Abraham Woodhull

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Culper Ring Codebook

Abraham Woodhull (born October 7, 1750 in Setauket , New York Province, † January 23, 1826 there ) was an American spy . He was a key member of the Culper Ring , which spied in New York City and Long Island during the American Revolutionary War . He used his time as a spy code-named Samuel Culper , the George Washington had suggested. Woodhull provided George Washington with secret British intelligence from New York, such as troop strength and number of warships, which helped him to defeat the Kingdom of Great Britain .

Beginnings and work for the culper ring

Abraham was the son of the judge Richard Woodhull and his wife Margaret, nee Smith. He served as a lieutenant in Suffolk County under the British to avenge his cousin's death.

His childhood friend, Major Benjamin Tallmadge, recruited Abraham Woodhull to spy in New York in August 1778 . He sent his first "Samuel Culper" report to Washington on October 29, 1778 . After the intrigue of John André and Benedict Arnold was successfully exposed by the Culper Ring and André was executed, he continued to spy until the British withdrew.

Further life

Abraham Woodhull married Mary Smith in 1781, with whom he had three children. When she died in 1806, he married Lydia Terry in 1824 until he died on January 23, 1826 in Setauket. In his later years he held important local offices: he became a judge in his hometown, judged on the Common Pleas Court, and eventually became the first judge of Suffolk County.

Film adaptations

In the US historical series Turn: Washington's Spies , which deals with the espionage connection Culper Ring , which is under George Washington's command, the person of Abraham Woodhull plays the leading role.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Founding Fathers of American Intelligence - Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved April 20, 2017 .
  2. ↑ a b The Culper Spy Ring - American Revolution - HISTORY.com. Retrieved April 20, 2017 .
  3. ^ A b Abraham Woodhull: The Spy Named Samuel Culper - Journal of the American Revolution . In: Journal of the American Revolution . May 19, 2014 ( allthingsliberty.com [accessed April 20, 2017]).
  4. ↑ Abraham Woodhull. Retrieved April 20, 2017 (American English).
personal data
SURNAME Woodhull, Abraham
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Culper, Samuel
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American spy
DATE OF BIRTH October 7, 1750
PLACE OF BIRTH Setauket , New York
DATE OF DEATH January 23, 1826
Place of death Setauket , New York