George J. Robinson

One spy was allowed to escape, the other spy was hanged.

The stories of Enoch Crosby, a Patriot spy: and Major John Andre, a British spy.

Enoch Crosby’s Story:

More than just a shoemaker, Enoch Crosby was the James Bond of the 18th Century – a spy. Who he spied on were Colonist who wanted to join the British during the American Revolution.

 Enoch had a system for his spy craft.  First, his handler, a member of the Committee for Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies which could have been John Jay, told him where to go and who to see in a particular town. He traveled as far north as Vermont as well as more local destinations such as Westchester, Putnam and Rockland. Once he introduced him self to his contact, he settled into his new community. Then he discreetly made inquires to find people who where “going down.” “Going down” was code for going down to New York City to join the British.

Enoch would then pass himself off as a like-minded sympathizer. After he joined a company that was preparing to make its way to NYC, he would inform his other contact as to the meeting place, date, and route. Sure enough, before the company could leave, they were surrounded by patriots, arrested, and brought to a holding place. Crosby would be with them in jail, but arrangements were made so that he could escape. And the spying would start over once again.

Major John Andre’s Story:

What most people remember about Major Andre from high school history class is that he was a British Army officer hanged as a spy by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. His crime was that he assisted Benedict Arnold's attempted surrender of the fort at West Point, New York to the British. Digging deeper with the help of Allison Pataki’s book The Traitor’s Wife,  (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18143995-the-traitor-s-wife) I found out that Benedict Arnold’s wife, Peggy Shippen, was a Philadelphia socialite who had an affair with Major Andre years before she married Arnold. Unbeknown to her husband, she had a secret loyalty to the British. Massaging Arnold’s disillusionment with General Washington and frustrations over his wounds and debts, this traitor’s wife acted as a middlewoman between Arnold and Andre. The British get West Point, the Arnolds’ get fame and fortune. And we all know how that turned out.

John Paulding’s  green coat with red trim put the rope around Major Andre’s neck.

Stealing a Hessian coat and borrowing a horse after he had jumped out of a window, John Pauling escaped from a British prison in NYC. It was that green coat with red trim that Major Andre recognized when he was stopped by three men after he had left the Arnolds. By assuming the men were British sympathizers, the Major told them he was a British officer and must not be detained. To Andre’s surprise the men revealed that they were patriots and held him captive. When he was searched, the incriminating papers were found in his boot.

If you want to see the Paulding statue, it is right next to the Tarrytown, NY Library on North Broadway.

There is another person in this story who escaped. That would be benedict Arnold. He avoided capture by George Washington’s men and boarded the British sloop-of-war the Vulture that was anchored in the Hudson River. He didn’t leave the colonies right away. The British made him a brigadier general. He traitorously led raids against the patriots in both Virginia and Connecticut. With the war’s end at the battle of Yorktown, Arnold left for England with his wife.

Still his is remembered as great patriot leader for helping to win the battle of Saratoga. Two of our readers, Mary Ellen and Alan from White Plains, New York sent in this photo of the monument of Arnold’s boot that was erected at Saratoga for his leadership and the fact that he lost his leg during the battle.

So, our road trip today took us from Carmel to Mahopac to Tarrytown to Saratoga. Hope you enjoyed the trip.