Robert Townsend (born November 25, 1753) is a member of the Culper Ring.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Robert Townsend was born to Samuel Townsend. He ran his family's inn, as an adult. He was recruited into the Culper Ring by Abraham Woodhull, when the latter stayed in his establishment.
Culper Ring service[]
Robert discovered that Abraham was receiving messages through his inn, and correctly pegged Abraham as a spy, but did not report him to the British. Abraham, convinced this meant that Robert was the missing link in the ring and could be their "man in New York", pursues Robert trying to convince him to join. Robert's father, Samuel, joined Abraham in attempting to convince his son to join the cause, but Robert is set on remaining neutral. That is until the Queen's Rangers stop by Samuel's farm on Long Island, demanding horses and provisions. When Samuel requests payment, they burn the barn, slaughter remaining animals, and beat up Samuel for good measure. Robert visits his father right after this occurs and it inspires him to finally pick a side and join the rebels and the ring under the alias of "Culper Jr".
Robert sells his inn and buys a stake in a failing coffeehouse, partnering with James Rivington, a loyalist who runs "The Royal Gazette". Robert's reasoning for this move is that it will allow him greater access to Royal officers and their information. His investment revitalizes the coffeehouse, and once he is set up he begins placing advertisements in Rivington's paper. When he has information to communicate he includes the phrase "French Raspberry Brandy" which puts all the members of the ring into action. Samuel would travel to York City and receive a coded message (written in invisible ink, usually inside a book) from Robert. Abraham would then travel to Oyster Bay to meet up with Samuel and take the intelligence. Caleb Brewster would sail to Setauket and pick up the intelligence from the dead drop, left there by Abraham.
This method worked well, until the intervention of Robert Rogers. Rogers is dead set on revenge against John Andre, and is working his way up the ring through Abraham, trying to get to the source of the information about Andre. Rogers shows up at the Townsend farm on Oyster Bay, taking Anna Strong hostage and forcing Samuel, Abraham, and Caleb to sit at the table waiting for Robert Townsend to come from York City for Thanksgiving dinner. Robert arrives and there is a tense and heated conversation with Rogers. During this time Samuel realizes he recognizes Caleb as one of the 'Rangers' that assaulted him and burnt down his barn. He confronts Caleb with this information, and it is revealed that Abraham ordered the attack to sway Robert to join the ring, but there had been strict orders not to harm Samuel. Robert is outraged, and it culminates with Abraham telling Robert "You couldn't even make a decision on your own, I had to make it for you". Rogers finds the dramatics quite amusing, but having gotten the information he needs, aims his pistol at Abraham to finish him off for reporting him to Captain Simcoe. Before he fires, Robert Townsend pulls a pistol of his own and aims at Rogers' head. Rogers is again amused, this time by the fact that a Quaker pulled a gun on him. Rogers drops the pistol and leaves the house, hopping on his horse. Caleb takes Robert's gun and rushes after Rogers, taking aim and pulling the trigger, only to hear the gun click because Robert had never loaded it.
Robert was an extremely important member of the spy ring. Among his contributions was the discovery of the informant, Reverend Worthington.
Characters met[]
- John André
- Benedict Arnold
- Caleb Brewster
- John Champe
- Jonathan Cooke
- Edmund Hewlett
- Hercules Mulligan
- James Rivington
- Robert Rogers
- Anna Strong
- Samuel Townsend
- Abraham Woodhull
Behind the Scenes[]
Robert Townsend was portrayed by Nick Westrate in Seasons 2, 3 and 4 of Turn: Washington's Spies.
Appearances[]
Turn: Washington's Spies - "Hard Boiled" (first appearance)- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Men of Blood"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Sealed Fate"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Providence" (mentioned only)
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "The Prodigal"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Gunpowder, Treason, and Plot" (mentioned only)
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Cold Murdering Bastards"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Benediction" (mentioned only)
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Hearts and Minds"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Hypocrisy, Fraud, and Tyranny"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Many Mickles Make a Muckle"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Mended"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Trial and Execution"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Spyhunter General"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "The Black Hole of Calcutta" (mentioned only)
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Nightmare"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Private Woodhull"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Our Man in New York"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Quarry"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Belly of the Beast"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Washington's Spies"
Description[]
Season 2[]
- "Secretive and reserved, Robert Townsend is best summed up in the words of historian Alexander Rose: “A man of parts and halves in a time of wholes and absolutes. Half-Quaker, half-Episcopalian, part secular, part devout, an American who refused to fire a musket for his country, a Loyalist who struggled against the British.” The proprietor of a boarding house in British-controlled New York, Townsend has survived by living under the radar, using his considerable wits not only as a weapon to disarm others, but also to keep his true feelings hidden. He quickly recognizes Abe as another who keeps his nature under wraps, and opts not to turn him over to the British when he uncovers evidence of his spying. Seeing Townsend as the missing New York-based piece in the Culper Ring, Abe tries to recruit him, but struggles to overcome Townsend’s ingrained mistrust of others and fear of taking action."
- ―Official description
Season 3[]
- "Secretive and reserved, Robert Townsend is best summed up in the words of historian Alexander Rose: "A man of parts and halves in a time of wholes and absolutes. Half-Quaker, half-Episcopalian, part secular, part devout, an American who refused to fire a musket for his country, a Loyalist who struggled against the British." The proprietor of a boarding house in British-controlled New York, Townsend has survived by living under the radar, using his considerable wits not only as a weapon to disarm others, but also to keep his true feelings hidden. He quickly recognizes Abe as another who keeps his nature under wraps, and opts not to turn him over to the British when he uncovers evidence of his spying. Seeing Townsend as the missing New York-based piece in the Culper Ring, Abe tries to recruit him, but struggles to overcome Townsend's ingrained mistrust of others and fear of taking action. Season Three finds Townsend now a partner in Rivington's Corner, a coffeehouse that is the gathering place of the the British officer class."
- ―Official description
Season 4[]
- "Secretive and reserved, Robert Townsend is best summed up in the words of historian Alexander Rose: "A man of parts and halves in a time of wholes and absolutes. Half-Quaker, half-Episcopalian, part secular, part devout, an American who refused to fire a musket for his country, a Loyalist who struggled against the British." Townsend has survived by living under the radar, using his considerable wits not only as a weapon to disarm others, but to keep his true feelings hidden. He recognized Abe as another keeping his nature under wraps, and opted not to turn him over to the British when he uncovered evidence of his spying. Seeing Townsend as the missing New York-based piece in the Culper Ring, Abe recruited him, eventually overcoming Townsend's ingrained mistrust of others and fear of taking action. Season 3 found Townsend now a partner in Rivington's Corner, a coffeehouse that was the gathering place of the British officer class. Between the scraps of intelligence he overheard from his customers or gleaned from his talkative partner Rivington, Townsend averted a crippling attack on the American camp. In the fourth season, Benedict Arnold's roundup of suspected spies comes perilously close to nabbing Townsend, who has to lay low."
- ―Official description