Maj. John Clark was an American spy for

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

, and was primarily responsible for operating the intelligence network in and around

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

during the British occupation of that city during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

Early career

Clark was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the 1st Continental Infantry (Pennsylvania Rifles) on January 1, 1776, and was made a major of the 2nd Pennsylvania Battalion of the Flying Camp on September 14, 1776. He originally came to the attention of George Washington during the evacuation of

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

and

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

. Directed to travel across

Long Island Sound Long Island Sound is a marine sound and tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies predominantly between the U.S. state of Connecticut to the north and Long Island in New York to the south. From west to east, the sound stretches from the Eas ...

, he then scouted troop movements on Long Island.

Revolutionary War

Clark was responsible for operating one of the most notable spy rings organized and run by the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

during the war, one which prevented the destruction of Washington's army at least three different times. His most important assignment occurred during the period September to December 1777 when, despite a serious injury to his shoulder, he was tasked by Washington with obtaining information about

General Howe William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB PC (10 August 172912 July 1814) was a British Army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British land forces in the Colonies during the American War of Independence. Howe was one of three brot ...

's activities in Philadelphia. Clark set up a group of informants and couriers, and sent 30 detailed reports to Washington which allowed the Continental Army to react to British movements. When Clark set up a hoax in which he employed a false name while pretending to be a Quaker Loyalist who would inform on the Americans to General Howe, Howe was fooled, and offered Clark inducements to support the British cause. When Washington learned of this hoax, he prepared a false report of the Continental Army's strengths and planned movements, and ordered it delivered to Howe. A courier also acquired information about British activities while delivering messages on Clark's behalf. In December, with his wound still not healed, and after having not seen his wife in more than a year, Clark asked Washington to be released from service. Washington agreed, and introduced Clark to Henry Laurens, who gave Clark a desk job as auditor of Army expenses. For the remainder of his life, Clark lived quietly, and continued to maintain his secrecy regarding the names of the informants and couriers who helped him.

Notes

References

*Hastedt, Glenn P. ''Espionage: A Reference Handbook.'' Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, Inc., 2003., . *Rose, Alexander Washington Spies, * Heitman, Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army. .

Early career

Revolutionary War

See also

Notes

References

Further reading