HERCULES MULLIGAN! A TAILOR SPYING ON THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
February 12, 2016 8:42 PM   Subscribe

Finally, the article on your favorite spy who sews that you always wanted. Also, he saved George Washington twice and Washington stopped in the middle of a parade to have breakfast with him.

Okay, seriously, how many days has it been since another Hamilton thread came up?
posted by jenfullmoon (40 comments total) 27 users marked this as a favorite
 
I admire the restraint you showed in not making the entire text of the fpp Hercules Mulligan NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION.
posted by kate blank at 8:48 PM on February 12, 2016 [23 favorites]


I TAKE THEIR MEASUREMENTS INFORMATION AND THEN I SMUGGLE IT
posted by prefpara at 9:15 PM on February 12, 2016 [8 favorites]


but seriously, I JOINED THE REVOLUTION CUZ I KNOW IT'S MY CHANCE TO SOCIALLY ADVANCE INSTEADA SOWING SOME PANTS
posted by prefpara at 9:16 PM on February 12, 2016 [10 favorites]


Listen, my favorite spy who sews is Elim Garak, and nothing's going to change that.
posted by figurant at 9:18 PM on February 12, 2016 [24 favorites]


WHEN YOU KNOCK ME DOWN I GET THE FUCK BACK UP AGAIN

okay gonna go look at this shit now
posted by floweringjudas at 9:27 PM on February 12, 2016 [9 favorites]


THEN THE LOYALISTS FLED TO QUEBEC!

Ham and eggs
New pants,
Fancy sash, trepes on
to the Royal Gazette.

jangle some cash.

Alot more Intel came from Hugh then from snitching snitches.
posted by clavdivs at 9:56 PM on February 12, 2016 [1 favorite]


LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS AND HORSES ...

(weirdest line of the whole show, right??)
posted by lunasol at 9:57 PM on February 12, 2016 [10 favorites]


I think Washington conspicuously eating and ordering with him was probably to show "hey this guy is no Tory, no need to tar and feather him!"
posted by corb at 11:35 PM on February 12, 2016 [2 favorites]


PTL!
I finally learned what the hell Hamilton is.
posted by Mezentian at 2:00 AM on February 13, 2016


and a year after Benedict Arnold’s betrayal compelled Hercules Mulligan to charm his way out of jail,

right, this line needs some explanation
posted by angrycat at 2:21 AM on February 13, 2016


Cause he's gonna steal your daughter and then ride off on your horse too.

I HEARD YOUR MOTHER SAY "Come a-gaaain?"
posted by Strange Interlude at 5:10 AM on February 13, 2016 [7 favorites]


"right, this line needs some explanation"

Arnold indicated several American spies, mostly members of the Culper Ring, were ALSO secretly defectors and double agents like him. They were not. Hercules Mulligan was among them, also the mistress of a British officer who was an American spy who apparently died in prison during the investigation of Arnold's false testimony. Mulligan was jailed for a while, then released.

Anyway Benedict Arnold was the hardcore worst.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:19 AM on February 13, 2016 [11 favorites]


I'm seeing Hamilton on my birthday and my life will be complete if I can get a stage-door picture of me and my new imaginary boyfriend Oaksmash.

(Although my favorite line is his as James Madison, just after It's Quiet Uptown. Jefferson: "Can we get back to politics?" Madison, voice cracking and, from what I've heard, wiping his eyes: "Please?") It helps stop the torrent of tears.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 5:29 AM on February 13, 2016 [14 favorites]


So was he in the Culper Ring or not? If so, what was his number? (Google is giving conflicting answers.)
posted by anotherpanacea at 5:41 AM on February 13, 2016


Alot more Intel came from Hugh then from snitching snitches.

moar liek stitching snitches amirite
posted by sidereal at 5:49 AM on February 13, 2016


I bet his pants looked hot.
posted by TwoStride at 6:44 AM on February 13, 2016 [5 favorites]


I think Washington conspicuously eating and ordering with him was probably to show "hey this guy is no Tory, no need to tar and feather him!"

It must be nice to have Washington on your side.
posted by jeather at 6:51 AM on February 13, 2016 [19 favorites]


Leslie Odom Jr. on Oak's show-must-go-on-ness.
posted by rewil at 7:32 AM on February 13, 2016 [9 favorites]


Speaking of, I don't actually think it would be THAT hard to have intercourse over four sets of corsets. Like maybe not as easy as on a bed, but it's not like a sandy beach or even a shower.

(I have this thought every time I hear the line, which is A LOT of times, and I've never been able to share it. Thank you.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:56 AM on February 13, 2016 [4 favorites]


Leslie Odom Jr. on Oak's show-must-go-on-ness.

Jesus, I have never, nor will I ever, be that hardcore about anything.
posted by gladly at 8:02 AM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]


Harrison Ford once joked about stapling his hat to his head, but he didn't really do it, which makes The Incredible Oak tougher than Indiana Jones and Han Solo COMBINED.
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:15 AM on February 13, 2016 [4 favorites]


Hercules Mulligan was a discrete but silver-tongued Irish immigrant in New York City, who prospered as a haberdasher, tailoring garments for colonial aristocrats and British officers.

silver-tongued Irish immigrant, who got shit done, son.
posted by DigDoug at 9:05 AM on February 13, 2016 [2 favorites]


"right, this line needs some explanation."

"...and the wily tailor talked his way out of the situation"
-O'Toole, 'Honorable Treachery'

He cites at least three sources on mulligan, one being O' Brian's book on Hercules Mulligan. (1937) Another secondary source is from Boyd's book on Hamilton...

Was Midas part of the Culper ring.

He was connected to Washington two years before Tallmadge was employed full time.
It is of note that he quartered British troops and his brother provided him with invaluable stuff, most likely the raid Intel as other intel given are confirmed as coming from Hugh during that time.
Midas was jailed in 76' for a month then released, so Arnold's eye is not a big suprise after the intial suprise.

When the British skidadeled NY,
Washington spent that night at Fraunces Tavern. Thing is,the British left a lot of spies behind also, so not all persons who helped the revolution were acknowleded and I believe one was kept in-place as the spy had access to Quebec. The question to ask is weither he knew any of the members of the ring.


"I am happy to think that Arnold does not know my name"
(Townsend to Woodhull, Oct. 20: O'Toole, ibid.)

Arnold gave up anyone with ties to the SOL or the "Corespondents" But a close call to the culpers via Armold basically shut them down as the an effective force. Washington acknowledged no real intelligence was recieved from them after 1780.

Funny, Midas' shop proclaimed for years to be 'Clothier to Genl. Washington'
posted by clavdivs at 10:08 AM on February 13, 2016


I haven't really heard the Hamilton soundtrack (I know, I know) but because I'm on Metafilter, Twitter, Tumblr, and the Internet in general I somehow still get the songs stuck in my head despite not knowing the melodies. Not the entire song, of course, just the bits that everybody quotes.

The other day I realized that I sing the "When you knock me down I get the fuck back up again" line to the tune of The Major General's Song, roughly corresponding to the second line of each couplet; the "I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral" bit. (Or, in Tom Lehrer terms: "and hydrogen and oxygen and nitrogen and rhenium.")

Also, in my brain "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" has the same melody as this line in "Tomorrow," from Annie: "... a day that's grey and lo-o-onely..."

(Interesting that my substitutions are both still from musical theater since I wasn't consciously trying to find a melody replacement; they're just what popped into my head from seeing the lines repeated over and over.)
posted by Ian A.T. at 10:21 AM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]


"Hercules Mulligan was a discrete but silver-tongued Irish immigrant in New York City, who prospered as a haberdasher, tailoring garments for colonial aristocrats and British officers."
Inspiration for Gul Dukat?
posted by charred husk at 11:11 AM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]


ELIM GARAK! A tailor spying for Cardassia's government!
I quit and on Terok Nor, inseams are all I struggle with!
Since my brothers joined with the Dominion's covenant
I'm done with the Obsidian Order, and I am loving it!
See that's what happens when you're up against the Bajorans,
They're in the shit now, and I'm so glad I'm done with it!
Elim Garak's my name I need no introduction
When you knock me down I get the fuck back up again!

(sorry not sorry)
posted by nonasuch at 1:23 PM on February 13, 2016 [8 favorites]


"I finally learned what the hell Hamilton is."

Welcome to the present, we're running a real nation....
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:44 PM on February 13, 2016 [11 favorites]


Inspiration for Gul Dukat?

That scene when Sisko is getting measured for a suit while unofficially feeding classified information to the Cardassians is priceless plot tailoring.
posted by ovvl at 4:13 PM on February 13, 2016


TWO WEEKS. I SEE HAMILTON TWO WEEKS FROM TONIGHT.
posted by donnagirl at 10:39 PM on February 13, 2016 [5 favorites]


Here comes the General
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 1:39 PM on February 14, 2016 [1 favorite]




WOO I GOT TO SEE ALEXANDER HAMILTON PERFORMED AND THEN THEY WON A GRAMMY.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:04 PM on February 15, 2016 [9 favorites]


The Grammys performance. Eeeeeee!
posted by lunasol at 9:38 PM on February 15, 2016 [3 favorites]


That link's busted, try this one.
posted by corb at 8:39 AM on February 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


I have been so obsessed with Hamilton for so long, and I've been reading all the threads, but I haven't commented in any because I have no idea how to do so without it just being me writing out all the lyr

HOW DOES A BASTARD ORPHAN SON OF A WHORE AND A SCOTSMA

see? It almost happened right there. I almost got caught, writing out the entire book. How do all of you make it? I so so so desperately want to talk all about Hamilton and nothing but Hamilton, but whenever I try I just

N DROPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A FORGOTTEN SPOT IN THE CARIB

omg guys i'm failing
posted by meese at 1:04 PM on February 16, 2016 [5 favorites]




meese, I satisfy* my Ham jones by spending waaaaay too much time on Tumblr.

(* I will never be satisfied)
posted by Sweetie Darling at 3:51 PM on February 16, 2016 [3 favorites]


Yeah, the Hamilton fandom on tumblr is awesome and helps me scratch that itch so I'm not always harassing my friends and family about when they're going to listen.
posted by lunasol at 6:30 PM on February 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


Hamilton in 7 minutes.

There's a ton of Hamilton covers on YouTube these days. Some of them are really good. Like this public high school a cappella group.
posted by suelac at 11:06 PM on February 16, 2016 [1 favorite]


I spent a while today talking about Hamilton with the 12-year-old I nanny for (at this point I'm really a glorified chauffeur tbh), which ended up being a Fun Lafayette Facts conversation. As we got in line at Chipotle, I was telling her about how Lafayette named his son Georges Washington Lafayette, and how when he died he had soil from Bunker Hill sprinkled on his grave.

The guy in line in front of us was pretty clearly amused at how excited a 12-year-old was about Lafayette Facts, so we ended up having to explain that it was because of a Broadway musical. This is a conversation I've been having a lot lately.
posted by nonasuch at 11:08 PM on February 16, 2016 [2 favorites]


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