‘Turn,’ AMC’s New Series About America’s First Spy Ring, Is A Visually Arresting Historical Epic

The Daily Beast ^ | 4-6-14

[cripplecreek]

Lots of British actors in this show too.

[cripplecreek]

[Talisker]

But doesn’t this movie series take place during the American Revolution?

[afraidfortherepublic]

Yes. This series is based on a different book — not Kilmeade’s.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I first heard about this more than 10 years ago from an article in The Smithsonian that identified one of the women spies as a Quaker lady. The Tories took over her house, and he older son had volunteered with the Colonials, despite their Quaker religion.

According to the story in The Smithsonian, she would lie on her bedroom floor at night and listen through a knothole to the British officers gathered around her dining room table. Then she would write the information on a piece of muslin (troop movements) and make a covered button with the cloth and sew it on the clothes of her younger son

The younger son would head to market with his fatherthe following day and take a detour to visit his brother in Washington’s camp where Washinngton would cut the button off of the chil’s clothes and unwrap it an know where the British troops were planning to fight the next day.

The Smithsonian knew herr name, but I’ve forgotten it.

[freekitty]

Use the top link. Sometimes one of them doesn’t work.

[Pharmboy]

Lydia Darragh

[afraidfortherepublic]

YES! That’s the name. Not the same member of the spy ring whom they claim is “unidentified”?

Anyhow, I loved that article in the Smithsonian. My mother (who is 100 years old) used that story in a skit she wrote about lady spies. I helped her do the research and produced the finished product. She is a retired school teacher who used to write a little play a year for the retired teachers until she was 98.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Apparently Wikipedia does not buy the story about the child and the home-made button. Their account is even more interesting.

[Lazamataz]

This is 2014. I expect the following:

• Anti-Second Amendment messages, with it ramped up to THIS level:
  
  Benjamin Franklin: Well, we have SHOWN that civilian firearm possession is mandatory for a free people.
  
  Thomas Jefferson: Yes... for now. Later on, people will have much more dangerous weapons -- perhaps ones that can fire repeatedly! And made out of exotic materials, and painted BLACK! So, because we are not going to need the militia for long, let us base the amendment on the regulated militia, and we certainly do not mean this applies to weapons of the future!

• There will be plugs for Obamacare: "Hey! You know what we need? Health insurance that is run by the government, and is set up on central exchanges!"

• Gay marriage, gay parades, gay bars, gay people, gay stuff done by gay people in gay locations.

• A plea for Mexican Immigration Reform, to benefit the one Mexican that crossed over.

[Pharmboy]

Indeed. I think that there are some spy stories from the RevWar that we will never know, and others will have several iterations: the nature of espionage.

Loved the vignette about mom!

[Pharmboy]

Normally, I would agree with you; however, it appears that this was produced and written by conservatives. Rumor has it, one is a Freeper.

Don't miss it, the first 90 minutes were quite excellent.

[Lazamataz]

I will watch it after all!!!11!

[Jane Long]

it appears that this was produced and written by conservatives. Rumor has it, one is a Freeper.

Okay, THAT got my attention!! I'll definitely watch, now ;) This series does sound intriguing.

My favorite American Revolution spy is still Nathan Hale.

[Pharmboy]

Benjamin Tallmadge was a classmate of Nathan Hale’s at Yale and his best friend. It has been said that Hale’s hanging (near present day 63rd and 3rd Ave in NYC) provoked Tallmadge to start the spy ring.

[Publius]

It was up against “Game of Thrones” so I DVR’d it. I’ll watch it tonight.

[Jane Long]

We recently toasted a pint in honor of Geo Washinton and Nathan Hale at Fraunces Tavern, in Manhattan.

“With a heart full of love and gratitude, I now take leave of you....” and adding, “I have but one regret, that I only have one life to give for my country”.

[redhead]

Yes, but Queen Elizabeth I reigned in the 1600’s. Incidentally, I saw the pilot, and it was VERY good. Sorting out characters was a bit difficult right at first, but it promises to be quite interesting.

[redhead]

That. Is. GORGEOUS. Thank you!

[Pharmboy]

I have done the same. When I lived in Manhattan, I was an active member of the NYC Revolutionary Roundtable who sometimes met there.

Your Obdt & Humble Svt.
P____y