Author’s Note Spies played an important role in the Revolutionary War American spies kept General George Washington informed about the size of British troops and the state of their supplies and they often discovered when and where the British planned to attack In the fall of 1777 the British army under the com mand of General Howe had captured and occupied Philadelphia The Darragh family lived across the street from General Howe’s British headquarters As Quakers the Darraghs were gentle people who used thee thy and thou as forms of address dressed plainly and op posed violence They were not supposed to fight on ei ther side but Charles the oldest Darragh boy had joined General Washington’s army and the rest of the family became spies to aid in his safety Mr Darragh a teacher created a code for secret mes sages Mrs Darragh who later became the most famous spy of the family hid the messages in the buttons of her son John’s coat Fourteen-year-old John then took the messages to Washington’s camp where Charles Darragh read them This story tells what might have happened on one of John Darragh’s dangerous missions as an American spy
Are any soldiers in the street John his mother asked Only the guard at General Howe’s headquarters John answered Remember John Keep away from the British soldiers his mother said And go the way I told thee But I know a faster way John said Do as thy mother asks his father said She has sent messages to General Washington before 6
