Doubters point to the lack of direct evidence to support the spy story including the fact that the letter from Washington that protected the Honeyman family has never been seen outside the family. Some find it odd that a document of such apparent historic value has never surfaced publicly. Author Alexander Rose notes that "not once is John Honeyman mentioned in Washington's voluminous correspondence and papers" and that "upon meeting Honeyman, a veteran of the British army, Washington would have been more likely to recruit him as a sergeant than as a spy."