BOOK REVIEW: Spies, Patriots and Traitors by Kenneth Daigler

To paraphrase the most interesting man in the world... I don't often do book reviews on the Yankee Doodle Spies blog. Still, when I do, it's on a great book with importance on the course of the American Revolution from a military intelligence perspective.  This new book made the cut in spades.


Kenneth Daigler spent a career as a CIA officer, where he learned the craft of espionage firsthand. In his latest book, Spies, Patriots and Traitors, he reveals some of the nation's darkest espionage secrets. But they are secrets that have perplexed historians for over 200 years: Secrets of the American Revolution. There have been a few books on this subject in recent decades, but none have the breadth and scope of this one. And none are as well documented and written. Daigler reaches across the panoply of espionage activity and paints the big picture while diving deep in areas that are bound to fascinate the reader. He begins in the beginning - demonstrating that even the political agitation that preceded armed rebellion had an intelligence component to it. In a sense, he paints the picture of a nation born of secrecy and secret activities.

A Case Officer's Perspective on the Two Big Cases

One of the many things that sets this work apart from others, like it, is the author's personal experience in the trade of espionage. He draws from that to analyze many of the cases, and he explains the aspects of espionage that have remained eternal: planning, security, and communications. He demonstrates that the lack of these three elements resulted in two failures - one for us and one for the British. Coincidentally, these are the most celebrated espionage cases of the war: Nathan Hale and Benedict Arnold. In the case of the former, the entire operational cycle was about as feckless as could be imagined. The author points out that Hale was intrinsically unqualified for the mission, which itself was ill-defined. Not surprisingly, it failed in all aspects and ended in disaster.  Daigler points out, however, that in Arnold's case, despite some operational shortfalls, it might have succeeded. But Arnold's personal characteristics (ego, greed, arrogance) caused him to pressure his erstwhile handler, the inexperienced Major John Andre, into making a series of missteps that ultimately cost the British the operation and Andre his life.

Benedict Arnold

Lesser-Known Spies

 Daigler covers lesser-known cases with equal fervor: the establishment (or not) of counterintelligence under John Jay; Nathaniel Greene's masterful use of intelligence to win the southern campaign; the "secret war" in Europe; and Washington's efforts to use intelligence, counterintelligence, and deception to make a surprise move on Yorktown. The author also discusses the Culper Ring with a perspective lacking in other accounts. And he reminds us the ring was just one of many used by Washington throughout the war - albeit a vital one. Daigler covers the activities of Benjamin Tallmadge - and not just his Culper Ring, but in other roles he played for Washington. The author recounts the exploits of little-known John Honeyman, who spied on the Hessians during the nation's darkest hours just before the surprise attack on Trenton. Another nugget in the book is his discussion of the plot against Washington and the British plot to destabilize the American economy by counterfeiting Continental dollars.

Benjamin Tallmadge

Other Pluses

James Armistead

The book is full of nice illustrations of many of the well-known and lesser-known persons in the intelligence war. The author has also crafted a timeline of espionage in the American Revolution and, most usefully (for the layman), a Glossary of Tradecraft Terms. He provides a poignant look at the plight of African Americans, many slaves, who were used by both sides. In the end, neither treated them very well for their services, although there are some noted exceptions. The role of the African slaves is best illustrated by the case of James Armistead, owned by a Virginia planter, who crossed over to British lines during the Yorktown campaign. His courage and resourcefulness yielded critical intelligence gleaned under the noses of the British. He discusses the role of counterintelligence, the British approach to intelligence, and, of course, the role of George Washington as the Case Officer in Chief (my words).

Did intelligence win the war for American independence?

The author ends with a discussion of that topic. One must draw the conclusion that intelligence played a highly significant role in America's survival in the early years of the war and its triumph in the end. This is not to say that British intelligence was bad. They had excellent global coverage of American interests, and their Loyalist allies provided ready-made pools of agents, some already organized into cells. However, their leadership failed to take advantage of the situation. In contrast, George Washington clearly developed, over the course of an eight-year-long war, the ability to use intelligence and counterintelligence more wisely than the British high command. And that made all the difference.

George Washington, the Spymaster

I wish I had this book when I started writing the Yankee Doodle Spies novels several years back. Now that it is out, it provides an excellent non-fiction companion book for those reading the series. You'll find many of the events and persons through the fictional persons and actions in the Yankee Doodle Spies series and, of course, many historical persons and events as well.


I give this very excellent work, Four Tricorne Hats!

Happy Birthday!

This week marks the 239th birthday of the US Army. Around the world, Army elements and many other DoD components will celebrate this day, which also happens to be Flag Day. The U.S. Army was founded on 14 June 1775, when Congress adopted "the American continental army.” The Congressional resolution also absorbed the existing 10,000 New England troops and forces besieging Boston and requested an additional 5,000 be raised from New York and Connecticut men to defend New York City. Two million dollars was approved to fund the new army. The Continental Army quickly expanded. By July the authorized strength of the new army was nearly double that envisioned on 14 June. 

Continental Soldiers

What was the first unit?

The American Rifleman

The first contingent of the new Army was ten companies of riflemen –  infantry. Congress’s resolution stipulated their terms of enlistment and appointed a committee to develop rules and regulations.  It seems that even at its inception the Army had its red tape!  The riflemen authorized on 14 June were the first units raised directly as Continentals, vice state troops. Congress did this by levying six of the companies to Pennsylvania, two to Maryland, and two to Virginia. This may mark the beginning of the grand American tradition of using military authorizations to establish a political end. But in this case it was not about pork (although that would soon come). It was to create a national (my word) army under the rubric of “Continental.”

How were they recruited?

Recruiting authority was given to local county committees in those frontier areas noted for skilled marksmen. The response in Pennsylvania's western and northern frontier counties was so great that on 22 June the colony's quota was increased from six to eight companies, organized as a regiment. A month later, a ninth Pennsylvania company was formed in Lancaster County.  In Virginia, Captain Daniel Morgan raised a company in Frederick County, and Hugh Stephenson raised another in Berkeley County. In Maryland, Michael Cresap's and Thomas Price's companies were both from Frederick County. Readers of The Patriot Spy know that Lieutenant Jeremiah Creed’s light infantry company was also organized in Frederick County as part of the First Maryland Line. All thirteen rifle companies were sent immediately to Boston, to join the siege. These riflemen were recruited purely for their marksmanship and toughness, not their adherence to military protocol. One of General George Washington’s first leadership challenges was handling their frontier attitudes and the resulting disciplinary problems.

Dan Morgan

How were they organized? 

Each rifle company would have a captain, 3 lieutenants, 4 sergeants, 4 corporals, a drummer (or horn player), and 68 privates. The enlistment period was set at one year - the same as militias. The companies were banded into a regiment but until field grade officers (adjutant, quartermaster, commissary, etc.) could be appointed by Congress, the company grades filled in. Later these rifle companies would be brigaded under (now colonel) Daniel Morgan into a Rifle Corps. As Continental Line regiments began forming that summer, they would typically consist of about eight companies of around forty privates plus officers, sergeants, corporals and drummers. But organizations varied widely, especially in the beginning.

Who would lead the new Army?

Who else but George Washington! On 15 June Congress unanimously chose the Virginia planter and renowned French and Indian War hero. Washington had been active in the military planning committees of Congress and by late May had taken to wearing his old uniform. His colleagues believed that his modesty and competence qualified him to the challenge of leading the prickly New England troops. Washington was given the rank of Lieutenant General and Commander in Chief. The day after Washington's appointment, Congress authorized  other senior officers for the new army. Positions for five major staff officers were established: an Adjutant General, a Commissary of Musters, a Paymaster General, a Commissary General, and a Quartermaster General.On 20 June the new commander in chief received orders to proceed to Massachusetts, and take charge of the army there and capture or destroy the British army occupying Boston. Congress directed him to prepare a report on the strength of the army. In the broader areas of army command, his instructions were less than precise. His only other real mandate was that he would consult a council of war prior to any major strategic or tactical decisions. Washington had the right to determine how many men to retain, and he had the power to fill temporarily any vacancies below the rank of colonel. Permanent promotions and appointments were reserved for the colonial governments to make. But Congress appointed general officers. In the future this had all sorts of repercussions not the least of which was the treason of Benedict Arnold.

       General Washington assumes

           command of the new army

Who were his Lieutenants?

It is not surprising that the selection of Washington’s subordinate generals and senior staff officers led to political maneuvering as delegates sought appointments for favorite sons. On 17 June Congress elected Artemas Ward and Charles Lee as the first and second major generals, and Horatio Gates as the Adjutant General. A few days later two more major generals were appointed: Philip Schuyler, a New York delegate with close ties to Washington, and another French and Indian war hero,  Israel Putnam. The brigadier generals came next. Congress appointed these in proportion to the number of men contributed by each colony and followed the recommendations of the colony's delegates in the actual selection. Congress, however, created problems by ignoring seniority and status.

 Artemas Ward

Why are the Army Birthday and Flag Day celebrated on June 14th?

By pure coincidence. The Stars and Stripes originated as a result of a resolution adopted by the Marine Committee of the Second Continental Congress at Philadelphia on June 14, 1777. The resolution read: "Resolved, that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field representing a new constellation.” The first celebration of the U.S. Flag's birthday was held in 1877 on the 100th anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777.

Betsy Ross Pattern Flag

Francis Hopkinson Pattrn Flag