As part of our commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, BHS welcomes author and historian Richard F. Welch for an engaging look at the remarkable life of Benjamin Tallmadge, the Setauket native who became one of the Revolutionary War’s most important military leaders and intelligence operatives.

A trusted aide to George Washington, Tallmadge served on the front lines of the fight for independence while also helping to direct some of the Patriot cause’s most critical intelligence operations. From the Battles of Long Island, White Plains, and Germantown to daring raids against British positions on Long Island, Tallmadge distinguished himself as a cavalry commander, strategist, and expert in intelligence and counterintelligence. He also protected Patriot communities in Westchester from British and Loyalist attacks and led his own elite legion in combined land-and-sea operations.

Perhaps most famously, Tallmadge oversaw Washington’s most active espionage network on Long Island and in New York, playing a central role in gathering intelligence and helping expose the Arnold-André conspiracy to surrender West Point to the British.

The presentation will also explore Tallmadge’s impressive postwar career as a successful businessman and member of Congress, revealing how his influence extended far beyond the battlefield.

About the Author: Richard F. Welch received his doctorate in history from Stony Brook University and taught American history at Long Island University and Farmingdale State College. He served as editor of Long Island Forum from 1991 to 2014 and was a contributing editor of the Journal of Long Island History. The author of seven books and numerous scholarly articles and reviews, his most recent work is Long Island’s Gold Coast Warriors: The North Shore Elite and World War One (2021). He also contributed to the Encyclopedia of New York State and served as a trustee of the Suffolk County Historical Society from 2008 to 2024.

Admission is free of charge; reserve your free tickets at www.baysidehistorical.org/events-1/the-talented-major-tallmadge-presentation-by-richard-f-welch.

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