Lydia Darragh (1729 – December 28, 1789) was an Irish woman said to have crossed British lines during the British occupation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the American Revolutionary War, delivering information to George Washington and the Continental Army that warned them of a pending British attack. Contemporary sources claim Darragh's uncorroborated story is historically unsubstantiated.
Early life
Lydia Barrington Darragh was born in 1729 in Dublin, Ireland to John and Mary (Aldridge) Barrington, the youngest child of six. On November 2, 1753, she married the family's tutor, William Darragh, the son of a clergyman. A few years later, they immigrated to Philadelphia, where William worked as a tutor and Lydia as a midwife. She gave birth to nine children, but sadly, four of them died at birth. The four children that died were; Hunter, Connor, Caira, and Nora. The remaining children were Charles (born 1755), Ann (born 1757), John (born 1763), William (born 1766), and Susannah (born 1768). Lydia Barrington was not well educated because her parents did not have enough money for her education.
American Revolutionary War
As Quakers, the Darraghs were pacifists. However, their oldest son Charles served with the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Army.
Lydia's "claim to fame" is saving Washington's army from an ambush at Whitemarsh in December 1777. The story was first published in 1827, and was later elaborated on. In 1777 the British were occupying Philadelphia. Lydia Darragh's house happened to be across the street from General William Howe's headquarters, and the night of December 2, 1777 British officers commandeered one of her rooms for a secret conference. Lydia eavesdropped on their meeting, learning of their plan to go after Washington's army at Whitemarsh. On December 4, she requested and received a pass to leave the city to go Frankford Mill to buy flour. Once outside the city, she made her way toward the Continental army at Whitemarsh. On the road, she met a friend who happened to be Colonel Thomas Craig from Washington's army. Lydia passed the information of the impending British attack through him, got her flour, and headed back to Philadelphia. That night the British marched on Whitemarsh; instead of the ambush they had planned, the Continental army was at arms and ready. General Howe was forced to return to Philadelphia.
On September 26, 1777, British troops occupied Philadelphia. General William Howe moved across the street from the Darraghs, in a house formerly belonging to John Cadwalader. Darragh began regularly providing her son Charles with information regarding the enemy's plans, gathered by eavesdropping in her home and around town. She would often write this information in simple code on pieces of scrap paper, which she hid in large buttons that she and the messengers wore. On September 27, 1777, Major John Andre, aide to General Howe, requested use of the Darraghs home for Howe's staff. Lydia told them that they had already sent away their two youngest children to live with relatives in another city, but that they had nowhere else to go and would like to stay in their home. She protested and went straight to Howe's residence (Cadwalader House) across the street from her home (Loxley House). Prior to her meeting Howe, a British officer introduced himself as Captain William Barrington of the 7th Regiment of Foot (Royal Fusiliers). She was immediately taken aback by his Irish brogue and his name Barrington, which was her maiden name. He told her that he was from Dublin and in the course of the conversation, she discovered that he was her second cousin. She explained to him the situation and he stated that he would take up her case with Howe immediately. They both walked into the residence and were taken in to see Howe who agreed to let her stay but that he and his staff would use the large house parlor for staff meetings. They were permitted to remain, as Quakers were known to be unsupportive of the war, even on the side of the colonies, and therefore posed no apparent risk to the British army.