The World's Greatest Military Spies and Secret Service AgentsBarton, George
History
The World's Greatest Military Spies and Secret Service Agents
Barton, George
Secret service; Spies
“My friend,” he said, “I am delighted to see you again—to see you in
the flesh.”
“I have carried out your instructions,” said Morgan, modestly.
“So I presume. But who is it you have with you?”
“These are four British soldiers who have decided to give themselves to
the cause of liberty.”
The General directed that the recruits be fed and clothed and enlisted
in the regiment to which Morgan was attached. After that he made Morgan
sit down and tell the story of his stay in the camp of Cornwallis. This
he was able to do with intelligence and in great detail. Lafayette thus
obtained the information which he desired. He praised his messenger
highly and told him that he would commend him to the good offices of
General Washington. In the meantime he proposed to promote him to the
rank of corporal, with the promise of still further promotion in the
near future. But the volunteer spy shook his head.
“I thank you for your goodness. I appreciate it greatly, but I do not
desire to go above the rank of an ordinary private. I have ability for
a common soldier, but should I be promoted, my ability may not be equal
to the occasion, and I would thus lose my character.”
General Lafayette laughed heartily at this unusual display of modesty,
but assured Morgan that his services would not be forgotten and that at
the proper time he would be rewarded for his sacrifice and his heroism.
Lafayette was now in a position to act with intelligence. The
information that had been brought to him by his spy fortunately did
not make it necessary for him to change his plan of campaign. He was
in communication with other Continental officers and kept constantly
informed of the progress of the campaign. He discovered many other
things; that Clinton, at the head of the British forces in New York,
was under the impression that Washington was getting ready to attack
him. Washington encouraged him to think so. In order that the British
general should not be disillusioned, the American continued to make
every possible preparation for moving against New York. So cleverly was
this ruse carried on that the members of Washington’s own army supposed
that he was really getting ready to attack Clinton. When at length
everything was just as he wished it, Washington suddenly broke camp and
conducted his entire force with all possible speed across the country
to the head of Chesapeake Bay and thus by vessels to Yorktown. It was
truly a critical time in the Revolutionary War. While Washington was
continuing his southern movement Lafayette and his army closed in on
the other side. The British realized that they were gradually becoming
the victims of a vast enveloping movement. Cornwallis put his spy glass
to his eye and peered over the walls of his fortified town. On one side
he beheld the French fleet, on the other side Washington’s troops,
and on still another, Lafayette’s army. The Americans, 16,000 strong,
were gradually but surely coming closer and closer. Cornwallis held out
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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