One of my favorite parts of Hamilton, the Musical, is Hercules Mulligan! He’s brash and brave and “needs no introduction”. Although an avid reader of anything American Revolution, his was not a name I’d come across before which got me thinking, what was the real Hercules Mulligan like and how big a role did he actually play in the War of Independence? I soon learned that not knowing his name was a travesty! His exploits were fascinating and his role in the American Revolution, and penchant for gathering intelligence, may have had a bigger role than Hamilton's!
Pre-Revolution
Hercules Mulligan was born in Coleraine, Ireland and immigrated to North America at six years old. He attended the famous King’s College (currently known as Columbia University) and started working as an accountant with his father. By 1774 he had become a tailor and opened his own store in New York City that catered to the wealthy, including high ranking British officers. Having married the niece of a British Admiral, Elizabeth Sanders, he was uniquely situated to be accepted by both patriots and loyalists. By most accounts, Mulligan was very hands-on with his business and cultivated genuine relationships with his clientele, although this would not stop him from using those relationships to benefit his cause.
From what I can glean, Mulligan entertained independent ideology from a young age and was a staunch patriot. He was about 32 when he was introduced to a newly arrived 17 year old Alexander Hamilton. The two became friends when Hamilton moved in with Mulligan’s family while attending King’s College himself, with Mulligan serving as a pseudo-mentor for the future Secretary of the Treasury. Arguably, Hamilton’s own desire for an independent nation was honed through the influence of Mulligan and their relationship.
Mulligan’s patriotism led him to be one of the first members of the Sons of Liberty and the New York Committee of Correspondence. It is even believed he was part of the mob that tore down the statue of King George at Bowling Green in New York immediately following the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Ultimately, through these affiliations and his personal and business connections, he was strategically placed to play a large role in the looming fight against Great Britain that would change the world.
Revolution
By 1777, Mulligan’s friend, Hamilton, was serving as General George Washington’s “right hand man”. Although there is no way of confirming much of what happens next in Mulligan’s life, it is believed that Hamilton recommended him to spy for Washington in New York, being suited as a result of his successful business connections. Mulligan is also commonly described as being charismatic and as having an ability to get people talking, perfect attributes for a spy! Although not a member, Mulligan probably worked and shared information with the more famous Culper spy ring as they both moved in New York circles.
Mulligan gathered intelligence through his business dealings and conversations with British officers. While taking measurements, Mulligan would stroke their egos and ask questions to gain information he could use without being obvious. He would ask the appropriate questions about when an officer needed their uniform returned to them and glean understanding about future troop movements. Mulligan was a slave owner and once the information was obtained, he would send Cato, an enslaved man, to Washington’s headquarters with the news.
Being a spy, not much can be confirmed about Mulligan’s contributions but most historians can agree on these points:
He exposed the “Hickey Plot '' to have Washington assassinated.
In 1779, he gathered intelligence revealing Howe’s plan to sail south to Charleston, based on British requests for lighter-weight uniforms, which purportedly saved Washington’s life.
In 1781, he again “saved Washington’s life” by sharing information he gathered.
The “Hickey Plot”
Many members of New York society frequented Mulligan’s tailor shop for clothes during the Revolution, including New York Mayor David Matthews. Matthews was a notorious heavy drinker and Mulligan was not opposed to mixing business with pleasure. One such occasion was during a fitting where Mulligan kept Matthew’s glass full to encourage his loose-lips to keep talking. In a chapter in his 2013 book Original American Spies: Seven Covert Agents of the Revolutionary War, Paul R. Misencik writes that Matthews started to “ramble on about how the British were going to bag the rebel General Washington.” Listening more closely, Mulligan is then told by Matthews that “Washington’s own guard were willing to accept hard currency to betray their master . . . they preferred to kidnap Washington, but the contingency plan was to poison the meal of buttered peas, lettuce and ham that Washington was fond of.”
After ending the fitting, Mulligan set out to immediately inform Washington of the planned assassination. On his way to Washington’s headquarters, he met up with Hamilton who returned with the information. This new information fit into a larger puzzle in which Thomas Hickey, a member of Washington's personal guard had been identified as being part of a plot. Hickey became the first person to be executed by the Continental Army for mutiny, sedition, and treachery. Other conspirators, including Mathews, were jailed in Connecticut.
Two More Assassinations Thwarted
Mulligan’s intelligence would go on to save Washington two more times before the war’s end.
John C. Hamilton, son of Alexander, wrote a biography of his father, first released in 1834, where he detailed an assassination attempt on Washington’s life in 1779. He described how a British officer called on Mulligan late at night to obtain a “watch-coat”. The late hour piqued the curiosity of Mulligan who used his gift of gab to get the soldier to boast about his mission that involved capturing the general later that day, hence the late hour and urgency. Mulligan immediately dispatched the enslaved Cato with the news and Washington was moved to safety.
Mulligan learned of another plot to end the war with Washington’s death, in 1781, with a little help from his brother, Hugh. The British found out that Washington was moving from New Windsor, New York, to Newport, Rhode Island, and sought to capitalize. They decided to send troops up the East River and across Long Island Sound to cut Washington off near Connecticut, capturing the General. In a stroke of luck, Hugh was hired to load the British boats with supplies. After receiving word from his brother, Mulligan again dispatched Cato with the information and Washington was safely rerouted.
Post Revolution
Mulligan was suspected by the British several times and interrogated but was always able to talk his way out of a tight spot. His work as a spy was a closely guarded secret and many fellow Patriots believed him to be a friend of the British. After the war, as a means of protecting the man who helped save his life several times, George Washington visited Mulligan’s tailor shop and purchased new clothes. Proudly, Mulligan created a plaque that hung outside that read: “Clothier to Genl. Washington.”
It is important to not underestimate the critical role Cato played in Mulligan’s espionage; the enslaved man’s delivery of the intelligence was fraught with danger as he carried secrets from Mulligan to Washington’s headquarters. Mulligan exploited Cato’s status as a slave, knowing the British would not suspect him of being a courier. Cato earned his freedom and is believed to have spent the remainder of his life in Plymouth, Massachusetts. I could write a whole article about him and his revolutionary contributions! I can only assume he made an indelible mark on Mulligan, who became a founding father of the New York Manumission Society, an organization promoting the abolishment of slavery.
Hercules Mulligan continued running his successful business and unlike other prominent figures of the American Revolution did not go on to hold any elected office. Instead, he worked hard and retired at 80, dying in 1825 at the age 84. He is believed to be buried in the churchyard of Trinity Church in New York, not far from his friend Alexander Hamilton.
Read more about Hercules Mulligan and Cato at these websites:
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