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being a Tory appear to have been dismissed. Honeyman even sought compensation for losses he suffered during the war, something that a Tory would not have considered. While other Tories were forced to flee to Nova Scotia after the war, Honeyman remained in New Jersey. In fact, it is known that
Honeyman purchased several tracts of land after the war, which raises the question of how a simple weaver with a rather large family could afford to make these purchases without some special income. John C. Van Dyke records that Honeyman "had always been considered a poor man, and his neighbors were much surprised when he died leaving about twelve thousand dollars. That was a large sum in those days...." That is evidence, to some, that he received compensation for his role in the war.
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589:, the author of The Desert, added that "documents discovered in the Secretary of State's office at Trenton go to confirm it," without identifying the documents further. In his autobiography, John C. Van Dyke also wrote, "My father was much with him (Honeyman) in his later years, and he had fragments of the story from the spy's own lips, but the spy was never very communicative."
458:. Although Honeyman had served the British well during the French and Indian War, he was sympathetic to the American cause and promptly presented his services to Washington. Washington, astute at finding good talent, accepted Honeyman's services. In the early part of 1776, Honeyman moved with his family to
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His credibility as a Tory now well-established, he moved to
Trenton where his trade enabled him to move freely within the town and gather intelligence about the garrison. Having amassed enough information, he arranged to be captured by the Continental forces, who had been ordered to watch for him and
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Posing as a Tory, Honeyman, continuing his trade as a butcher and weaver, commenced his trade with the
British. He was instructed to continue trading as much as possible behind the American lines in Griggstown and, if necessary, to flee to Trenton on the pretext of the danger posed to his family due
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Supporters argue that the lack of direct evidence merely points to the excellent job
Honeyman, and Washington, did concealing his actions as a spy. Some have offered circumstantial evidence to support the spy story. Historians have pointed out that several legal actions brought against Honeyman for
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With
Washington, Honeyman had arranged for his mission to be confined in New Jersey and since the British were driven from the colony in 1777 his services were little needed, if at all. It had further been agreed upon, however, that Honeyman would continue to maintain his cover as a Tory to prevent
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After receiving the information
Honeyman had gathered, Washington ordered the guards to feed the "Tory" and lock him up in a small hut used as a prison. Shortly afterward, a fire broke out in the vicinity providing an opportunity for Honeyman to "escape". Making his way back to Trenton, he told the
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Doubters point to the lack of direct evidence to support the spy story, including the fact that the letter from
Washington that protected the Honeyman family has never been seen outside the family. Some find it odd that a document of such apparent historic value has never surfaced publicly. Author
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crossing, Honeyman was on watch on the deck when Wolfe, who was about to descend a stairway, tripped and would have surely fallen if he had not been caught by
Honeyman. Wolfe showed his gratitude by taking down Honeyman's name and promising to look out for the young private.
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on
September 13, 1759. While it ended with a British victory, Wolfe was fatally shot and Honeyman was among those who carried the General down the heights to his shelter, where he died. Some people believe that one of the three men surrounding Wolfe in the painting
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The role
Honeyman played in the Revolutionary War has been debated for some time. The first written record of his involvement with Washington appears to be his grandson Judge John Van Dyke's "An Unwritten Account of a Spy of Washington," which appeared in
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notes that "not once is John Honeyman mentioned in Washington's voluminous correspondence and papers" and that "upon meeting Honeyman, a veteran of the British army, Washington would have been more likely to recruit him as a sergeant than as a spy."
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Even though the Hessians had been on heightened alert for the past two weeks, they believed Honeyman's story and so felt confident enough to relax security on December 26. In the meantime, Honeyman made his way to
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descent. The son of a poor farmer, he received little formal education but was nevertheless literate and learned several trades, including weaving. He worked as a farmer until the age of 29 and then entered the
419:, carrying with him his discharge papers as well as a letter from General Wolfe requesting his services as his bodyguard. He took up his trade as a butcher and weaver and he married the former Mary Henry, an
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raided Honeyman's house in Griggstown. Fortunately, his family were saved from certain harm by a signed letter from Washington guaranteeing its safety, but nevertheless calling Honeyman "a notorious Tory".
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magazine in 1873, nearly 100 years later. Van Dyke is said to have relied on details he got from one of Honeyman's daughters, Van Dyke's Aunt Jane Honeyman who died in 1836. Judge Van Dyke's son,
489:, in November and there, Honeyman agreed that he would act the part of a spy for the American cause in that part of New Jersey where he was most familiar. Washington told Honeyman to use the
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Article in the CIA's Intelligence Quarterly by Alexander Rose questioning the Honeyman spy story: "The Spy Who Never Was: The Strange Case of John Honeyman and Revolutionary War Espionage"
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His wife, Mary Honeyman, died on June 24, 1801, and three years later, he married a widow, Elizabeth Estel-Burrows. He died on August 18, 1822, at the age of 93 and is buried in the
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any reprisals by the British against him and his family until the end of the war. As a consequence, he did not return to Griggstown until after hostilities ended four years later.
497:. The fact that he served under Wolfe, as proven by his discharge papers as well as Wolfe's letter requesting his services as his bodyguard, guaranteed his acceptance by the enemy
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from Pennsylvania to New Jersey north of Trenton. The next morning, the Continental forces surprised the Hessians in a rout, giving the Americans a much-needed victory at the
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was retreating across New Jersey in 1776, Washington wanted to "get some person into
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which ended after 48 days on July 26, 1758. Wolfe, who served under
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706:. Salt Lake City: The University of Utah Press. pp. 19–20.
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by David Hackett Fischer questioning the Honeyman spy story
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People from Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey
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American spy and British informant for George Washington
691:. New Brunswick, N.J.: Privately Printed. p. 69.
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Studies in Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency
66:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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399:the following summer and which culminated in the
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777:True Comics Issue 05 Unsung Hero - John Honeyman
847:People of New Jersey in the American Revolution
862:British Army personnel of the Seven Years' War
612:Intelligence in the American Revolutionary War
872:American spies during the American Revolution
638:. Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from
772:AmericanHeritage.com / A Spy For Washington
747:. The University of Utah Press. p. 21.
514:bring him straight to Washington unharmed.
485:. He called upon Honeyman for a meeting at
126:Learn how and when to remove this message
882:Irish emigrants to the Thirteen Colonies
867:British military intelligence informants
797:Patriots Rising: The American-Revolution
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303:crucial to Washington's victory in the
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566:Lamington Presbyterian Church Cemetery
357:was also embarked. One day during the
295:, primarily responsible for spreading
183:Lamington Presbyterian Church Cemetery
745:The Autobiography of John C. Van Dyke
704:The Autobiography of John C. Van Dyke
211:Mrs. Elizabeth Estel-Burrows (1804-?)
427:at the First Presbyterian Church in
64:adding citations to reliable sources
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29:. For the 17th-century actor, see
25:. For the English footballer, see
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435:In service as Washington's spy
412:in Montreal is John Honeyman.
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687:Van Dyke, John (1915).
632:"The Spy Who Never Was"
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887:Burials in New Jersey
784:Washington's Crossing
587:John Charles Van Dyke
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570:Lamington, New Jersey
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365:Upon landing off the
334:French and Indian War
311:Early life and career
173:Lamington, New Jersey
782:Appendix notes from
487:Fort Lee, New Jersey
456:Continental Congress
367:Saint Lawrence River
60:improve this article
522:commander, Colonel
375:Siege of Louisbourg
241:Service branch
473:When Washington's
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323:, Honeyman was of
299:and gathering the
251:Service years
217:Espionage activity
159:Kingdom of Ireland
664:Rose, Alexander.
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31:John Honyman
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827:1822 deaths
822:1729 births
689:The Raritan
636:CIA Library
553:Later years
524:Johann Rall
397:Quebec City
373:during the
355:James Wolfe
343:aboard the
188:Nationality
816:Categories
728:20 January
618:References
468:New Jersey
460:Griggstown
445:Griggstown
423:girl from
393:New France
259:Operations
223:Allegiance
86:newspapers
425:Coleraine
350:on which
336:in 1758.
289:informant
254:1775-1783
206:Spouse(s)
116:July 2016
646:21 March
606:See also
583:Our Home
507:patriots
499:garrison
481:" as an
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279:American
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