Summary Of George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring

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The American Revolution was a revolt that took place between the 13 colonies against Great Britain, lasting from 1776 until 1783. The 13 colonies won independence from the powerful Great Britain, ultimately becoming the United States of America. George Washington, the commander and chief of the Continental Army, was well aware that he would be unable to defeat the British through only his fighting force. With many people doubting him, Washington realized he had to outsmart the British. In the book “George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution” by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger, the authors emphasized how George Washington’s cunning actions through the Culper Spy Ring ultimately led to American independence from Great Britain. …show more content…

The chance of being caught was a constant fear that ran through the minds of the Culper Ring. If one letter ended up in the wrong hands, the Culper Ring would have serious consequences. As a way to decrease the chances of the Culper Ring being caught, “Washington had obtained a supply of invisible ink… a vial precious substance for the writing of the Culper reports”. This invisible ink was crucial to the spies, as the letters blended in perfectly with normal printing paper, making it impossible for the British to read them. Since possessing a supply of the invisible ink, Tallmadge configured a code that was only understood by his fellow spies and Washington. His “code contained a quirk that both reflects its time and offers up clues to a mystery”. Anyone outside of the Culper Ring could not interpret what the code could mean, which allowed the spies’ names to stay protected and secured. With the invisible ink and Tallmadge’s code, the Culper Ring and their observations stayed