Washington Warned at Whitemarsh (4 DEC 1777)

Photo By Erin Thompson | A romanticized sketch of Lydia Darragh meeting Captain Charles Craig on 3 December 1777.  

UNITED STATES

12.04.2023

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence

by Michael E. Bigelow, INSCOM Command Historian

WASHINGTON WARNED AT WHITEMARSH
On 4 December 1777, Gen. Sir William Howe, the British commander in Philadelphia, made one last attempt to destroy the Continental Army under Gen. George Washington. The American commander was neither surprised nor troubled by Howe’s move. His intelligence network had properly warned him, and he was waiting for the British advance in strong defenses near Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania.

Months earlier, General Washington, who readily recognized the importance of good intelligence, went about establishing an organization to gather information on the British in and around Philadelphia. In the spring of 1777, he directed Maj. Gen. Thomas Mifflin to set up a spy system in the city. Mifflin, in turn, gave the task of developing and organizing the intelligence network to two capable subordinates: Col. Elias Boudinot and Maj. John Clark. Generally, Clark worked the spies within Philadelphia while Boudinot coordinated the cavalry screen and informants on the outskirts.

The 37-year-old Boudinot, the Army’s commissioner for prisoners, managed the reports coming from the videttes and outposts on the roads emanating from Philadelphia. Three able officers commanded this cavalry screen: Capt. Henry Lee in the south, Capt. Allen McLane in the center, and Capt. Charles Craig to the north. In addition to their troopers, the captains employed nearby residents to watch British activity and routine.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Clark, a lawyer from York, Pennsylvania, proved to be an energetic and determined spy master. Headquartered in the small community of Newtown Square about twelve miles west of Philadelphia, Clark’s network largely consisted of individuals with personal or commercial connections within the city, such as farmers and merchants. His widespread collection base allowed him to report on the British supply situation, casualties, and morale, as well as troop movements and dispositions. Since late October 1777, Clark had provided a stream of illuminating reports to General Washington. In November, his information prevented the capture of American troops to the south of Philadelphia [See "This Week in MI History" #212 Mid-November 1777]. In early December, his reports of Howe’s move were the first to reach Washington.

On 1 December, Clark reported that British troops received orders “to hold themselves in readiness to march.” He went on to note the British intended “to attempt to surprize [sic] your army or to prevent your making an attack on them” presumably by occupying heights near the Schuykill River. Two days later, at 1:00 p.m., the young major wrote Washington, “The enemy are in motion.” He followed that up with a confirmation three hours later, adding the troops were drawing rations for two days.

Clark’s information was corroborated by Lydia Darragh, apparently working independently. A 48-year-old mother of five, Lydia and her husband, William, lived across the street from General Howe’s headquarters in Philadelphia. Howe used the Darragh’s front room for meetings. By eavesdropping on the evening meeting of 2 December, Lydia learned of Howe’s decision to move against Washington at Whitemarsh in two days. The next morning, she received permission to go to Frankford Mill on the northern outskirts of the city to receive flour. She then met Captain Craig and told him of Howe’s movement. As Darragh returned home, the captain passed the information to Colonel Boudinot, who gave it Washington.

At this point, Captain McLane picked up the British advance, first from his informants and then from his troopers. As the British moved northwest near Germantown, Washington instructed McLane to track Howe’s movement. This allowed the American commander to control the tempo of the subsequent actions.

Forewarned by both his spy network and reconnaissance screen, Washington had his army ready to meet the British advance. While Howe wanted to lure the Continentals into a decisive battle, Washington had no intention of leaving his strong Whitemarsh defenses. In the last major engagement of 1777 between the American and British armies, he fended off Howe’s efforts over the next several days. Afterwards, both armies went into winter quarters.

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• Date Taken: 12.04.2023
• Date Posted: 12.04.2023 15:00
• Story ID: 459075
• Location: US