by Norman Ridley
Hardback (6.4×9.5 inches). 186 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: The Intelligence Battle During the American War of Independence
Give Washington credit for creating an intelligence network that evolved from reasonably inept to generally competent. I hesitate to say spy, although a considerable portion of this book concerns civilians and officers infiltrating British units and passing info to Washington. Yet his sources also included the usual military scouting parties.
One thing Washington did was not stint on the spending of coins and paper pounds to the spies. Some accused him of being profligate in his intel expenditures, but he asserted information about British intentions were necessary for a small army to counter-act a larger one.
You’ll get plenty of tales of clever ruses and dead drops — something to include in any Nations & Cannons RPG game. And it’s not just Americans spying on the British, but also British spies gather info on the Americans.
Of note to me was a fellow by the name of Jared Lockwood (p91), who was part of an armed whaleboat crew that traveled from Connecticut to Long Island, NY, to gather information about the British in New York City. Nothing more is mentioned of Jared, who is not a
direct ancestor, but I suspect related to me. My direct ancestor, David Lockwood, stated in his pension records that after serving three years in a CT artillery battery, he enlisted in the CT Navy to be a gunner on a whaleboat on the Long Island Sound. Alas for David, according to his pension application, he was shot in the thigh, captured, and spent a few months in a prison hulk before the war ended and he was released. He was lucky. Many prisoners died in those British hulks.
A couple non-fatal typos: “to Franc” (p122) needs an “e” and “against the British ever since had taken Charleston” (p150) seems to need to read “ever since they” to make more sense.
One typo that is a somewhat fatal one: “Ann Bates, Loyalist spy, learned of an American plan to raid Long Island. Clinton sent reinforcements to Rhode Island.” (p130). I’m not sure which “Island” this refers to.
The book contains nine black and white photos, four black and white illustrations, and two black and white maps.
Washington was a fan of intel. This book explains how spying aided the American fight for independence.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
