Spies in red coats.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)

SIR: Michael English's article "The Shady Status of the Spy" (January-February 2005) raises important issues. It might therefore be interesting to look back at earlier practices.

During the Peninsular War 1809-13, the Duke of Wellington employed what he called "exploring officers" to bring in intelligence. The best-known of these was Lt. Col. Colquhoun Grant of the 11th Foot, a brilliant linguist and organiser of a network of informers so good that information kept on coming in even when Grant was caught by the French, although he later escaped. As an army officer, Col. Grant rode around the countryside, and behind the enemy lines, in the red coat and white breeches of a British officer, which protected him from execution as a spy when he was caught.

During the American War of Independence, another British army officer, Major John Andre, organised such an efficient intelligence gathering network that he seriously damaged American war ...