War of Secrets; Spy History 101: America’s Intelligence Quotient
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/08/weekinreview/war-of-secrets-spy-history-101-america-s-intelligence-quotient.html
Returning to England after the Revolutionary War, Maj. George Beckwith, London’s spymaster in the colonies, remarked bitterly that ‘’Washington did not really outfight the British; he simply outspied us!’’
I see....
Ping
Yes, George Washington was a spy and a master of deceit. He knew how to create just the right lie, not too big, not too small.
And he knew how to deliver the lie with deceit, for example he would have a suspected turncoat be given the lie as part of a message for delivery to one of his colonels knowing full well the turncoat would be intercepted by the British and thus the lie delivered as planned.
And there is the saying when young Washington was confronted about the Cherry Tree he had chopped down “I cannot tell a lie!”.
So who was the real Washington?
The answer is he was two different people; one to his enemies and another to his American compatriots.
He was a gentleman, full of honor and integrity to his fellow Americans.
To his enemies he was either a dim country bumpkin with no real sophistication or he was the devil incarnate; he decided how he was viewed by others. He allowed which view of him was in play by passing coded messages some of which were designed to be deliberately intercepted.
Master of deceit; master of disinformation; master of strategy; master of psychology; he kept his enemies right where he wanted them to be and thinking what he wanted them to think.
I wish more Americans knew about the person of George Washington. He was indeed the greatest American, and I think will forever be the greatest American. There are thousands of anecdotes about him and each has a lesson.
It has long been an open secret that one of Washington’s greatest talents was as a spymaster. He was the kind of leader who, while not brilliant in any particular specialized area, had the knack to surround himself with brilliant subordinates and peers.
The full extent of his spy rings have never been divulged, likely because he had several in the British nobility, and perhaps even in the royal family.
Only one of them, Nathan Hale, was ever captured, and it was remarked that Washington must have had a bad hangover on the day he selected Hale for that job, because Hale was a lousy spy.
It’s the season, so here is Geo. Washington’s eggnog recipe.
Eggnog, George Washington’s
Blend
1 Pint Brandy
1/2 Pint Rye Whiskey
1/4 Pint Rum
1/4 Pint sherry
1-1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Quart Cream
1 Quart Milk
12 Eggs
The show is filmed in my home state of Virginia.