Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-04-26
JAMES RIVlNGT0N. !.
Personal Spy Of: General lli Washing: / s.
ton Died in Want.
LIFE STILL SHRoUDED, IN MYSTERY

Story Of Journalist Who Rendered
Invaluable Service 70 the American
Cause In the Dark Days-fuIt Facts
Have Never Been Raveal ed.
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 meas
ure of devotion" to the cause Of Amer
lean freedom. But who now remern-
bers that of James Rivington;i the per-
sonal spy of George Washington, but
for whose secret services, skillfully
and courageously rendered to his CHIEF
during the most trying period OK the
war. there might have been another
tale to tell? -. ~ - ..sfSyS
His career, was one of the long ;uH-
solved mysteries of the Revolution.
TIE character Of Nit Shanls, In Gus
Thomas's play, "The Copperhead,"=ts
a late reproduction in fiction Of a: part
that Rivfngton played in fact What
Mi!t 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; sause
he was serving-that James Rivington !.
actually was TO Washington and 'h!s
secret was so closely guarded that
even the members ;of. Washington's
military staff were not aware Of stne
relations between the two. Robert
Morris was probably the only one ;of
Washington's close friends to whom
he disclosed It and he was the conf
Dental agent chosen to negotiate the
deal for Rivington's secret. servlees.
The story is told in Lossing's Field
Book of the Revolution."s ~,ir'si s
Rivington was q native Of London
and man of fascinating personality
He came to America In 1850, i:eatab-
lished 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 resolt
were being, famed BY the:.mens K.ho
afterwards put their names.te fhe Do: p:
claration Of Independe deace.s. IN ;177a 3hef:
established newspaper, !the5 Royal
Gazette, and ibecamo 1.-The kings.
.Printesr.p-- 5.rlssre was more bitterly
Rated by the, ardent Repabi biscaa!ss
WELDING "caustic peh}Ne' ne
anmercifully in print. :anPooned their
leaders and abused their cause *re-
gardless of truth and fairness. AT
this period he was undoubtedly. a. sin
ccre loyalist and though bitterly hated
by the patriots and always IN hot
water, he was man whose pleasing
address, good nature and sconwval
temperament helped him out of many
a tight place. After the Ticonderoga
episode and while the gallant Ethan
Allen was lying in the provost; jail
Rivington wrote an article. roundt
abusing the hotheaded Allen, !WhgS
sworc "he would lick Rirtngtone::, ~
soon as he got out of jail" When Al-;
len was released he went 'direot 'tot
Rivinston's office to make good on his
promise. It was Rivington himself
who in later. years told the story OF
what happened. 't...,:,
"I was sitting" ,he.. said: latter a
good dinner, alone with MY bottle OF
Madeira when I heard an unusual
noise in the street and a ,fuzza: from
the boys. I was in the second story
and stepping to the window:!was tall
figure in furnished regimentals, with
a large cooked hat and an enormous
long sword, followed by q crowd or
boys. He came up to my door and
stopped. My heart told me at was.
Ethan Allen. shut down my window
and retired behind my table and bot
tie. I was certain the hour Of reckon
ing had come.
There was no retreat. y -
II heard him on the stairs, his long
sword clankinS at every STEP, In: he
stalked. rs your name James RaYing-
ton?' he blurted out. 1t is, sir /; said,
and no man could be more happy than
am to see Colonel Ethan Allen. Sir
have come. Not, another word,
colonel I said, until you have; taken
a seat and a. glass OF, this old Madeira
But, sir, I 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, smack
ed his lips, and sat down. We finish
ed two bottles of Madeira. and parted
al good friends as if we had no cause
to he otherwise"
But the time came when there was
more serious business .,on hand. and
Rivington was treated to a course of
patritic discipline that stopped, for
a while, his career as the Kings
Printer" In. 1875 he published a sour
rilous article about Captain Isaac
Sears, one of the most ardent and
jealous of the young Republicans, and
a leading spirit in the society Of the
Sons of Liberty" Sears. az the head.
of a squad of light horseH1en, rode
down to the printing establishment. Of
RvinGton. at the foot Of Wall street,