Summary

In Chapter 3, Launching the Ring, the authors say that during the year after Hale’s death, Washington focused most of his efforts on regaining Philadelphia from the British, but in the summer of 1778 the focus moved back to New York. Eventually a young officer named Benjamin Tallmadge came to Washington’s attention. He was the son of a pastor, grew up in Suffolk County, Long Island and attended Yale with Nathan Hale. After a short career as a teacher, Tallmadge joined the army after the battles at Lexington and Concord and rapidly was promoted up the ranks, eventually becoming a major. He became interested in espionage after a brief encounter with a young woman who had gathered intelligence in Philadelphia and after impressing Washington during the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge, was tapped to act as spymaster on Long Island.

In Chapter...