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‘TURN: Washington’s Spies’ recap: Brits wage economic war in colonies

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America’s Revolutionary War was typically fought with long rifles, swords and cannon.

British Maj. John André (J.J. Feild) employs a much different weapon, however, in “Hypocrisy, Fraud and Tyranny,” Episode 305 of AMC’s “TURN: Washington’s Spies.”

Knowing the Continental dollar is sharply devalued, André intends to trigger an economic collapse by flooding the colonies with bogus currency. To accomplish this, André approaches counterfeiter Henry Dawkins (Happy Anderson) at a New York jailhouse.

“I have the power to release you from this place this instant,” André says. “But first I need the truth.”

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Did Dawkins counterfeit money as charged? And can he do it again? His answer to both questions is “yes.”

Also assisting the Redcoats is newspaper publisher James Rivington (John Carroll Lynch), whose printing presses churn out the funny money.

Fortunately for the Patriots, Rivington’s business partner is Robert Townsend (Nick Westrate) from the Culper Spy Ring. Townsend sends word to Gen. George Washington (Ian Kahn) that a dozen teams will distribute the phony currency in New York and beyond.

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“We received this news too late,” Washington bitterly tells Maj. Ben Tallmadge (Seth Numrich) and Caleb Brewster (Daniel Henshall). “You’re dismissed!”

Refusing to give up, Ben and Caleb strategize with Anna Strong (Heather Lind), a former signaler for the spy ring. Anna currently dwells at the Continental Army’s Middlebrook, N.J., encampment after suffering heartbreak in her Setauket hometown on Long Island.

Frustrated that Washington won’t allow her to serve in an official capacity, Anna contributes unofficially. She theorizes that fake dollars could be passed to privateers trading on the black market.

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Ben and Caleb rush to a privateer hideout and spot Lt. Gamble (Adam J. Harrington), one of André’s top officers.

“No matter what else happens,” Ben orders, “the money gets burned.”

Gamble is captured during a firefight but won’t reveal where the other British agents are dispersing counterfeit bills.

Now it’s time to avenge Gamble’s murder of Nathaniel Sackett (Stephen Root), a civilian who helped establish Washington’s spy network. Caleb utters Sackett’s name as he executes Gamble.

Meanwhile, Capt. John Graves Simcoe (Samuel Roukin), commander of the Queen’s Rangers, returns to Setauket after surviving an ambush orchestrated by Patriot spy Abraham Woodhull (Jamie Bell).

Abe’s wife, Mary (Meegan Warner), urges her estranged father-in-law, Richard Woodhull (Kevin R. McNally), to refrain from telling Simcoe about the spy ring. Abe heads the ring but Simcoe mistakenly thinks the leader is Robert Rogers (Angus Macfadyen).

“Simcoe is evil,” Mary emphasizes to Richard. “Does it concern you that you would be sacrificing your son to the man who had you shot?” After all, Simcoe once tried to assassinate Richard and blame it on the rebels.

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Heeding Mary’s plea, Richard vilifies Simcoe as “brutal” and “unchecked” in a letter written to a British colonel. Simcoe discovers the unfinished document and threatens Richard’s life.

As for Rogers, he’s determined to slay his rival André. After learning that Townsend might possess useful information, Rogers sets off for New York. But Townsend is skittish and could quit the spy ring if confronted by a stranger.

Abe tries to stop Rogers by clobbering him with a rock. He fends off the attack, however, and shoves Abe into a cellar.

“I like you, boy,” Rogers says. “And that’s why I’m not gonna kill you. But we will never see each other again.”

Abe soon realizes he can dispose of Rogers by letting the Queen’s Rangers do the dirty work.

“We’ve just been robbed,” Abe lies to Simcoe. “You’re not going to believe it, but it was Robert Rogers!”

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Simcoe has only one question.

“Which way did he run?”

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