Assignment Active
Finding the Central Idea
What is the central idea in this passage?
O Invisible ink was a good choice when writing in
code
O Giving up information could be a disaster for either
side
Both the British and the Americans frequently used
horseback riders to carry messages, and both sides tried
to capture the riders and get the messages. The rider who
lost one of Washington's important messages was
Tallmadge himself. It happened when Tallmadge and
some of his men were attacked by British troops near the
Connecticut-New York border. Tallmadge escaped
unharmed but lost a saddlebag full of secret papers.
Luckily, Tallmadge's code did not fall into British hands.
But among the papers was a letter from Washington in
which he carelessly gave the name and address of an
agent, George Higday, saying that he was a man who
would probably "convey intelligence to me." Higday was
arrested, but he had managed to destroy all evidence of
spying.
- George Washington, Spymaster,
Thomas B. Allen
O George Washington could have done a better job
managing his spies.
O The British used horseback riders to deliver
messages
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