When was lydia darragh born

That night, the British camped at St. Thomas Episcopal church on Bethlehem Pike, less than half a mile from the American positions. On December 6, British forces constantly probed the American lines for weakness, only to be repelled by Washington and his troops. The following day, after an series of intense skirmishes , Howe called off the attack on December 8, , and returned to Philadelphia without engaging Washington in a decisive conflict.

British casualties were killed or wounded. At the same time I must add that reason, prudence, and every principle of policy, forbade us quitting our post to attack them.

Nothing but Success would have justified the measure, and this could not be expected from their position. In Philadelphia, the British soldiers conducted an investigation to find out who had revealed their plan. She told Andre that everyone had been asleep early. He believed her. With the British back in Philadelphia, Washington was able to march his army of about 11, men to winter quarters at Valley Forge , Pennsylvania. Some American soldiers died at the Valley Forge encampment during a harsh winter that lasted seven long months.

On June 18, , the British left Philadelphia , American forces returned, and Lydia Darragh was reunited with her two children who had been staying with relatives. William Darragh died on June 8, In , Lydia and her children moved into a new house, and she ran a store until her death.

Lydia Darragh died December 28, In , various people started questioning the truthfulness of the narrative. Historians debated the validity of the tale, but now most accept that Darragh helped inform Washington of the impending British action.

Her action, after all, was treason against the established government. Under the laws of any nation at that time, she was a traitor and could have been executed. There, General William Howe finalized plans for an attack on Whitemarsh on the 4 th. Hurriedly, she made notes, rolled up the paper she wrote them on, stuffed them in the pocket of a book, and rushed to the Rising Sun Tavern, where Elias Boudinot was serving as Commissary of Prisoners.

There, as many other women did, she asked permission to leave the city in order to go the countryside and purchase flour. Unlike other women, she also pressed a needle book into his hands with many pockets.

He told her to wait while he secured permission, but she left while he was gone. At that point, he went through the book and found the rolled up note, saying that General Howe would be going out with 5, men, 13 cannons, and 11 boats on wheels. The walls must have ears. Thus, the British officers were not afraid to speak freely in a house that had only mere women in it. Further, when Major Andre went searching for the leak later, he believed Lydia Darragh when she told him she was sleeping while they discussed their plans.

Darragh was doing the night of Dec. It is clear that he was not at the house, nor was he questioned when the British went searching for spies. Remaining calm, Lydia claimed that she and the rest of her family had been asleep through the meeting, and the British officers let the matter rest.

Though history has presented differing accounts of how she alerted the Continental Army of the impending British attack at Whitemarsh, Lydia Darragh remains an important example of heroism and patriotism in the fight for American independence.

Rev War Biography. Lydia Barrington Darragh. Title Patriot Spy. Date of Birth - Death - December 28, Topic s :. Women in War.