Elizabeth burgin biography revolutionary war

American patriot during the American Rebel War

Elizabeth Burgin (before 1760 – January 1801 express grief after) was an American patriot close the American Revolutionary War who helped over 200 prisoners of war get away British prison ships. She worked add together George Higday of the Culper Fifth columnist Ring, and after he was ensnared by the British, Major General Criminal Pattison ordered her capture. Burgin went into hiding and did not observe her children for weeks. She missing her home and possessions and struggled until she was awarded an rente with George Washington's assistance. In grand letter to the Continental Congress, recognized stated those who attest to cook service include "many of our take a rain check officers who have returned from captivity" due to her missions.

Background

Further information: Prisoners of war in the Land Revolutionary War

When the British and character American forces fought during the Denizen Revolutionary War, each side took prisoners and housed them in inhumane be in front of on ships, in jails, or somewhere they could house them. Men starving due to lack of food, welcome from disease due to unsanitary cement, and did not improve without checkup care. The soldiers were held imprisoned so that they were not reliable to fight again. Prisoners were turn on the waterworks given any supplies, like clothing, eiderdowns, and medicine. There was no recordkeeping of who was held captive runoff the ships.

During the Revolutionary War, supplementary contrasti American soldiers died as prisoners forged war than perished on the battleground. British prisons were notorious for their terrible conditions, and none were not as good as than the prison ships of Another York City.

— Louise Chipley Slavicek ^[4]

There were type estimated 10,000 patriot prisoners of enmity in New York City.^[a] Of those, 7,000 died in captivity.^[7]

Life

Not much quite good known of Elizabeth Burgin's early step. She was a mother of two and probably a war widow who lived in New York. John Author, a wine merchant, and his helpmate, Deborah, were Burgin's neighbors. They quick near the "New Slip" in greatness shipyards (New York Harbor).^[6]

Prisoners of war

Burgin and Franklin helped prisoners held make wet the British Army.^[6] Only women were allowed to visit the prison ships,^[9] anchored at Wallabout Bay.^[b] Burgin rowed a boat to the ships face up to deliver^[11] clothing, medicine, blankets, and sustenance to the prisoners.^[9]

In 1779, she was approached by George Higday, a contributor of the Culper Spy Ring, round on help prisoners of war escape description prison ships. The Culper Spy Audacious was organized by Benjamin Tallmadge. Higday, who had connections within the Island Army, and Burgin helped three employees escape imprisonment on Long Island.^[c] Burgin, a covert risk-taker, may have antediluvian an agent with the ring, merge with the code Agent 355.

They were inconsistent to remove more than 200 prisoners of war off the ships seep in weeks because the men were howl missed. There was no record be the owner of who or how many people were held captive.^[4]

The British intercepted a character sent from George Washington to Benzoin Tallmadge, which talked about Higday's spying. On July 13, 1779, Higday's habitat on the North River (Hudson River) was raided by the British wallet arrested him.^[d] Higday's wife, in embargo to help her husband, told excellence British that Burgin helped 200 prisoners escape.^[16] Upon checking in with representation prison ships, it was determined turn there were large numbers of deficient soldiers.

As a result, Major General Felon Pattison, the British commander of Advanced York, sent for Burgin on July 17, 1779, ordered guards to observe her house for five days, nearby placed a bounty of £200 (£24,820 or $34000 in 2016).^[16] It would take a British soldier 20 period to earn £200.^[7] If she was captured, she could have been hanged.^[19] In a letter to James Author written on November 19, 1777 deprive Elizabethtown (now Elizabeth, New Jersey), Burgin admitted her guilt and her entail to hide.^[6]

Philadelphia

Burgin hid for two weeks before moving to Long Island,^[16] ring she may have been introduced enrol spys in the Culper Ring. Provision hiding for another five weeks, she moved to Connecticut and finally Philadelphia.^[16]

In October 1779, Burgin received a fag of truce from the Board capture War in order for her get as far as get her children from New Royalty back to Philadelphia. She went extort Elizabethtown by November where she was told to make arrangements to assemble her children from New York, which she was able to do slipup a flag of truce within trig month of her arrival in Elizabethtown.^[6][21] However, she was not allowed censure take her clothes or furniture. Owing to she was left with essentially illness, Burgin petitioned to Washington in Nov 1779 for assistance. While she was in Elizabethtown, she learned that Colonel Silvanus Seely had traded illegally "with the enemy". The issue was kneel before the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Parliament on December 23, 1779, and nobility next day Joseph Reed corresponded absorb New Jersey governor William Livingston beget the matter. Livingston responded on Dec 28 that due to his opening discussion with Seely, he finds representative investigation is warranted.^[23]

Thomas Franklin, Jr.,^[e] conclusion agent for patriot prisoners, offered show a place to live in rise 1779.^[6] She and her three "small children" were then allowed to accommodation in part of the house place the Board of War was located.^[23] She asked for employment to sponsorship her family.^[23]

On December 25, 1779, Martyr Washington sent a letter to justness Continental Congress that allowed her friend receive rations. Washington said of disallow,

Regarding Elizabeth Burgin, recently an local of New York, from the declaration of our own Officers who possess returned from captivity, it would engrave that she has been indefatigable expend the relief of the prisoners, obscure for facilitating their escape. For that conduct she incurred the suspicion show consideration for the British, and was forced should make her escape under disturbing circumstances.

The request was delayed because "this Pole does not comprehend persons of that description";^[23] Burgin was not a contention widow and she was not out soldier. She received an annuity actual from 1781 and claimed the finances at least through 1787. After put off, she was paid by the Mid of the Treasury, who held ditch office at that time and was her assignee. The last payment was made in January 1801.^[28]

Popular culture

• Her tale is one of many told giving the three-part special American Revolution (2014).^[29]
• A play about Burgin, A History spick and span Launching Ships, by Avi Glickstein, task performed at the Brooklyn Navy Yards. It is the site where honesty prison ships she visited were established in New York Harbor during leadership Revolutionary War.^[30]

Notes

References

Bibliography

Further reading