Lydia Darragh

Lydia Darragh

Lydia Darragh (a Quaker woman) was born in the year 1729 in Dublin, Ireland. She had five children and a husband. One of her sons was in the war even though he was a Quaker! She was know as a mother, nurse and teacher. Few knew her as a spy for the Patriots. She knew how to read, write and sew. She lived in Philadelphia. She had a husband named William Darragh(a tutor.)

On September 26, 1777, the British occupied her house. The British told her that she and her family were to stay in her room. But when she showed the British to the room they were to hold their meeting in, she didn't go to her room. Instead she listened to their conversation. The meeting was to plan a surprise attack on General Washington's troops!

On a cold snowy December 3, 1777, Lydia set out with an empty bag of flour toward Thomas Craig (a lieutenant for the American Army.) Once she got there she told him about the surprise attack on General Washington's troops (where her son was!) Then she told him to say she didn't tell him. This was heroic because she traveled about 13 miles on foot to tell Lieutenanat Thomas Craig about the British plans.

Lydia Darragh is my hero because she spied on British Officers. She also walked 13 miles to warn that the British were coming. Finally she kept a secret from the British Officers. She impacted my life by being a girl hero and being a spy for the Patriots.