Throughout the Revolutionary War, there are stories of heroism; those who sacrificed to save others, those who put their lives on the line to warn of impending danger. The vast majority of these stories involve men. But there are countless extraordinary women who risked and sacrificed just as much as men.
While women were not allowed to serve in the military, they found other ways to help the war effort. One way they helped was by spying. British soldiers billeted in the homes of colonialists were sometimes too loose with their secrets. Naturally, women took advantage of this. Many times, these women spies were more successful and better at hiding than their male counterparts. Many women accomplished extraordinary things to advance their cause during the revolution.
Lydia Barrington Darragh was originally from Dublin, Ireland but moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 1750s. The Darraghs were Quaker and did not believe in violence, but they sided with the Patriots during the American Revolution. During the occupation of Philadelphia by the British, several high-ranking soldiers were quartered in the Darragh’s home.
Additionally, British General Sir William Howe took up camp across the street and would regularly hold meetings with officers in the Darragh’s house. Darragh saw an opportunity to help the Patriots. She regularly spied on the soldier’s meetings, under the guise of bringing them refreshments or wood for the fire. Darragh’s husband, William, wrote the information she uncovered in a special shorthand known to most members of the family. Darragh then hid the message under cloth-covered buttons on her son John’s coat. John then took the message to his older brother, Charles, who was serving in the Continental Army under General Washington.
On December 2, 1777, the British ordered the family to stay in their bedroom while they held a meeting in the house. Darragh hid in a closet to spy on the officers’ meeting where she overheard the soldiers planning a surprise attack on Washington’s army in Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania for December 4, 1777.
That night, Darragh left the city with the excuse of getting flour from a mill outside of town. Once there, she met up with Patriot soldiers and handed over a message about the impending attack to Colonel Elias Boudinot. This warning gave Washington’s men time to prepare for the attack which ended in a standoff. Darragh’s bravery and cunning were crucial in ensuring that this attack at Whitemarsh did not end in a massacre.
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