Agent 355 was the code name of a female spy during the American Revolution, part of the Culper Ring. Her real identity is unknown.
Career[]
The only direct reference to Agent 355 in any of the Culper Ring's missives was from Abraham Woodhull (Samuel Culper Sr.), to General George Washington in 1778. Little is known for sure about this mysterious lady, but speculation abounds. What is known is that she was located in New York and at some point had contact with Major John Andre and Benedict Arnold. It is believed that 355 was a member of a prominent Loyalist family, and within easy reach of British commanders.[1] When Andre, in particular, was in New York, the Culper's information came fast and furious, but when Andre was in the southern colonies with Sir Henry Clinton, the information slowed considerably. At this point, Washington complained that the Culpers were a waste of money. This leads historians to believe that 355 was one of the flock of females that surrounded Major Andre.
Legacy[]
The identity of the woman known solely as 355 has yet to be discovered. However, several theories have been developed, ranging from claims that 355 must have been the already-known Anna Smith Strong to hypotheses about other relations of identified ring members. Others say that she did not really exist, that 355 was simply just a lady of acquaintance to Abraham Woodhull who was mentioned in passing and really no help to the Culpers at all. However, John Burke and Andrea Meyer have made a case for 355's involvement in the spy ring using circumstantial evidence.[2] If the story is to be believed, 355 was a great asset to the American bid for independence. Agent 355 has become a part of popular fiction, being cited in Y: The Last Man from Vertigo Comics as an inspiration for a modern spy also called 355, and being included in Assassins Creed 3's in-game database of historical facts, in which her information was critical in helping the protagonist in discovering the British plot to capture West Point.
Footnotes[]
- ↑ Intelligence in the War of Independence > Personalities. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved on 2008-04-17.
- ↑ John A. Burke and Andrea Meyer, "Spies of the Revolution," New York State Archives Magazine, Fall 2009, Vol. 9, no. 2.
Bibliography[]
- Intelligence in the War of Independence > Personalities. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved on 2008-04-17.
- David W. Jacobs: Who Was Agent 355? (Am Rev) Broadside, the Newsletter of the American Revolution Round Table (11-21-06)
- Rose, Alexander. Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring. New York: Bantam, 2006.
- John A. Burke and Andrea Meyer, "Spies of the Revolution," New York State Archives Magazine, Fall 2009, Vol. 9, no. 2.
The original article can be found at Agent 355 and the edit history here.