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Joseph "Joe" Bettys (1754 – April 1, 1782) was a soldier in the American Revolution best known for being hanged as a British spy in 1782.
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Early life
The son of Abigail and Joe Bettys, Joe was born and grew up in Wilton in Fairfield County, Connecticut. In 1772 he moved with his family to Ballston, New York. He joined the Patriot forces and was made a sergeant. He was said to be courageous, but intolerant of military discipline, for which he was demoted. In summer 1776 he was again promoted, and transferred to the fleet on Lake Champlain commanded by Benedict Arnold.
British spy
On October 11, 1776, he distinguished himself in the Battle of Valcour Island, but was captured by the British and taken as a prisoner to Canada. In 1777, during his captivity, he changed sides, joining the British forces as an ensign. He served as a spy and messenger for the British; at one point he was captured, tried, and sentenced to death, but was freed due to influence of family and friends. He rejoined British service and began recruiting soldiers among the population of present-day Saratoga County, raiding, burning farms and taking captives or killing Patriots.
In pursuit of a British plan to capture important rebel sympathizers, he entered the city of Albany and attempted, without success, to capture General Philip Schuyler. It is reported that Bettys left his group and went to the Normans Kill to visit a girl. The two fled together back to Canada. Bettys hid her there and General St. Leger confined him at Fort St. Johns "for refusing to deliver up his Desdemona." When she was finally found it was decided not to send her home because "he would not be long after her, which would ruin many of His Majesty's loyal subjects."
In 1782, on one of his covert visits to Saratoga County, Bettys was observed and tracked through the snow to the home of a well-known loyalist, named Hawkins, near present-day Jonesville. He was surprised while eating, and overcome by four men—Jacob Fulmer, John Cory, James Cory, and Francis Perkins—and taken prisoner. He was given permission to smoke, but while getting his tobacco was observed to throw an object into the fire. This was retrieved and turned out to be a small lead box containing a paper with a message in cipher. Later, this was determined to be a message to the British commander in New York. Bettys offered 100 guineas to be allowed to burn the message, and also offered money for his release, but his offers were refused. He was sent to Albany, where he was tried, found guilty as a spy and traitor, and executed that year.