The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-06-18
MYSTERY STILL SURROUNDS
WASHINGTON'S PERSONAL SPY

The name of Nathan Hale, spy
hero of the Revolution, is familiar to
every schoolboy-his tragic fate has
placed his memory high on the scroll
of the patriots who paid the last full
measure of devotion" to the cause of
American freedom. But who now re-
members that of James Rivington, the
personal spy of Washington, but for
whose secret services, skillfully and
courageously rendered to his chief
during the most trying period of the
war, there might have been another
tale to tell?
His career was one of the long I'M
solved mysteries of the Revolution.
The character of Nils Shanks, in Gus
Thomas play, "The Copperhead," is
late reproduceitn in fiction of a
part that Rivington played in fact.
What Milt Shanks is pictured to have
been to Lincoln--a secret emissary
whose lot it was to be misunderstood,
hated and despised by the men whose
cause he was serving-that James
Rivington actually was to Washington
and his secret was so closely guarded
that even the members of Washing
tons military staff were not aware OF
the relations between the two. Robert
Morrie was probably the only one of
Washington's close friends confiden-
tial agent chosen to negotiate the
deal for Rivington's secret services.
The story is told in Loosing's "Field
Book of the Revolution"
Rivington was native of London,
highly educated, of pleasing personal
appearance, wit, boon companion
and a man of fascinating personality.
He came to America in 1850, estab-
lished a book store in Philadelphia
and a year later opened another one
at the foot of Wall street, in New
York, both of which became loyalist
resorts in the days when the flames Of
revolt were being famed by the men
who afterwards put their names to
the Declaration Of Independence. In
i773 he established newspaper, the
Royal Gazetteer, and became "The
Kings Printer" No man was more
bitterly hated by the ardent Republic
cans. WELDING a caustic pen, he tlay-
ed them numerically in print, lam
pooned their leaders and abused their
cause regardless of truth and fair
ness. At this period he was undoubt-
eddy sincere loyalist and though
bitterly hated by the patriots and ale
ways in hot water, he was man
whose pleasing address, good nature
land cornwall temperament helped him
out of many a tight place. After the
Ticonderoga cpsosde and while the
gallant Ethan Allen was lying in the
provost jail, Rivington wrote an ar
ticle roundly abusing the hotneadeu
Allen, who swore che would lick Riv-
ington as soon as &c got out of jail"
When Allen was released he went dl-
rect to Rivington's office to make
good his promise. 1t was Rivington
himself who in later years told the
story of what happened.
81 was sitting" he said, after a
good dinner, alone with my bottle of
Madeira when heard an unusual
noise in the street and huzza from
the boys. ! was in the second story
and stepping to the window, saw,a tall
figure in furnished regirnentals, with
large cooked hat and an enormous
sword, followed by crowd of boys.
He came up to my door and stopped.
My heart told me it was Ethan Allen.
l shut down my window and retired
behind my table and bottle. was
certain the hour of reckoning had
come.
"There was no retreat
II heard him on the stairs, his. long
sword clanking at every step. In he
stalked. is your name James Riving-
I A,,1 h., fnl &c cir. |
said, and no man could be more hap
ply than am to see Col. Ethan Allen
Sir, | have come Not another
word, Colonel said, until you have
taken a seat and glass of this old
Madeira But, sir, | don't think it
proper, he stammered. "Not word,
Colonel; taste this wine, sit down, |
have had that old Madeira over ten
years. He took the glass, swallowed
the wine, smackcd his lips and sat
down. We finished two bottles of
Madeira and parted as good friends
as if we had no cause to be other
WISE"
But the time came when there was
more serious business on hand and
Rivington was treated to course of
pdLIlOIlC uloCipllHe thdt otoPpeu Lol
awhile, his career as the "Kings'
Printer" In ITS he published a
! scurrilous article about Capt. Isaac
| Sears, one of the most ardent and
Jealous of the young republicans and
leading spirit in the society of the
"Sons of Liberty" Sears at the head
of a squad of light horsemen, rode
down to the printing establishment of
Rivington at the foot of Wall street,
placed a guard with fixed bayonets
around it, destroyed his press, car
red off his type and made bullets out
of it, and served notice on Rivington
to leave the country. Rivington went
back to England and laid low until
the British took possession Of New
York, and in October, 1777, he return
ed, resumed the publication of his pa
per, changing the title to the "Royal
Gazette" resumed his title of the
"King's Printer, and was soon the
confidential agent of the New York
loyalists and the table companion of
the high living British generals, Sir
William Howe and Sir Henry Clinton.
Just at what time Rivington turned
patriot and became Washington's sse-
cret agent, or under what circum-