1. The enclosed letter Samuel Culper (Abraham Woodhull’s alias) wrote John Bolton (Tallmadge’s alias) from Setauket, N.Y., on 8 May reads: “Your favor of the 28 of April is before me & observe the Contents. Agreeable to your request I immediately repaired to New York & have done all that in me lay to engage a proper person, but have failed as no one will write on any account. I can only obtain verbal Accounts for You & that but seldom, as the Enemy have lately been made to believe that a line of intelligence is supported here. They are jealous of every Person that they may see from this part. I have recd from You three English & seven French Guineas, the former have placed to your Credit, the latter have returned, they being not permitted to pass, & consequently are of no use to me.

“You may now see the following intelligence The latest Accounts from Europe say that the Dutch have not declared war, against G. Britain, but as one of the neutral Powers, have refered their Situation to the Congress, sitting at Petersburgh, which is looked upon here as great Wisdom, & will soon be productive of Peace. The British, when I left N.Y. consisted of 7 Ships of the Line 2 of 50 & 4 of 44 Guns, & two or three smaller Ships; which on their arrival landed 7 or 800 sick & wounded & have replaced them again with negroes, boys, Carmen & Fishermen—Never was so warm a press in America before. Gentlemen’s Servants going to Market did not escape. The Fleet have laid down at Staten Island, & were to sail yesterday supposed to Cruize off the Capes of Virginia. The following Regiments have embarked & are under orders for Embarkation, & Said to be bound to Virginia two Regts of Anspack—the 43d & 17th Dragoons & Infantry of the same; the remainder of the 76th & 30th do. The whole, C. Junr says will amt to 2000 men, & not more than 4000 will be left in Garrison. It is a matter of surprise that they will leave the Garrison so weak, & gives reason to believe that some Troops are expected from Europe, or that they are a going to make some attempt near at hand. It is reported the French Army are about marching westward, if they should, the Enemy will not leave N.Y. on their Expedition—I have directed C. Brewster to Cross again on the 17th instant [17 May]. … P.S. All hands agree that the Capt. of the Confederacy gave his Ship away. The Crew have all been taken on board the B. Fleet against their will, It is the opinion of some that ⅓d of the men on board the fleet had rather fight against them” (DLC:GW; underlines signify decoded text; for the code, see Tallmadge to GW, 25 July 1779). Tallmadge’s letter dated 28 April 1781 has not been identified, but see Tallmadge to GW, 6 May. For British naval impressments, see Tallmadge to GW, 6 May, n.13. A British expedition soon left New York for Virginia (see William Heath to GW, 1 May, n.1). Capt. Seth Harding commanded the captured Continental frigate Confederacy, which the British renamed Confederate (see Heath’s second letter to GW, 25 April, n.4; see also Allen, Naval History description begins Gardner W. Allen. A Naval History of the American Revolution. 2 vols. Boston, 1913. description ends , 2:556, and Tallmadge to GW, 6 June, n.2).

2. Lt. Caleb Brewster subsequently crossed Long Island Sound to his native Long Island and apparently recruited a spy known as John Cork, who conducted espionage operations in New York City. Nathaniel Ruggles was another spy that Brewster and Tallmadge obtained that spring. He traveled from Long Island to New York City on a few missions (see Rose, Washington’s Spies description begins Alexander Rose. Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring. New York, 2006. description ends , 255–56; see also Bleyer, Spy Ring description begins Bill Bleyer. George Washington’s Long Island Spy Ring: A History and Tour Guide. Charleston, S.C., 2021. description ends , 125).