Undercover Patriots

N1: Two hundred and fifty years ago, the United States was not yet a country. 

N2: There were 13 colonies in America, ruled by England . . .

N3: . . . a country across the Atlantic Ocean.

N1: Many in America believed this situation was unfair. These colonists, known as Patriots, wanted to rule themselves. 

N2: Others, called Loyalists, were loyal to the King of England.

N3: In 1775, a war broke out: the American Revolution.

N1: On one side was the Americans’ Continental Army, led by General George Washington.

N2: On the other was the British Army, one of the most powerful armies in the world.

N3: To have a chance of winning, General Washington needed more than strength—he needed smarts. He had to know what the enemy was planning.

N1: And for that, he needed spies.

N2: This story is based on their adventures.

N3: Late that night, Sally knocks on the door of Robert’s store in New York City.

N1: In the dark shop, she finds her brother with another man his age.

Robert: Sally! What are you doing here?

N2: Sally glances nervously at the stranger.

Robert: This is Abraham Woodhull. He’s part of the group I was telling you about. 

Sally: Then I have news for both of you.

N3: Sally reports the conversation she heard between Colonel Simcoe and Major André.

N1: When she finishes, Robert and Abraham give each other worried looks.

Abraham Woodhull: We must get a message to General Washington at once.

N2: Robert grabs a blank paper, dips a pen into a pot of ink, and begins writing. 

N3: After a minute, he holds up the paper. But it still appears blank.

Sally: Hmm, Robert, your pen must be broken. 

Robert: No—it’s invisible ink. Only a person using a special liquid can reveal the message. To anyone else . . .

N1: He quickly scribbles on the same paper with a different pen.

Robert: . . . it will just look like a bill for soap. Here you are, Culper Senior.

Abraham: Thanks, Culper Junior. 

Sally: Culper?

Robert: They’re code names. I used one for you too: “355,” which means “lady” in our secret code. That way, if our letters fall into enemy hands, nobody will know who we are.

Sally: I hope you’re right.

N2: On Long Island, Abraham sneaks to the shore of a dark cove.

N3: A big, bearded man in a boat slips out of the shadows.

Abraham (handing over the letter): Caleb, you know where to take this. And be careful—the British ships are everywhere tonight.

Caleb Brewster: Don’t worry, Abe. The Brits are no match for the Culper spies.

N1: Caleb rows across Long Island Sound to Connecticut, where another man waits.

Caleb: Here you go, boss.

Benjamin Tallmadge (taking the letter): Thank you, old friend. I’ll bring this straight to the general.

N2: A few hours later, Benjamin arrives at Washington’s camp.

Benjamin: Sir, my spies say the British are planning to attack Rhode Island this week.

George Washington (frowning): Rhode Island? The British have not been active there. Do you trust this report?

Benjamin: Well, it’s from a new spy . . . a woman they’re calling 355. But Culper Junior swears she’s reliable. 

Washington: Fine. Have orders sent at once: more soldiers to Rhode Island!

N3: A week later, Sally sees Major André arrive and head up to Colonel Simcoe’s room.

N1: When the door closes, she tiptoes near and peers through the keyhole.

André: Simcoe, the Americans in Rhode Island seemed to have known we were coming. We couldn’t even attempt an attack. 

Simcoe: Someone must have told them our plan. But who?

André: It doesn’t matter now. We have a new goal. We’re going to capture West Point.

Simcoe: How? It’s the Americans’ most important fort. And Benedict Arnold, their star commander, is in charge there.

André (laughing): Here’s how.

N2: As Sally watches, André shows Simcoe a letter and says something she cannot hear. 

N3: Simcoe grins and tucks the letter inside a book, hiding it in a desk drawer.

N1: When André turns to leave, Sally hurries downstairs.

N2: But later, after they’re gone, she sneaks into Simcoe’s room.

N3: She finds the book with the letter.

Sally (reading): “Mr. Anderson, I will soon be ready to hand over the prize. As discussed, I expect 20,000 pounds in exchange.” Wow, that’s a lot of money.

N1: Sally copies the note onto a scrap of paper and slips it inside her sleeve.

Sally: I must get this to Robert at once.

N2: Later that evening, Sally rides swiftly toward New York City.

N3: Suddenly, she hears a man’s voice.

Soldier 1: Halt! Halt, I say.

N1: Sally pulls her horse to a stop as two British soldiers approach.  

N2: Inside Sally’s sleeve, she can feel the scrap of paper poking her skin.

Soldier 2: Where is a young lady such as yourself going so late? And in such a hurry?

N3: Sally’s heart pounds. What if the soldiers find the letter and realize she’s a spy?

N1: Sally forces herself to laugh. 

Sally: Oh officers, I’m a silly goose. I’m having a party tomorrow, and I forgot to buy the tea! 

Soldier 1: Where will you buy tea at this hour?

Sally: My brother’s shop, in the city. He’s waiting for me.  

N2: The two soldiers look at each other. Sally holds her breath.

Soldier 2 (to Soldier 1): She looks harmless. (to Sally) All right, miss, on your way.

N3: Sally rides away.

Sally (to herself): Phew. That was close. Too close.

N1: Benjamin is pacing back and forth, Abraham and Caleb by his side.

Benjamin: I trust 355, but why would the British attack West Point? We have so many soldiers guarding that fort. And this strange letter about the 20,000 pounds—

N2: Just then, an American scout arrives, dragging a man with his hands tied behind his back. The man’s clothes are torn, and his face is caked with dirt.

N3: It’s Major André, but no one recognizes him.

Scout: We found him in the forest near West Point, sir. He had these maps of the fort stuffed in his boot! He refuses to talk. But his name must be John Anderson, because he was carrying this note. 

Abraham (reading): “Please allow this man, John Anderson, to travel safely to West Point to meet me.” It’s signed by Benedict Arnold himself.

Benjamin: Hmm. The letter 355 found was addressed to a Mr. Anderson, offering him a prize. Now we have a John Anderson carrying hidden maps of West Point. And a special note from Benedict Arnold . . .

N1: Benjamin’s eyes light up with understanding, and he claps a hand to his forehead.

Benjamin: I fear Benedict Arnold has betrayed us. Arnold must be the one who wrote the letter to Anderson. The “prize” in the letter is West Point. 

Abraham: He’s planning to help the British capture the fort . . . in exchange for 20,000 pounds!

Benjamin: Yes. And I’ve never heard of a John Anderson. But I do know a Major John André—head of the British spy ring! Major André, I suspect it’s you under all that dirt? 

André (quietly): Clever.

Caleb (grinning): Yeah, I’d say we are.

Abraham: Enough! Washington will deal with him. Let’s take him to the general’s camp now.

Benjamin: And let’s go by West Point and pick up Benedict Arnold. I’m sure General Washington will want to hear how his star commander has been secretly working for the British.

N2: Though Benedict Arnold managed to escape, the British plan to take West Point was foiled.

N3: The Culper spy ring gave Washington vital information that helped the American army win the war for independence.

N1: Three years later, with the war over, Sally, Robert, Benjamin, Abraham, and Caleb gather at a tavern to celebrate.

N2: As they joke and laugh, General Washington walks in. 

Washington: Ah, the Culper spy ring! Finally, I get to thank you in person.

N3: Washington’s eyes turn to Sally.

Washington: You must be 355. Without you, Rhode Island would have been lost and West Point captured. 

Sally: It took all of us, sir.

Washington (to the group): History may not remember your names . . . but I will. We would not have won this war without you.

Benjamin (raising a glass): To freedom!

Everyone: To freedom!

^{_{This play was originally published in the October/November 2023 issue.}}