A Revolutionary War spy in Connecticut?

If your family has a story of an ancestor serving as a spy in Revolutionary War Connecticut, there is a source that can help you learn more. Mark Allen Baker’s Spies of Revolutionary Connecticut: From Benedict Arnold to Nathan Hale was published by the History Press in 2014.

The text starts by outlining the basics of the history of spying and the American Revolution. If you don’t remember your high school courses, this is a great time for a refresher. Baker approaches the subject with the intent of making it palatable and easy to read, and if more than effective in so doing.

Most of the book profiles Connecticut spies, both loyalist and patriot. Benedict Arnold, Silas Deane, Nathan Hale, and many others make an appearance. Some are Nutmeggers you may not have previously considered spies, such as the men responsible for the creation of the Turtle. Each profile provides a biography before and after the war and a summary of the individual’s participation in the War.

Spies of Revolutionary Connecticut is not academic enough to serve as a source of service for DAR or SAR. It is, however, a great way to learn more about the activities of Baker’s “spies”. Thanks to the notes and bibliography, it might also provide you with the resources you need to document their service to lineage society standards.

Published by Bryna O'Sullivan

Proprietor of Charter Oak Genealogy, Bryna O'Sullivan specializes in assisting clients with lineage society applications and with French to English genealogical translations.

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