Lydia Darragh Steals Away with Information
Lydia Darragh was a Philadelphia homemaker who passed crucial intelligence on to the Continental Army.
Lydia Darragh
Lydia Darragh, like most acts of female heroism during the Revolutionary War, relies heavily on speculation.
Her story was first told by a daughter almost fifty years after the fact.
However, despite certain conflicting details, several accounts of her tale indicate that it is true.
House Keeping
Lydia Darragh was an Irish immigrant living in Philadelphia when the British Army occupied the city in 1777.
Darragh was not suspected as a Patriot due to her membership in the Quakers, though she did have at least one son serving in the Continental Army.
This was the scenario when her house was occupied as a meeting place for several Officers.
Uninterested in leaving her house, Lydia walked across the street to John Cadwalader’s place where General Howe happened to be staying.
With the help of a guard (who ended up being one of her distant cousins) Darragh was able to convince Howe to let her remain in the home.
Intelligence
Although she stayed put, Lydia’s house was still used during the day for meetings.
She eavesdropped on some of these discussions and found out that a plan was hatched to surprise General Washington with an attack at Whitemarsh.
Darragh received permission to leave Philadelphia under the guise of purchasing flour at a mill.
During the trip, she forwarded the information to the Continental Army.
Passing It On
The major question mark in Lydia’s story is who she gave the intelligence to.
It is often told that she ran into a friend of her son, Thomas Craig.
However, the information was passed to Washington by Elias Boudinot (a future President of the Continental Congress) who wrote in his journal that a “poor looking insignificant Old Woman” handed him a bag at the Rising Sun Tavern. The satchel was empty except for a rolled up note outlining the British movements and numbers.
All signs indicated that this ‘Old Woman’ was Lydia Darragh.
Success
When the British arrived at Whitemarsh, the Patriots were ready.
With guns and cannon pointed straight at them, the Redcoats returned solemnly to Philadelphia.
Lydia was questioned about her involvement in the secret getting out, but was never found out and continued living in peace when the Continental Army returned to the city.
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