Anna Smith Strong - Revolutionary War Spy

Anna Smith Strong was a member of General George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring.

Anna was born on April 14, 1740, in Long Island, New York. In 1760, she married Selah Strong III. Selah was deeply involved in the patriot cause, serving as a delegate to the first three provincial congresses in colonial New York and later becoming a captain in the New York militia. In 1778, at the height of the Revolutionary War, Selah was arrested by the British. They accused him of secretly communicating with the enemy and sent him to the sugar house prison in New York City, and later to the terrible prison ship HMS Jersey. Conditions on that ship were known to be deadly, and many men never returned.

While Selah was imprisoned, Anna showed both courage and cleverness. She used her wealthy Tory family members who supported the British, to bribe officials into releasing Selah on parole to Connecticut. He stayed there with their children for the rest of the war. Anna, however, remained alone at the family home on Strong’s Neck, a small hamlet on Long Island. She stayed partly to protect the house from destruction by British soldiers, but also because she had a secret role to play.

That role came when Major Benjamin Tallmadge, who had grown up near Anna in Setauket, was asked by General George Washington to organize a spy network. Tallmadge created the Culper Spy Ring, one of the most effective intelligence groups of the Revolutionary War. This ring operated in New York City, Long Island, and Connecticut, secretly gathering and passing on information about British movements. Tallmadge knew Anna could be trusted, and he asked her to join the effort. She agreed, becoming the only female member of the Culper Ring.

Anna’s task was dangerous but vital. She was to pass signals between Abraham Woodhull, another member of the ring, and Caleb Brewster, who carried messages across Long Island Sound by boat. Because Brewster was already a known spy to the British, his movements had to be kept secret. Whenever Brewster landed his whaleboat along the coast, Anna would let Woodhull know so the information could be delivered quickly and safely to Tallmadge, and eventually, to General Washington.

To do this, Anna devised a clever system using her clothesline. She would hang a black petticoat to signal that Brewster had arrived. But there were six coves along the coast where Brewster could hide, and Woodhull needed to know exactly which one he was in. Anna solved this problem by adding white handkerchiefs to the line. The number of handkerchiefs represented which cove Brewster was hiding in. One handkerchief meant the first cove, two meant the second, and so on. This simple code allowed Woodhull to find Brewster quickly while keeping British soldiers completely unaware of what was happening.

Thanks to Anna’s signals and the work of the other members of the Culper Ring, the patriots received valuable intelligence. One of their most important successes was uncovering Benedict Arnold’s treason. Arnold, once a hero of the Revolution, had plotted to hand over West Point to the British in exchange for money and a high position in their army. The ring’s warning reached Washington, though Arnold managed to escape capture.

The Culper Spy Ring operated in great secrecy. Although members were often watched closely by the British and some were even arrested, none were ever exposed. Their work was so secretive that even George Washington did not know the identities of every spy. In fact, the public did not learn about the Culper Ring until 1929, when old correspondence was discovered.

After the war ended, Anna was reunited with Selah. Together, they had their tenth child, a son they named George Washington Strong in honor of the general she had helped so faithfully. Anna’s bravery, loyalty, and clever thinking played a quiet but essential role in helping the United States win its independence.

References:
“Anna Smith Strong.” History of American Women, 8 June 2020, www.womenhistoryblog.com/2011/07/anna-smith-strong.html.
“Anna Smith Strong.” Honoring Our Patriots, 27 July 2021, honoringourpatriots.dar.org/patriots/anna-smith-strong/.
“Anna Strong (Spy) Facts for Kids.” Anna Strong (Spy) Facts for Kids, kids.kiddle.co/Anna_Strong_(spy).

Key words:
Innovation, Wartime, Courage, Perseverance, Freedom, Responsibility, Make a Difference, Stand Up for Your Beliefs

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