Skip to content
Interpreting the Evidence

Baron von Ottendorf Letter about the Deposition of "Miss Jenny," August 15, 1781

Student View

About this Activity

  • Documents in this Activity:
  • Historical Eras:

    Revolution and New Nation (1754 - 1820s)

  • Thinking Skill:

    Historical Analysis & Interpretation

  • Grade Level:

    Middle School
    High School
    College University

  • Topics:

    American Revolution
    Women

  • Primary Source Types:

    Written Document

  • Regions:

    New York State

  • Creator:

    NYS Archives Partnership Trust Education Team

  1. Load Baron von Ottendorf Letter about the Deposition of "Miss Jenny," August 15, 1781 in Main Image Viewer
  2. Load Baron von Ottendorf Letter about the Deposition of "Miss Jenny," August 15, 1781 in Main Image Viewer
  3. Load Baron von Ottendorf Letter about the Deposition of "Miss Jenny," August 15, 1781 in Main Image Viewer

Suggested Teaching Instructions

Document Description
Baron von Ottendorf Letter about the Deposition of "Miss Jenny," August 15, 1781
Historical Context
Miss Jenny was a female spy for the British who infiltrated a camp of French soldiers who were fighting for the Americans. Miss Jenny gathered intelligence about the Americans’ plans to attack New York City. Because of this information, the British decided to keep their troops in New York, leaving Yorktown with too few men to defend it. When the Americans decided to attack Yorktown instead of New York City, the British surrendered the battle, leading to their disgrace and the eventual end of the war.
The role of intelligence and counterintelligence had a significant impact on how George Washington’s Continental Army won the war. Spies and counterspies, invisible ink, codes and ciphers contained covert missions within secret messages and all were used to help fight the war. Members of the Culper Ring, the "mole" in the Sons of Liberty, and women spies fighting secretly behind Patriot and Loyalist battle lines contributed to the gathering and transferring of information.
Essential Question
How did female spies manipulate soldiers to share information?
Check for Understanding
Divide the class into two groups representing Loyalist and Patriot armies.  Each group will create a diversion or, spy scenario allowing the opposing army to “intercept” a spy and try to infiltrate enemy battle strategies. (For more about battle strategy, see Military Aspects…)
Historical Challenges
What happened to a number of female spies that were caught aiding the enemy with intelligence?
RETURN TO RESULTS