The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-02-13
THE PATRIOT
SPY
How General Washington Secured
important Information

- ~ Wa Z
There 10 still standing In Morristown,
n. j.. . house which General Wash
Rgton while maneuvering against the
British army at New York occupied
% his headquarters. 1t is kept in ex
Sellent repair by an association organ
he'd for the purpose and contains a
great many relics connected with the
Father Of His Country. In the kitchen
y the same enormous fireplace. with
cooking p~araphernaiia. as was used In
Revolutionary times. To some the most
Interesting room Is n IN the ground
Soor, In the rear Of the building. that
was used BY Washington as a private
>fice.
One spring morning in the year 1171
4 young man wearing the uniform Of a
lieutenant Of cavalry In the Continen,
tai army passed the sentry before
NashingtOn's headquarters ut Morris
town. returned the mans salute and
entered the main hall. There he was
net by the generals orderly. whom he
told to Lieutenant John
NoOdville. In Il few moments the Otti-
ter was standing in Washington'S
presence.
BE seated" said the commander.
turning from his desk. Il have sent
TOR you to do a more important work
than any with which | have yet In
trusted you. | wish you to go to New
Fork and II possible learn the inten-
Mons of General Howe. ! suspect that
be II intending to move against l'hiln
lplphia. II SO he must either march
Across New Jersey. where be- will nav"
10 fight us. or 90 by sea. If be- goes by
hand I desire to lp advised of the timr
Ae moves. that 1 may be prepared to
intercept bis passage. My main oh
jex.t IL to 10 threaten him that he will
not liz able to send any more troops to
Assist Rurgoyle. | deem it Essential
that should understand the Situn
ton in order that you may act intelli
gently. How SOON can you leave?"
An soon M ! can secure Il disguise"
Every we'll. 30. and remember that
our cause may depend upon you sac
cess"
Lieutenant WUOdviIle left his com
nander and within an hour. in tn.
sarb of . young cOuntrymnn. rode on,
Of MOrristOwn down the road leading
b Orange. where he stopped ut the
tRvern-the building ia still standing
for dinner. thence to Newark. where
b. turned south toward EliZabethtOwn.
He was now in territory within reach
Of the British ut New York. and it he
bowed him to Keep a sharp lookout
not only to conceal his mission. but for
Indications Of the movements Of the
enemy.
WOodville pretended to be a Tory t.
Tory symrmthizers and found those %
that persuasion jubilnnt ut the pros
Dect Of ending the war and re-es;ah
nshing the authority of the king. They
told him that the troops from tnnal"
were to be met neal the mouth Of til.
Mohawk river by troops from the
south and the line Of communication
by way Ut the Hudson and LAX.
Champlain would % Nj he open to tl!'
British, cutting the ~confederated colo
Mes In two parts. But he also heard
from patriots that BurgOyne was
Oarchinx through a wild country. III
which 1t was difficult to feed his army.
and unleHs he were successful IN form
ing \ junction with the force moving
/~,rn tn. ..n,th ha ro1,,lh hnA In a xrif
teal position.
This Indicated to the young lieutrD
ant that what Howe did in the way
Of sending TROOPS to support Bur
eoyne was Of grent importance to tn,
Cause. and 1t was especially essentia'
that General Washington should know
~ far a. possible. just what Howe was
Going In the matter. Hut WOodvilit
was mot near enough to the British
Headquarters to learn much about the
matter. 70 he determined to nov 81
q the we~t bank Of the Hudson
where Jersey City now stands. A
family Ut rmtriots Of the name ri
Curtiss lived there. to whom he was
known aud On whom he could rely. On
hix way he passed the Kings Arms. /
tavern kept by II Tory named Smith
con. who had a pretty daughter. Jen.
aie. uIMn whom the young soldier
tloOked with loving eyes. He desired
to lsay her u visit In passing. hut dare
not d. No. because II recognized b!
her father te would be betrayed to tn,
British and hanged n Il SPY. W HI
vent ON to the Curtisses. where b,
vas taken In and given n lodging.
WOt6lvilie noticed q number Vt ship!
Aying ut anchor IN the river and tha
Gbe b0atS going to them usually car
led what appeared to he supplies.
looked "a II they were preparing 70
q voyage. but to what point did nc
Q1pear. The spy vas near the ferr.
and noticed soOn after his arrival
British soldier ~diselnhark. mount hi
aAOnse and ride westward. A sOldie
6ecOmeG used to the ways Of soldiers
and there was something in the man
Jo0vementx that indicated to Wood
y1lle that he was going SOmewhpr