The First Conspiracy summary

Despite the whisper of liberty in the air, the delegates at the 1775 Second Continental Congress were still cautious – they were not yet convinced of the need for a full-scale war with England. However, there was one thing they were all convinced of: the need for a national American army that could fight a war with the British if needed.

This army, the first of its kind in colonial America, would coordinate the rebel militias that had sprung up across New England into a coherent military and would also enlist men from across the colonies. Once the delegates had agreed on this plan, the next major question arose: Who would lead this army?

Ten days after being appointed general of the new continental army, George Washington led a contingent of soldiers toward Boston, where British forces had imposed a strict state of martial law, and confiscated thousands of guns from local citizens. On his way to New England, Washington passed through New York, then the second-largest settlement, after Philadelphia, in the colonies. As he paraded through the city, greeted by crowds of patriotic well-wishers, Washington brushed up against a dangerous adversary.

This adversary was none other than the governor of New York, William Tryon, a fierce loyalist to the British Crown. Born into an aristocratic family in England in 1729, Tryon was initially an officer in the British military, before setting sail for America in the 1760s in search of opportunity and riches.

In the months following George Washington’s appointment as general of the continental army, he concentrated on swelling the ranks of his new forces, as well as forcing the British to retreat from Boston, where they maintained a chokehold over the city. Camped out with his troops on the outskirts of the city, Washington could clearly see the British foe. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see the other foe – the one that lurked within his own ranks.

Though he was already an experienced military veteran, Washington was unprepared for the dangerous situation he now faced in this particular conflict. Whereas previously it was obvious who was the enemy and who were friends, now, as the prospect of war with the British loomed, allegiances were far less clear-cut.

In March 1776, Washington’s army succeeded in driving the British army out of Boston. However, the repercussions of this victory were grave indeed. Now, Great Britain would send all its might to secure New York. And if the British were heading to the city, that meant George Washington and his military must, too. For the first time, General Washington and Governor Tryon were on a collision course.

In March 1776, William Tryon was well aware of the threat that Washington and the Continental army posed to the Crown’s hold on New York. However, Tryon was also aware that the British military were still several weeks away from reaching the city. The governor pondered how he could undermine the patriotic forces until their arrival.

So how could a well-funded plan with men not only on the inside, but in absolute proximity to Washington not have succeeded? Remarkably, the failure of Tryon’s plot was mostly due to a chance encounter in a New York jail.

On June 15, 1776, a man named Isaac Ketcham languished in a city jail cell, charged with counterfeiting money. That night, two more prisoners joined him. These men were soldiers in the continental army and had also been detained for counterfeiting. To Ketcham’s shock, the men revealed their knowledge of Tryon’s plot. More incredibly still, they told Ketcham that not only did they know about this plot, but they were also part of it. The final blow? They were not merely continental soldiers; they said they were both Life Guards – George Washington’s bodyguards.