Irish Sympathy
The Irish in the American Revolution had their heroes and villains on both sides of the conflict. Although they were celebrated for decades of resisting and fighting their British oppressors, there was little Irish support for the colonials fighting the distant war. The average Irishman was just trying to survive, and many were recruited into British regiments in Ireland. In America itself, Irish immigrants, like the rest of the population, were divided in their loyalties. However, one transplanted son of Erin would play a secret role in helping to free his adopted nation – and perhaps seek some revenge on the British.
Until recently, only historians and a few enthusiasts of Revolutionary War history knew the name Hercules Mulligan, but it gained worldwide fame through the hit Broadway musical, “Hamilton.” Indeed, Mulligan’s story was connected to that controversial Revolutionary War officer, political operative, and Founding Father. For Hercules Mulligan and his family, in many ways, they provided Alexander Hamilton with the support every new immigrant needs to reach the next level.
Early Days
Hercules Mulligan moved from Coleraine, County Antrim, Ireland, to New York City with his parents, Hugh and Sarah Mulligan, when he was six years old. The year was 1746—long before the French and Indian War and all the political and economic events that would lead to the fight for America. Hercules's father quickly became a successful accountant in New York, and the family prospered in the colonies. Along with Hercules, two brothers also came; notably, his oldest brother Hugh, who became the owner of an import-export business that employed a young man from Nevis named Alexander Hamilton.
Hercules attended King’s College (now Columbia) and initially became an accountant before switching to the haberdashery business. His first shop was on Water Street, but he later moved to the more fashionable Queen Street in 1773 to attract a wealthier and more influential clientele. That same year, his brother Hugh introduced him to the young prodigy Alexander Hamilton. Hercules took Hamilton under his wing, and Hamilton boarded with Mulligan and his family while attending King’s College.
Secret Politics
While Hamilton’s politics were formed at King’s College, it remains uncertain when and how Mulligan started sympathizing with the rebel cause. Maybe hidden Irish sympathies and resentment toward the harsh Penal Laws in his homeland influenced him. Or was it the events after the French and Indian War—the same events that led more than a third of the king’s loyal subjects toward a different political system? Still, the connection and bond clearly formed during those early days of growing revolutionary fervor.
At some point along the way, possibly as early as 1765, Hercules helped write an underground tabloid called The Constitutional Courant that opposed the Stamp Act. Mulligan later became a founding member of a radical faction within New York’s Sons of Liberty, organized to defend the colonists’ rights and oppose British taxation. He was also involved, if not a leader, in the mob inspired by the Sons of Liberty that attacked British soldiers in 1770 during what became known as the Battle of Golden Hill.
A Model Citizen
Although he led a secret political life, Hercules publicly remained a member of the establishment. The young Irishman married well—his wife was Elizabeth Sanders, the niece of a Royal Navy admiral and a well-connected member of New York's social elite. The outgoing Irishman leveraged his wife's family connections to grow his business and build relationships with New York’s upper class—most of whom were strong Loyalists. Later, as more British regulars garrisoned New York, he gained a circle of officers as both clients and contacts.
The outgoing haberdasher placed detailed ads in Rivington's Gazette and other leading Tory newspapers—ads aimed at drawing top-tier customers and officers with descriptions of “superfine cloths, gold and silver lace, fancy buttons, and epaulets replete with heavy bouillon.” If you build it, they will come. And come they did. Choosing cloth, accessories, measuring, and fitting all took time—time that could lead to slips of the tongue, nuggets, and the knowing winks of a proud and haughty clientele trying to impress the popular haberdasher.
Secret Rebel
Mulligan was involved in an incident on August 24, 1775, an attempt against the HMS Asia, which was anchored in New York Harbor. Under the cover of night, a group of New York militiamen, including Mulligan's company known as the "Corsicans," took control of the artillery battery at the southern tip of New York Island (Manhattan). Hercules and his young boarder, Alexander Hamilton, were among them. However, someone had alerted the crew of the HMS Asia, and it fired its own guns on the rebels.
HMS Asia in New York harbor
Mulligan threw a rope around one of the guns to pull it to safety. As he struggled, Hamilton approached and, despite his small size, dragged the gun away. Hamilton then calmly rejoined the front lines to help move more guns – 20 were taken. Interestingly, one of the shots from the HMS Asia struck the roof of Fraunces Tavern, which later hosted General Washington’s farewell in 1783. With Hercules's support, young Hamilton was promoted to captain and commander of an artillery battery in July the following year – just in time for the British attack on New York.
In 1776, Mulligan was among the Sons of Liberty who tore down a large statue of King George III in Bowling Green. They then melted its lead into musket balls for the rebels. He also joined the New York Committee of Correspondence, a crucial tool for rallying support among the people and keeping the colonies coordinated. An attempt to escape the city failed, and Mulligan stayed in New York after Washington's army was expelled during the summer 1776 New York campaign. By September, New York was occupied by the British, and the situation demanded more than political protests—it required espionage. But to do that effectively, Hercules would need to pretend to be a Loyalist. Since many changed their allegiances during this time, it didn’t attract much suspicion.
Tailor Spy
Exactly when our “model citizen” became a spy remains unclear. Fittingly, such matters were not recorded, and secret agents often operated under cover names, code names, or numbers. It is believed Alexander Hamilton suggested him to Washington while serving as aide-de-camp in 1777. However, some sources indicate that the haberdasher did not actually report to Washington until 1779. In any case, the transition was smooth, if not inevitable.
At his clothing shop, Mulligan often measured his clients, talking with them and gathering insights through conversation. He was also very attentive to military and political events in the city. Years of secretly waging a political war had sharpened Mulligan's skills, making him an excellent intelligence operative in the occupied city.
As housing for wealthy men became scarce in occupied (and fire-damaged) New York, Hercules opened a few rooms in his home to British officers—an excellent way to avoid suspicion, gather intelligence, build relationships, and develop leads. Some believe Mulligan reported through the Culper Ring—the Long Island-based spy network made famous by the fictional TV show TURN. He might have done so. The main contact for the ring, Robert Townsend, operated his business just down the street from Mulligan’s haberdashery. However, Hercules used other methods too. In fact, Washington’s top intelligence officer and spymaster of the Culper Ring, Major Benjamin Tallmadge, once asked the commander in chief about Mulligan’s status and activities. He was worried that Mulligan's activities might pose a threat to his ring. He would not have made the inquiry if Mulligan was one of his assets.
Courier
So how did Mulligan smuggle his intelligence out of the city? One method was through his African American servant, Cato. Cato’s status allowed him to pass through British lines without attracting much attention, as Africans were believed to be loyal to the British (and most were). Some think Samuel Culper used Mulligan’s servant as an alternate reporting channel at least once. Cato made many trips across the lines, but on his last one, he drew enough suspicion to lead his captors, likely local Loyalist militia, to beat him badly. Despite the harsh treatment, Cato did not give up his mission or his boss. In the end, Mulligan used his high contacts to secure Cato's release, although his courier days were over.
Fraternal Affair
Hercules’s older brother, Hugh, was also involved in espionage. His import-export company, Kortwright & Company, conducted business with the British military and many influential Tory merchants in New York. As a shipper, he could visit ships in port, inspect facilities, and track the movement of supplies—offering valuable intelligence on upcoming British operations.
Saving the Indispensable Man
Little is known about the details of Hercules Mulligan’s reports, but he is credited with providing intelligence that saved General George Washington’s life on at least two occasions. That alone could make him one of the most important figures of the war.
Once, a British officer came to Mulligan late at night looking for a coat. Hercules started showing him different coats while joking and questioning his customer, who carelessly revealed he was planning to capture George Washington. Mulligan sent Cato away as soon as the officer left, allowing Washington to escape to safety. Another time, the British found out about Washington’s plan to ride to Rhode Island along the Connecticut shoreline. Luckily, Hugh Mulligan was contracted to supply the British vessels, and he quickly told his brother. Once again, Cato slipped out of the city to warn Washington.
Under Suspicion
The friendly and well-connected Mulligan did come under suspicion at least once during the war. Ironically, this suspicion came from the infamous traitor himself, Benedict Arnold. Arnold was now in New York, holding the rank of Brigadier General in the British Army. One of Arnold’s tasks as commander of the West Point garrison was to help organize resistance against the British in and around New York City. In that role, he suspected that the tailor might be one of General Washington's sources.
Washington excelled at “compartmentalizing” operations. Very few of his closest confidants knew who his spies were, and those who did had only the knowledge absolutely necessary.
Arnold had Hercules arrested. Having been interrogated twice before by the British, Mulligan managed to deflect questions and keep his cool. These skills—along with his reputation as a loyal subject and friend to the British—helped him through. Since Arnold lacked any real evidence to back his accusations, our tailor-spy was quickly released.
Under Suspicion (Again)
Hercules was a victim of his own success. By serving as the loyal haberdasher to the British and Tories for nearly eight years, he strengthened his reputation as a collaborator among his fellow New Yorkers—a group known for its cynicism. Patriots and Whigs accused him of being an active Loyalist and a traitor to the cause. After the British departed at the end of 1783, his thriving business and standing in New York society were in serious danger. Many Tories were driven out of town, and their properties were seized. There was no reason to believe that this would not also be Hercules’s fate.
But the hand of His Excellency, General George Washington, stepped in. After the war, Washington is known to have quietly reached out to many previously unknown individuals and made it clear they were under his special approval. Many of these are believed to have been covert intelligence operatives: secret agents, spies, and couriers.
True Friend of Liberty
While in New York City, a grateful George Washington visited Mulligan’s haberdashery, had breakfast with the man to whom his life was owed, and was fitted for a new set of clothes, dubbing the secret patriot “a true friend of liberty.” This act protected Mulligan from being labeled a British sympathizer and collaborator. Beaming with pride, Mulligan commissioned a sign that he proudly displayed outside his 23 Queen Street (now 218 Pearl Street) store: “Clothier to Genl. Washington.”
Although Cato’s fate remains unknown, Mulligan fought for democratic ideals in post-war America and co-founded the New York Manumission Society with his longtime friend, Alexander Hamilton. Our tailor-spy died in 1825 at age 80 and is buried next to Alexander Hamilton in Trinity Church.
