Ockipedeia

Women Spies of The Revolutionary War

By: Analisa Pretelini 

     During the Revolutionary War, women helped pass important information among the Continental army. These women also would take part in espionage to help the Continental army know where-abouts of certain people. Many of these women took part in such daring events and earned their name in history.

     Women during the Revolutionary War don't often get recognition, but a lot of   women did a lot of things to help the American Army. Lydia Barrington Darragh was one of those women. Lydia Barrington Darragh was born in Ireland in 1728, and she married William Darragh, a family friend, in 1753. The couple soon moved to the colonies and settled down in Philadelphia, which they chose to live in because it was a Quaker community. Although the Darraghs were Quakers, they secretly agreed with the colonists’ cause. In September 1777, U.S. General George Washington and his troops made their way to Philadelphia after winning several battles. His arrival caused many loyalists to leave, but the Darragh’s felt safe enough to stay. However, Later that year, British troops demanded that they use the Darragh house for meetings. Lydia did not want to leave her home so she asked the troops if they didn’t mind her staying. After figuring out that one of the troops were somewhat related to Lydia, they agreed to let her stay, but her kids had to leave. On December 2, 1777, the British officers ordered the Darragh family to stay in their bedrooms as they held a secret meeting in another part of the house. Lydia began to become curious and she decided to sneak out of her room and hide in the closet of a room connected to the room where the meeting was being held. She then overheard their plan for an unexpected attack on George Washington’s army at Whitemarsh on December Fourth. When she heard sounds of the meeting ending, she raced back to her room and pretended to be sleeping. An officer knocked on her door and when she answered he suspected nothing was wrong. Lydia quickly told an American soldier about the British plan of attack.

Another woman that took part in espionage during The Revolutionary War was Ann Bates, however she was a spy for the British. Ann Bates was born in 1753 and later became a schoolteacher in Philadelphia. Ann married a man who was an artillery repairman for the British Army. In 1778, Ann's husband had joined the British troops that were evacuating Philadelphia and heading to New York City. Ann disguised herself as a Patriot and managed to get through the American lines in Philadelphia and then marched to New York with them. After reaching New York, Ann became a spy agent for British Maj. John Andre, using the name "Mrs. Barnes" and was able to now spy on the American troops. It is said that Ann carried a token that would identify her as a spy for the British to an American officer who was also spying for the British. But, by the time she got to the American headquarters, the officer had already left. Ann then posed as a peddler, where she could find out where guns were stored, listen to important conversations, and even walk into General George Washington's headquarters. She then wrote "I had the opportunity of going through their whole Army Remarking at the same time the strength & Situation of each Brigade, & the Number of Cannon with their Situation and Weight of Ball each Cannon was Charged with.” She also had helped other British spies to get through the American lines at Philadelphia and stay in houses as they made their way to British dominion.

There were many other women that spied, or helped spy, during The Revolutionary War. But, as you can see, women played an equally important role as men in The Revolutionary War. Without help from these women, the different Armys wouldn't have the information and data that was critical to help increase their chances of victory. These women must have been very loyal and exceedingly brave to have taken part in these daring adventures.

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