Summary

In Chapter 5, The Ring Springs into Action, the authors note that Woodhull recruited Caleb Brewster, who had a whaling boat and knew all the coves and waterways in the area, and Austin Roe, a tavern owner, and they devised a system for passing information from one person to another and eventually to Washington. Washington was pleased with Woodhull’s detailed reports, which were supplemented by excellent reports by Brewster on the state of the British fleet, but Woodhull soon became very nervous about being caught. A supply of invisible ink sent by Washington helped a little, but after someone reported him as a person of interest, British Lt. Col. John Simcoe took some soldiers to Woodhull’s home and learning he was away, beat his father as a warning. Learning of this, Washington offered to let Woodhull find a replacement for himself.

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