Anna Strong (spy) facts for kids

Anna Smith Strong (born April 14, 1740, died August 12, 1812) was an American Patriot from Setauket, New York. She was one of the few women who joined the Culper Ring, a secret spy network during the American Revolutionary War. Anna's main job in the spy ring was to send secret signals to a messenger. This messenger used a special boat to carry out missions for General George Washington. After the war, Anna and her husband, Selah Strong, lived a quiet life in Setauket until she passed away in 1812.

Anna Strong's Family Life

Anna married Selah Brewster Strong III. He was a representative for New York in the early colonial meetings. In 1776, he also served as a captain in the New York militia.

Selah was once held captive in New York City because he was thought to be a spy. Historical records from 2022, reviewed by historian Mark Sternberg, show that Selah was held in a place called the Provost for less than six months. He was not held in a sugarhouse or on the famous prison ship HMS Jersey. Selah never left for Connecticut. In fact, he actively helped Caleb Brewster and his crew hide from the British when they were on the Strong family property.

Anna and Selah had ten children. Some of their children included Keturah, Thomas, Margaret, Benjamin, Mary, William, Joseph, and George Washington. Thomas later became a judge.

Anna's father was Colonel William Smith. He held important positions in Suffolk County, New York, serving as a clerk and a judge before the American Revolution. Her mother was Margaret Lloyd Smith.

The Culper Spy Ring: A Secret Network

How Anna Strong Helped the Spies

In the summer of 1778, during the height of the American Revolutionary War, Continental Army Major Benjamin Tallmadge and Abraham Woodhull started the secret group known as the Culper Ring.

According to stories passed down, Anna Strong played a key role in this spy network. She would send signals to a messenger who traveled across Long Island Sound in a whaleboat. Anna used her clothesline at Strong Point in Setauket to do this. She would hang a black petticoat (an underskirt) on the line, which could be seen from the Sound and by Woodhull from his nearby farm.

To give more specific instructions, Anna would add a certain number of handkerchiefs to the clothesline. Each number pointed to one of six secret coves where the messenger would land his boat and meet Woodhull.

Historians note that while the clothesline signal story is hard to prove, the British did suspect a woman in Setauket who matched Anna's description. However, some authors, like Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger, believe Anna might not have been the spy woman. They suggest that British law could take away land if it was left empty. This might have made Anna stay on Long Island while her husband was away. They also point out that Anna had her children with her, and her arrest would have left them without parents.

Selah Strong, Anna's husband, was listed by General Washington to be paid back for costs related to his work with the Culper Ring.

Who Was Agent 355?

The Mystery of the Lady Spy

Abraham Woodhull once wrote a message to Benjamin Tallmadge saying he would visit New York again. He added that "by the assistance of a [lady] of my acquaintance, shall be able to outwit them all."

Many historians believe that Anna Strong was this "lady," who was known by the code name "355" in the spy ring. (Tallmadge used "355" as a code for the word "lady.") Anna might have had her own reasons to visit New York, such as seeing her husband who was held captive on a prison ship and bringing him food. If she was Agent 355, her main job during these trips might have been to distract attention from Woodhull.

However, authors Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger again suggest that Anna Strong was not likely Agent 355. They think that Agent 355 might have been a young woman from a well-known Loyalist family. This young woman was staying in New York City with her relatives who supported the British. She might have even met Major John André and gathered important information for the Culper Ring. The true identity of Agent 355 remains a mystery!

See also

• Intelligence in the American Revolutionary War
• Intelligence operations in the American Revolutionary War