Today, the degree of importance of the ring and its spy members is still being studied, thus there are sometimes references to the spy ring is as a “tale untold.”. The existence of the spy ring was not known until the 1930s. Upon returning to Connecticut, Brewster would pass the letter to a Sheldon’s horse courier in Black Rock, who would ride quickly to George Washington’s headquarters. Codes and aliases concealed the identities of the spy members. He passed away on Mar 1943 in Romford, Essex, England. Ben and Caleb arrived at the Continental outpost in Connecticut to rescue Hewlett, only to discover the outpost been ambushed. Additional Resources: Further material on Caleb Brewster is located at the Fairfield Museum and History Center. He was known as the “terror of the Tories”, especially for his successful nocturnal raids on Long Island, which would help protect Connecticut from British attacks. Timing was essential for intelligence to be of any use. And intelligence about their movements became critical. Brewster was one of seventy Minute Men in that company. For example, the spy ring prevented advance British knowledge of the French arrival in America to help the patriot cause. William Brewster (1568 – 10 April 1644) was an English official and Mayflower passenger in 1620. Having a mounted horseman ready to deliver messages that Brewster picked up from across Long Island shortened the total delivery time of spy letters picked up from New York. The attack was successful with no patriot troops lost in battle. Research genealogy for Caleb Brewster, as well as other members of the Brewster family, on Ancestry®. Brewster fled to Black Rock, Connecticut, which was part of the town of Fairfield at the time. Therefore George Washington’s most valuable strategic weapon was not his military force, but rather intelligence and Brewster was at the center of the spy ring. Caleb is related to the celebrated William Brewster, the Elder, and highly esteemed member of the Plymouth Colony, who arrived on the Mayflower passenger and was the only such passenger with a university education. He left the whaleboats on the coast with someone to keep watch, then led the troops in a march over twenty miles across land and then successfully attacked the fort. He is an advocate of preserving primary source documents and using new media to generate awareness on local history. Caleb Brewster (September 12, 1747 - February 13, 1827) was a member of the Culper spy ring during the American Revolutionary War, reporting to General George Washington in the nation’s first intelligence-gathering organization. He was notable for his role as a Revolutionary War spy, commanding a fleet of whale boats from Black Rock Harbor. If British troops harmed local residents, they could avoid prosecution for criminal offence, which some at the time called the “murder act.”. Setauket, New York, Long Island. Brewster was the only spy to sign letters under his real name instead of his secret agent code 725. Brewster was born in Setauket in 1747 and signed on to a whaling boat as a young man. Caleb Brewster made his will on February 25, 1825. The target was Fort Slongo in north, central Long Island, and involved one hundred and fifty dismounted dragoons. Brewster’s intelligence missions would also successfully warn General Washington of the burning of Fairfield in 1779. He acted as intelligence gatherer, lieutenant in the artillery, spy letter courier, privateer, and army officer commanding a fleet of whaleboats against the British. Caleb Brewster’s achievements were as noteworthy as his distinguished ancestors. Many of the British attacks against Connecticut were directed from forts built up by the British on Long Island. The new express delivery service utilized Washington’s cavalry, the 2nd Continental Light Dragoons, Sheldon’s Horse that had been commissioned by the Continental Congress on December 12, 1776 and named after Colonel Elisha Sheldon. Jacobus in 1936 disposed of the claimed connections between William Brewster of Plymouth and Francis Brewster of New Haven and … Brewster became a privateer in November of 1776, and was engaged in many boat fights. Includes citations for all sources. To obtain speedy and certain intelligence of this matter may be of great Importance to the French Fleet.”, After this first correspondence with Washington, the Black Rock spy gathered intelligence on the British military movements and wrote Washington that “the Ships of war are Left the Harbours in and about Huntington—Genrl Tryon and Delancee have their Quarters at the Fly at the Head of Flushing Bay with about Seven Hundred Troops that Returnd with them from the East End of the Island.”. Upon his return to America in 1776, he accepted a commission as an ensign in the 4th New York Regiment. A third attack on Tuesday, October 9, 1781, was against a group of Tory woodcutters. Brewster’s hometown was soon under occupation. A number of other children have been proposed for William Brewster, although there is no reason to accept any of these proposals. Explore genealogy for Caleb Brewster born 1783 Orange, New York died 1852 Tecumseh, Lenewee Co. Michigan including ancestors + descendants + more in the free family tree community. Anna and John Bray, both of Hanover, Apr. Nathaniel Brewster, 2nd cousin 17 times removed via Aubrey de Vere, 2nd cousin 17 times removed via Robert de Beaumont, 2nd cousin 18 times removed via Gilbert Fitzrichard de Clare, 4th cousin 1 time removed via Thomas Ludlow, 4th cousin 2 times removed via Thomas Ludlow, 4th cousin 3 times removed via Thomas Ludlow, 4th cousin 4 times removed via Thomas Ludlow, First Lady of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 4th cousin 5 times removed via Thomas Ludlow. Mather, Frederick Gregory, The refugees of 1776 from Long Island to Connecticut, B. Lyon Company, printers, 1913. By 1778 he had fleet of three whaleboats. After the war he married Anna Lewis and became a large land owner and captain of a revenue cutter for the district of New York. In his first letter to Caleb Brewster, writing from White Plains on August 8, 1778, General Washington sets the tone for the espionage needs. Caleb had 6 siblings: Benjamin Brewster, Elizabeth Brewster and 4 other siblings. Caleb "Member of the CulperSpy Ring during the American Revolution" Brewster was born on month day 1747, at birth place, New York, to Benjamin Brewster and Sarah Brewster (born Biggs). (#25460) Robert Foley is an independent scholar working on Bridgeport history topics. Try our genealogy search engine. Brewster would keep his sail down and even coordinated his expeditions with the moon cycles to keep from being noticed. On November 13, 1780, he proudly wrote George Washington on capturing an enemy ship. An important first important step was to avoid getting noticed by the vigilant Loyalist scouts while crossing the Long Island Sound. Blogger Heather Wilkinson Rojo sums up the contents of this book best: "This little book (about 7.75" x 6") was a blank book where seven different authors (seven different handwritings) kept notes on genealogy, Plymouth settlement, history & other topics (including copies of books and letters) from the early 1600s predating the 1620 settlement at Plymouth until the late 1800s. In December 1775, Brewster joined the Suffolk Country Minute Men, local self-trained colonists who independently organized militia companies known for being ready in a minute’s notice. Of Brewster’s many expeditions the most documented ones occurred from 1779 to 1781. The deep-water, historic shipbuilding seaport was a depository for privateers, British prisoners, and launching ground for schooners, sloops and whaleboats. Therefore it was a strategy of General Washington, to target these enemy strongholds. Ancestor charts showing the family relationships of Caleb Brewster (1747–1827) to other famous people. Caleb Brewster's ancestry can be traced back to a couple of Magna Carta Sureties which includes a connection to King Henry VIII and to today's British royal family …