Intelligence Agencies' Origins Date Back to American Revolutionary War

View Online Intelligence Agencies' Origins Date Back to American Revolutionary War March 20, 2026 | By David Vergun This year marks America's 250th birthday, a nation born in war. Factors that led to the U.S. victory over the British Empire during the Revolutionary War included an effective intelligence network. Gen. George Washington, commander of the Continental Army, established a light infantry unit in 1776 known as Knowlton's Rangers. The unit specialized in espionage and reconnaissance. The unit is considered the nation's first intelligence service. The Culper Ring was a network of spies, organized by Continental Army Maj. Benjamin Tallmadge and Washington, during the British occupation of New York City, Long Island and Connecticut from 1778 to 1783. The spies used secret codes, aliases and invisible ink to report British troop movements. No one from the unit was ever captured. Their intelligence successes included learning of plans for a surprise attack on the newly arrived French forces at Newport, Rhode Island, discovery of a British plan to counterfeit American currency, discovery of a British plan to attack cities in Connecticut and finding the identity of the Continental Army traitor  Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold. The ring also worked to capture a British spy, Army Maj. John Andre, who colluded with Arnold. John Jay, a Founding Father and future chief justice, played a major role in counterintelligence. In 1776, he was instrumental in successfully investigating a plot to recruit people to sabotage defense and infrastructure targets in the New York City area. Jay and the agents he appointed subsequently conducted hundreds of counterintelligence investigations resulting in many arrests of conspiring loyalists.    Benjamin Franklin, another Founding Father, was an expert in covert activities, including a highly effective propaganda campaign.    Foremost among his successes was convincing France to ally with America, an achievement that was a major factor in the war's outcome. He accomplished this with his wit, charm, humor and intellect, wooing French leaders while in Paris during the war. He's considered America's first diplomat.

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