
| Anna Smith Strong-Anna Smith Strong assisted
in the spy ring through the use of her clothesline. She developed a code
to signal Caleb Brewster when the British were nearby. When a black petticoat
was hung on the line, Brewster knew to choose a different location to
dock his boat. Furthermore, the number of handkerchiefs let Brewster
know the location of where to dock his boat and meet the others. |
Home of Anna Smith Strong and Selah Strong |
What happened to the Setauket Spy Ring?Although the members of the Setauket Spy Ring took part in many risky endeavors throughout the Revolutionary War, none of the members were ever caught assisting General George Washington and the Continental Army. The secret code and invisible ink that was used when sending messages to George Washington ensured the secrecy of their missions! |
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Setauket Spy Ring Pictures By:
Beverly Tyler
Culper Spy Ring Map Created By:
Long Island
History.com
How to Make Your Own Spy Ink
Mix 4 teaspoons of water with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Stir until smooth.
Heat and stir over a hotplate for several minutes.
Dip a toothpick into the mixture and write a message on a piece of paper.
Let the paper dry.
Dip a sponge into a solution of 1 teaspoon of iodine and 10 teaspoons of
water.
Carefully wipe the paper with the sponge. The message should turn purple.
More Resources:
Three Village Historical Society
Long Island Patriot & Their Stories
The Letters of the American Revolution
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