but i look to the left, and this is where benedict arnold started his run, and i said that ii had toings that they did that they all have numbers with invisible ink. she got the word out to washington and watch out. we don't know who or when, but it's going to be big and we have to be aware of it. and they said, we had our antennas up, and we were able to stop and he was going to hand off west point, all because it was infiltrated rightuntil the nexus of the british command, which was new york city where we sit today. lou: the people that made up this spring. i'm trying to ask you so we don't spoil this. do you know everything about them to every detail in history and are there new areas to explore? >> in this book is like a news story. it's like the battle of yorktown and looking at the stepson of george washington, he noted that james irvington was a royalist and this includes the battle of yorktown and he turned it over to the french. and they were towards the corner and the british still didn't know what happened. they said washington didn't defeat us, they outfight us. >> that's

this is where benedict arnold started is run. my goodness. i have to start this. did, we know were as agent 355. they all had numbers, encryption , use invisible ink. she penetrated social circles and got the word that there was a general about to switch sides. we don't know exactly u.n. to, but it will begin we have to be aware, and when he wrote is by no and the urging of his kids in 1840's said, i was urged, we and our antennas up to my words not his, and were able to stop. he was going to hand off west point, given the goes sign. all because this group infiltrated right into the nexus of the british command which was new york city, where we sit today. lou: and the people who made up this rain, i am trying to ask this so we don't spoil it. do you know everything about them? is every detail -- sitting there in history books for others? is there new or are there new areas to explore? >> in this book we brakes and news and approach it like a news story. and the battle of yooktown. we looked into and out of the step grandson of the george washington here noted jame

the thing is benedict arnold is like a curse word. we don't take the name seriously. but in this moment when they hand me this document, i can picture benedict arnold with a pen in his hand signing this, and they were numbered. the first one signed by george washington, and number five was benedict arnold, and it's real. not some boring thing in the history book, and now history is alive. so we count down all the conspiracy and go through them and of course put in the crazy stuff, like ufos and the ufo chapter we h we give you the actual documents the government asked you to fill out if you saw a ufo. you think our government is doing useless stuff right now? a whole department figured out what the questions should be. did your ufo have blinking lights. check yes, check no. how many ufo's together, if you had three, a triangular pattern? check yes, -- >> god bless america. a whole department, good questions, i like the blinking lights. now you're working. and of course, we count them down not to ruin the end, but, it's the 50th anniversary, we all know because if you

once deciphered, this particular manuscript is benedict arnold's conditions for the act of turning over the important post of west point to the british. this sheet is a contemporary translation of the coded document and i'll read a passage from that. if i point out a plan of cooperation by which sir henry shall possess himself of west point, garrison, et cetera, et cetera, cetera, et cetera, 20,000 pounds sterling book we purchased for an object of so much importance. another item from henry clinton's papers is during 1777. they are written in code in various forms for the right of the recipient both would have a mask, a piece of paper with some shape or multiple shapes cut from that and both having this now, the writer would place the mask over another sheet of paper and would rate the intended correspondence in the shape of that opening. and then i'm a meticulously construct a letter around it so that in the case where this letter would be captured by the enemy, the actual intended message would be. to anyone who doesn't have an doesn't know to use the mask question. in this case, wil

and once this particular manuscript, benedict arnolds conditions for the active turnover the important post of west point. a contemporary translation of the coded documents. we will read a passage from that if i . out a plan of cooperation by which certain ratio possessed himself of west point the garrison, 20,000 pounds sterling , i think, will be achieved purchase for an object of some much importance. another example of an item from in the clintons' papers is written during the expedition in 1777. a number of items in clintons' papers are written in code, various forms with a writer and the recipient of would have amassed, piece of paper with some shape or multiple six cut from a. of having this mask, the writer would place the mask over another sheet of paper and there would right. intended message with anyone who does not have. forming gone from hands. the rebels imagine that he is don once the mask is placed over the manuscript, reiterate a similar sentiment but provide and the clintons thoughts on the matter. gone to chesapeake bay, the greatest part of the army. landed. left to

including benedict arnold. he knew how good the spy ring was. hey, tell me who they are. i would like to meet him. and thank goodness or they would be killed. he kept their secret and letters and we are able to do the book arou around the letters. and we knew what he asked him not to do and in terms of specific instructions and also knew what he thought of them. and he had extreme esteem for them. i wouldn't have found out until they commemorated washington once he became president in the 1790. spies what are you talking about. i went to long island university and i never heard about this. and really since 1990, me and my body bruce studied this and this is not a new york story but american story and pursue it like a fox news story and get the best historians and have them debate the issues, we could bring new information to it and that's what we did. >> it is an amazing book. it is a best seller for a reason. people are enthralled by it. i think there is a piece that you bring out. george washington was a deep and intense and authentic faith. this was not just a military

including at the time benedict arnold he thought was on his side. spies were. so what he did is, he kept their secret and he kept the letters we were able to do this book around the letters of george washington correspondenting back and forth to them. we knew what he asked them to do and not to do and what he thought of them. in fact i wouldn't have found out about it until they were commemorating to thank his spies and i thought spies what are you talking about. i went to long island university and never heard about this and really since 1990, me and my buddy bruce have been studying this. i realized this was not a new york story, it was an american store yixt get them in rooms like this and have them debate the issues we could bring new information to it and i think that is was we did. it is an amazing book. people are enthralled by tit. he was a man of deep and intense and authentic faith. he genuinely believeding to. i wanted to get the guy who was by his side. the fifrst time he heard shots. washington would be in front of the battle and there

that she was the one who overheard conversation between major andre and others about a certain benedict arnoldat west point that was looking to turn sides and give up that valuable base. >> the spy ring had their own trade craft. they wrote in invisible ink, sending messages by code. >> washington would be 711, robert kennedy would be. 722. areas of new york might be 86. you might be reading this and every third word is a number. >> of course, brian has a day job. >> the deadline, the end of this month. they put it on themselves. >> he was driving on long island we he saw a man painting a line on the road, and asked what he was doing. >> this is to commemorate when washington came in 1790 to thank his spies. i said, excuse me? what spies. that was 1989. i'd been studying this on and off since then. the more i read, the more i understand that these people, their story had to be told. >> amazing, this is rose tavern. >> brian says he would love to see the story of these unsung american heroes made into a movie. anything to give them the credit they deserve. >> today, to see robert townsend's gra

he was able to have a fake attack in new york, british stayed home of the he found out about benedict arnold out about it, they were able to stop that before he gave it away. the other thing they did was stop a counterfeiting ring. they were about to destroy the currency of the u.s. and found out about it. washington was able to print brand-new currency because of the ring. we found out new news, about the battle of yorktown that will stun you. >> there is news breaking, it's revolutionary because if you think your kid is not interested in history, if you have to revolutionize how they think about it, it's so interesting to put the mystery in history. this is a great way, even for your young kids out there, to start reading and get excited about our nation. >> it got me mad that i grew up on long island and i knew nothing about this. so washington would have spies and they would write in invisible ink and then it would come to life and then washington saw it. this is basically what they did. instead of -- >> secret six. >> instead of pouring stain on it, we used a light. that's essentially w

i think number five was benedict arnold. it wasn't just some boring thing in a the history book, but you have this document and out comes alive. and that's what we really wanted to do in the book. so of course we put in the good crazy stuff in wiki the actual document that the government used to asked to fill out if you saw a ufo. if you think you're doing useful stuff now -- i mean there is a whole department trying to figure out what the question should be in the pulpit document that says if the fo has blinking lights, check yes or no. i mean, god bless america. there is a whole department saying, good question. i like the blinking lights and now you're working. and of course we count them down and insisted it anniversary and we all know, if you don't have a heart heartbeat, you miss the footage yesterday that it was the 50th anniversary of the death of jfk and that's the greatest conspiracy of all time. this book is dedicated to my history teacher ellen sherman. when she showed me when i was in 11th grade and i'm still ju