Washington's decisive victory in the 1775 War of Independence can be attributed as much to his skills as a director of clandestine intelligence activities as his military savvy. He first learned about the power of spy technology during the French and Indian War. but his first attempt to establish a spy network failed, resulting in the death of his first spy, Nathan Hale. Despite the hanging of Hale, Washington eventually succeeded in establishing an extremely effective spy network.
Wired November 10, 2003