Ann Bates
Encyclopedia
Ann Bates was a loyalist American who spied for the British during the American War of Independence.
A Philadelphia schoolteacher, she was married to a man assigned to a British Army unit as an artillery
repairman. Her husband joined the British troops evacuating Philadelphia and marching to New York City
in 1778. Claiming to be a patriot, she managed to get through the American lines at Philadelphia and traveled to New York, where she became an agent in the spy ring run by Maj. John André
. Under the cover name "Mrs. Barnes" she spied on American troops.
She carried a token (description still unknown) that would identify her as a British spy to an American officer who was spying for the British. But by the time she reached American headquarters at White Plains
, N.Y., the officer had left the army.
Posing as a peddler
, she listened in on conversations, checked out gun emplacements, and even walked into the headquarters of Gen.George Washington
. "I had the Opportunity of going through their whole Army Remarking at the same time the strength & Situation of each Brigade, & the Number of Cannon with their Situation and Weight of Ball each Cannon was Charged with," she later wrote. She also helped other spies (never identified) get through the lines and stay at safe houses as they made their way back to British-held territory.
A Philadelphia schoolteacher, she was married to a man assigned to a British Army unit as an artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
repairman. Her husband joined the British troops evacuating Philadelphia and marching to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1778. Claiming to be a patriot, she managed to get through the American lines at Philadelphia and traveled to New York, where she became an agent in the spy ring run by Maj. John André
John André
John André was a British army officer hanged as a spy during the American War of Independence. This was due to an incident in which he attempted to assist Benedict Arnold's attempted surrender of the fort at West Point, New York to the British.-Early life:André was born on May 2, 1750 in London to...
. Under the cover name "Mrs. Barnes" she spied on American troops.
She carried a token (description still unknown) that would identify her as a British spy to an American officer who was spying for the British. But by the time she reached American headquarters at White Plains
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
, N.Y., the officer had left the army.
Posing as a peddler
Peddler
A peddler, in British English pedlar, also known as a canvasser, cheapjack, monger, or solicitor , is a travelling vendor of goods. In England, the term was mostly used for travellers hawking goods in the countryside to small towns and villages; they might also be called tinkers or gypsies...
, she listened in on conversations, checked out gun emplacements, and even walked into the headquarters of Gen.George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. "I had the Opportunity of going through their whole Army Remarking at the same time the strength & Situation of each Brigade, & the Number of Cannon with their Situation and Weight of Ball each Cannon was Charged with," she later wrote. She also helped other spies (never identified) get through the lines and stay at safe houses as they made their way back to British-held territory.