Not long after, General Howe attempted to expand his headquarters into the Darragh house. With the aid of a second cousin that was serving in the British army, Lydia was able to convince Howe to permit the couple to remain in their home in exchange for allowing the British to use their parlor as a meeting place. Because the Darraghs were pacifists, and publicly remained uninvolved in the war effort, the British officials did not suspect that Lydia might be acting as a spy for the Continentals.
On December 2, , British officials held a private meeting in the Darragh home, as per the arrangement made between Lydia and General Howe. The officers ordered the members of the family to remain in their bedrooms for the duration of the meeting, explaining that they would be awakened when the business had concluded. That night, Lydia kept the information to herself but made the bold decision to warn Washington of the impending attack. The day after the meeting, Darragh received permission from General Howe to visit her youngest children, who were staying outside of the city, and to purchase flour from the Frankford mill.
With her official pass, Darragh succeeded in moving past the British lines to the mill, and then on to the Rising Sun Tavern, where she informed an American soldier that Howe was planning an attack on Whitemarsh on December 4 th.
She moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the British were staying in Philadelphia. Her important accomplishment during the war was on December 2, , when the British asked Lydia and her husband if they could use their house for a meeting. They said yes. The British asked Lydia and her husband because they were Quakers and were against the war.
That night Lydia said she was going to sleep but she was really listening to what the British were saying. She heard that they were going to surprise attack the Continental Army at Whitemarsh, Pa. So the next morning Lydia told the British she was going to the store to get some flour for cooking, but on her way she went to the Continental camp and met one of the officers.
She told him what the British said and asked that the officer tell George Washington. On December 4th, the British attacked the Continental Army but soon realized that the Americans were waiting for them and withdrew the attack.
They never found out that Lydia was the spy and had told the Americans their plans. One major event in her life was she was a Quaker, a member of the Society of Friends. The Quakers did not believe in the war and if they thought any members were in support of the war, they asked them to leave the Society of Friends. Lydia lost her membership on August 29, On comparing this with other information, I found it true and immediately rode post to headquarters.
Battle of Whitemarsh Early on the morning of December 5, the British column was observed at Chestnut Hill, three miles from the American front. Washington sent out Brigadier-General James Irvine and troops of the Pennsylvania militia to counter the British advance. That night, the British camped at St. Thomas Episcopal church on Bethlehem Pike, less than half a mile from the American positions. On December 6, British forces constantly probed the American lines for weakness, only to be repelled by Washington and his troops.
The following day, after an series of intense skirmishes , Howe called off the attack on December 8, , and returned to Philadelphia without engaging Washington in a decisive conflict. British casualties were killed or wounded.
At the same time I must add that reason, prudence, and every principle of policy, forbade us quitting our post to attack them. Nothing but Success would have justified the measure, and this could not be expected from their position.
In Philadelphia, the British soldiers conducted an investigation to find out who had revealed their plan.
She told Andre that everyone had been asleep early. He believed her. With the British back in Philadelphia, Washington was able to march his army of about 11, men to winter quarters at Valley Forge , Pennsylvania. Some American soldiers died at the Valley Forge encampment during a harsh winter that lasted seven long months. On June 18, , the British left Philadelphia , American forces returned, and Lydia Darragh was reunited with her two children who had been staying with relatives.
William Darragh died on June 8, In , Lydia and her children moved into a new house, and she ran a store until her death. Lydia Darragh died December 28, In , various people started questioning the truthfulness of the narrative.
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