This is an adventure story. However, this adventure tells a part of the history of the American War for Independence and the struggles of a few individuals who, through the fortunes of war, play a part in the seminal intelligence organization of the Continental Army. The backdrop is the War for Independence, a political struggle that turned into an insurgency, which evolved into a civil war and eventually a world war. The military strategy and tactics, and the espionage and intelligence activities adhere as closely as practical to the practices of the 18th Century.
The Patriot Spy is a mix of historical and fictional characters. The central historic figure is Lieutenant General George Washington, the often harried and burdened commander in chief whose determination, leadership and faith in the ‘Cause’ was largely responsible for its success, despite overwhelming odds. The story’s other fairly well known historical figures include Nathaniel Greene, Nathan Hale, Aaron Burr, and the British Generals Cornwallis, Clinton and Howe. Less well-known figures such as Benjamin Tallmadge, “Lord Stirling,” John Sullivan, William Smallwood, Israel Putnam, Charles Pickering, Thomas Knowlton, John Glover and Mordecai Gist play important but less celebrated roles in the story, just as they did in real life.
The fictional characters in the story are purely the product of my imagination, and are not based on actual historic persons. Jeremiah Creed, Robert Fitzgerald, the Beall cousins, Elias Parker, Cornelius Foch, Thomas Jeffries and Emily Stanley represent average people who sacrificed so much for America’s independence. Sandy Drummond, Stanislaus Kuyper, and others, represent those who sacrificed all for their King. The Braafs represent the many conflicted families that were torn apart and often destroyed by the struggle.
Finally, some factoids aimed at providing background to certain historic events contained in this story: British Loyalists did lead the British under the Generals Clinton and Cornwallis to an undefended pass near Jamaica. There in fact was a heroic counterattack against the British by Smallwood’s Maryland Continental Line and Haslett’s Delaware Line. William Alexander, known as Lord Stirling, did lead the grand attack that allowed other Americans to escape back to the main American defenses. He was captured. General Sullivan, failing to live up to expectations in everything but heroism, was captured on the field of battle along with many of his troops. Lieutenant Benjamin Tallmadge did make a mysterious return to Brooklyn to retrieve his horse. He never explained if there were any ulterior reasons. We can only wonder what they might have been.
The British officer corps was not pleased with General Howe’s sluggish and methodical approach to fighting the rebels, a theme that tore at their command structure until Howe gave up command. Howe felt sympathy towards the Americans as a whole, although obviously not for the rebellion. He sought a peaceful resolution to the “family feud.” Howe did have an American mistress named Elizabeth Loring whose husband acquiesced in their relationship in return for a lucrative posting. There was a Lieutenant Colonel Knowlton who led his Rangers in a gallant but ultimately futile attempt to cut off the British at Haarlem Heights. He died in the attempt and is honored today by the Military Intelligence Corps’ famed “Knowlton Award” for excellence in Army intelligence service. And, of course, Captain Nathan Hale, of Knowlton’s Rangers, volunteered for a mysterious and ill-fated espionage mission behind British lines.
S. W. O’Connell
Leesburg, Virginia