Author: William Tallmadge Austin
Major Benjamin Tallmadge was born February 25, 1754 in Setauket, Long Island, NY. to Rev. Benjamin Tallmadge and Susannah Smith. Benjamin Tallmadge spent his boyhood in Setauket and went to collage at Yale graduating in 1773.

After the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, Benjamin entered the Continental Army as a Lieutenant. He was in the Battle of Long Island in August of 1776. The following December he was promoted to Captain of the 1st Troop of the Second Dragoons and soon after was promoted to Major.
He was also engaged in the Battle of White Plains, Brandywine, Monmouth, Germantown and White Marsh.

On Tuesday, November 21, 1780, Tallmadge’s force of eighty men left Fairfield, Connecticut in eight open whaleboats and rowed across Long Island Sound landing at Old Man’s Harbor. Upon arriving at Old Man’s Harbor a storm developed and the men sheltered themselves from the storm under their overturned boats. After the storm passed, twenty men were left in charge of the boats and at 7:00p.m. the others began to march across Long Island to the fort in Mastic. Two miles from the Manor House at the fort, Tallmadge’s raiding party stopped for some refreshment. It was now 3:00 a.m. on November 23rd. Tallmadge sent out scouting parties to review the structural layout of the triangular-shaped fort and conformed that there was a British garrison of about fifty men. An hour later Tallmadge launched a three-pronged surprise attack. After a ten minute battle, the raiders captured the fort. Informed that a British ship loaded with rum, sugar and glass was in sight of the fort, Tallmadge detached a party to board and take the ship, removing the cargo and setting it afire. After destroying the garrison buildings, supplies and ammunition at the fort, Tallmadge’s company marched away at 8:00 a.m. The major selected about a dozen men and together they took horses from the fort. He ordered his subordinate, Captain Edger, to march the rest of the men and the prisoners to a spot at the middle of the island. Tallmadge and his now-mounted dragoons rode to Coram and set fire to a storage area consisting of over 300 tons of hay and forage held for the enemy cavalry. Tallmadge group then rejoined the entire party and returned to Connecticut at 1:00 a.m.

In 1777 Benjamin was instrumental in organizing a spy ring to report to George Washington on the activities in New York City. The spy network was referred to as the “Culper Network. Although Tallmadge later participated in some other minor commando raids in Lloyds Neck and Huntington his major concern was to insure the safety of his agents through the end of the war. When the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, ending the Revolutionary War, Tallmadge was able to enter New York and ride down Broadway in his American uniform escorted by a few dragoons.

Major Tallmadge retired from the army at the rank of Colonel. On March 16, 1784, he married Mary Floyd, daughter of William Floyd, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Tallmadge’s father officiated at the ceremony.