Dr. Benjamin Church, Jr.
b. Newport, RI, August 24, 1734
d. Lost at sea, January, 1778
Physician, patriot, traitor, writer. Grandson of famous Rhode Island
war hero Colonel Benjamin Church.
A member of the Harvard class of 1754, he is considered one of the best
known physicians in New England; a resident of Boston at the time.
As an established literary writer, some of his works in the form of patriot
propaganda, he accompanied those who officially protested the Boston Massacre.
Appointed as the first Surgeon General on of the United States July 24,1775,
he held this position for only 3 months.
A distinguished patriot at the commencement of the Revolution, but a traitor
at its close. It was later learned that he was reporting regularly and
reliably to Lt. General Thomas Gage, Commander and Chief of British forces
in North America.
His downfall as a traitor began when his famous letter was given to his
mistress with instructions to pass it on to the enemy through the proper
channels in Newport.
The woman gave the ciphered letter to Godfrey Wenwood with instructions
to deliver it to Captain Wallace of the H.M.S. Rose. Wenwood was a Banister's
Wharf bakery and bread shop owner, and former customer of the woman, Church's
mistress.
Originally, Wenwood did not realize the importance of the letter, but a
month later he turned it over to American authorities. Subsequently, the
woman was arrested and under interrogation, admitted that the sender of
the letter was Dr. Church.
Council of War held in Cambridge, MA in October 1775, presided over by
George Washington concluded that Dr. Church was guilty of communicating
with the enemy.
At that time, neither the Council of War nor the Provincial Congress had
any power to punish him. Finally, the Continental Congress directed that
he be imprisoned.
Since there were no laws for punishment, as a result of the arrest and
conviction of Dr.Church, Congress made death the maximum penalty for communicating
with the enemy.
Subsequently, Dr. Church was dispatched upon a vessel that was lost at
sea, never to be heard from again. |
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