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";s:4:"text";s:27007:"355 was a member of the so-called Culper spy ring, based on Long Island with agents in New York. Benjamin Tallmadge’s memoirs reveal a struggle to prevent the news of Andre’s capture from reaching Benedict Arnold, who ultimately escaped. Just history. The father of the child, the lover of Agent 355, was said to be the lifelong bachelor Robert Townsend of Oyster Bay, known in the revolutionary spy business as Culper Jr. SOURCES Wikipedia: Agent 355 National Women’s History Museum: 355 History News Network: Who Was Agent 355? Agent 355 was the code name of a female spy during the American Revolution, part of the Culper Ring. West Point was an important strategic fortification on the Hudson River. It is believed that she was a member of a prominent Loyalist family (British supporters) in New York City with easy access to British society and British officers. Based on true events, Agent 355 combines adventure, romance, and espionage to bring to life this little-known story of a hero who risked her life to fight for freedom against all odds. Said agent was an important asset that gave crucial information for the resistance and help enormously for the cause until she was captured and died on a prison ship. Who was her husband? However, this lady was responsible for passing along important intelligence to the revolutionaries. We only know her as “355”, which was the code designation for “a lady”. Every few weeks he would slip into one of Setauket Harbor’s coves to receive dispatches. Agent 355’s days were numbered, however, when Benedict Arnold gave up her name once he had escaped to the British side following the arrest of Andre. This concerned covert British plans to use an American general to capture West Point, the most important fort on the continent. And she can use this invisibility to her advantage. She died of cancer in London in 1804, three years after her husband, at the relatively young age of 44. According to family correspondence, Townsend lived out his days depressed, unmarried and drinking heavily. Black Women Writers of the 19th Century II, Mary Granville Pendarves Delany 1700-1788. She was captured and held on a British prison ship, where she died—though not before giving birth to a son, Robert Townsend Jr. The Culpers’ secret reports all but ceased when Major Andre went to South Carolina in December 1779 for the siege of Charleston, and Washington was soon complaining to his aide Alexander Hamilton that the ring’s information had become useless. Her legacy lives on with many rivers, trails, and mountains carrying her name. A pregnant Agent 355 was arrested and questioned, but refused to reveal any information on her activities or the father of her child. Benedict is known for her historical fiction stories of women who changed history. Candidates include Anna Strong, a known member of the Culper Spy ring and Abraham Woodhull’s neighbor. While the identity of the other Culper Ring members was disclosed at some point during the 20th century when letters were found, agent 355 remains anonymous. It probably just took a tiny nudge from his loyalist wife to put him in touch with the dashing André to see if he could do any better if he turned his coat. When the trap closed on Andre, it triggered a roundup of suspects in British-occupied territory. Arnold got away, but West Point was kept out of British hands. Agent 355 was so good at being a spy, no one knows this operative's identity even 200 years after the fact. André was a dashing and handsome officer, and as such attracted the attention of several members of the opposite sex. So Woodhull recruited a relative living in his sister’s Manhattan boardinghouse, a dry goods merchant and society reporter, Robert Townsend (code name Samuel Culper, Jr.). Arnold got away, but West Point was kept out of British hands. The covert activities began in 1778 and they were charged with reporting on the troop movements through New York. When the British Army took to the field, it became obvious that Washington had been warned of their surprise attack. TIL in 1998, a 10-year-old girl in Austria was dragged into a car and kidnapped. That would keep dear old Peggy in lots of diamonds. This clone died in childbirth at the moment the plague hit. That would keep dear old Peggy in lots of diamonds. André was actively searching for a way to help his British bosses, and he struck gold in the person of Peggy Shippen. In 1778, Benjamin Tallmadge, a young American officer who was General George Washington’s new intelligence chief, organized an ingenious top-secret network of spies. Because of the nature of espionage, good spies leave little documentation behind. One of the techniques she passes on is that the jaw is the most powerful muscle, so when the ex-mentor goes insane and tries to assassinate the President of the … For recruits, Tallmadge turned to old friends and acquaintances in his hometown of Setauket, Long Island. Washington tried to regroup and desperately needed intelligence from the occupied city of New York. In Setauket, Caleb Brewster, another ring member and Tallmadge’s childhood friend, was captain of a whaleboat that raided British shipping on Long Island Sound. Multiple theories abound. ==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. Arnold took the deal. A lady meant upper class. ... She eventually died on the ship. Was she agent 355? This monument, nearly 150 feet tall commemorates the men and women who lost their lives aboard these ships. André was caught with passes signed by Arnold and the plans for West Point at Tarrytown, New York. After Blake died Aug. 16 at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, a statement composed by the hospital and the actress’ friends reported her death as the result of her long battle with cancer. This situation continued for months until Woodhull mentioned in a letter to Tallmadge: “I intend to visit 727 [code for New York] before long and think by the assistance of a 355 [code for lady] of my acquaintance, shall be able to outwit them all.” (Woodhull frequently used code numbers from Tallmadge’s code book to replace words.). However, most academics do not believe this story. Unfortunately for them, 355 was on the job and got wind of the plot. Find out how to apply for VA Dependent and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC). There she supposedly gave birth to her son, whom she named Robert Townsend Jr. Then she died. At the location provided by Strong, Woodhull then passed the dispatches to Brewster. Arnold was getting disillusioned with the lack of cash and fame he was getting from the revolution. January 26, 2021. “Agent 355” by Marie Benedict and narrated by Emily Rankin is an audible original production about a female spy in the late 1700’s. She later gave birth to a boy, but allegedly died aboard the ship. She loved the high life and felt that her husband should keep her in the manner to which she had become accustomed. Despite being the spy who fingered Benedict Arnold, and helped in the arrest of Major John Andre to name a few, agent 355’s true identity is a mystery even to this day. Home what is the mystery behind agent 335?. Who was her husband? Washington ordered that not even he himself should know who they were. He became a lawyer and a politician, and was very active in creating a monument to those who lost their lives in the British prison ships. Peggy was a debutante whom he had courted in Philadelphia a few years earlier. Sadly, it all may be a little too good to be true. Peggy was a debutante whom he had courted in Philadelphia a few years earlier. During this period, Abraham Woodhull’s correspondence indicates that Robert Townsend and other Culper ring members fled New York City and went into hiding. Since Brewster was a well know figure in Setauket, it was not safe for him to always land his boat in the same spot, so he had six landing places. This is where records become murky. Her unique access to British society leads her to a role with General George Washington's own network of spies: the Culper Ring. Anna Strong (spy) Anna Smith Strong (April 14, 1740 – August 12, 1812) of Setauket, New York was an American Patriot, and she may have been one of the only female members of the Culper Spy Ring during the American Revolution. There are stories that Townsend was in love with 355 and when she became pregnant with his child, he insisted she give her dangerous espionage job. André offered him 20,000 pounds to hand over West Point without a shot. André was actively searching for a way to help his British bosses, and he struck gold in the person of Peggy Shippen. They were so good at secrecy, that even today we are unsure of some of their agents. Her mother, Hilda, was only 16 years old when she married Samuel, more than 25 years her senior. She was directly referenced one time in Woodhull’s correspondence. According to Woodhull, Townsend swore to stop spying, and proceeded to steal large sums of money from every business with which he was connected, including his father’s, for a total of over 600 pounds in ten days – a veritable fortune at the time. Agent 355 (pronounced "three fifty-five", not "three-five-five", and sometimes referred to by the other characters as simply "three-fifty") is a secret agent who is part of the Culper Ring, a mysterious United States government agency.She is at least the tenth agent to have that number. Peggy was, to put it frankly, a gold digger. She transmitted messages via laundry hanging on her clothes line. To say that agent 355 was good at her job would be an understatement. Some historians think so. It was organized by Major Benjamin Tallmadge and two main members of the ring were Abraham Woodhull, under the pseudonym of Samuel Culper Sr., and Robert Townsend, who used the pseudonym of Samuel Culper Jr. It is speculated that she was captured and held in the fetid conditions on prison shop HMS Jersey, where she died. West Point was an important strategic fortification on the Hudson River. Housewife Lydia Darragh sneaked up to the closed door, listened in, and subsequently warned General Washington of an impending attack on his army. But Woodhull then informed Tallmadge of the arrest of “several of our dear friends,” including “one who hath been ever serviceable to this correspondence.”. Post-Plague Allison and Agent 355. This was thought to be the end of 355. Her real identity is unknown. Anna Smith Strong (April 14, 1740 – August 12, 1812): 202 of Setauket, New York was an American Patriot, and she may have been one of the only female members of the Culper Spy Ring during the American Revolution.Her perceived main contribution in the ring was to relay signals to a courier who ran smuggling and military missions for General George Washington. If so, this would explain why the spy ring’s reports ceased when Andre left New York, and resumed when he returned. She died on August 12, 1812. According to one legend, Arnold turned over the names of several Patriot spies, including Agent 355. She later gave birth to a boy, but allegedly died aboard the ship. Benjamin Tallmadge wrote the governor of Connecticut, who was in charge of supplying West Point, to expect “some sudden and unexpected stroke” and that “the enemy would know well American forces and disposition.” Tallmadge added, “And for God’s sake be guarded against such a movement.”. Hail and Farewell, 355. A woman entered Indonesia's National Police Headquarters in Jakarta and fired a gun at several officers before being shot dead by police, in the latest militant attack in the world’s most populous Muslim nation, officials said. 355 was a member of the so-called Culper spy ring, based on Long Island with agents in New York. Agent 355 in Y: The Last Man is both recruited into the Culper Ring and trained by the previous Agent 355. There are stories that Townsend was in love with 355 and when she became pregnant with his child, he insisted she give her dangerous espionage job. “355” was a code for the word lady. 240 years of … The Culper reports then decayed significantly, even after Robert Townsend resumed spying. That’s 3.5 million dollars in today’s money. She did not die forever, though: you can spot Agent 355 in modern television shows, comics, and video games. Peggy was, to put it frankly, a gold digger. Agent 355 is a member of the secretive Culper Ring and aids Yorick Brown, the last man on Earth, as he tries to find his girlfriend and perhaps save humanity. The popular television series Turn: Washington’s Spies, theorizes 355 was a former slave of Anna Strong. That’s 3.5 million dollars in today’s money. Abraham Woodhull was chosen as his agent, but Woodhull (code name Samuel Culper, Sr.) soon fell under suspicion of British counterintelligence due to his frequent trips to Manhattan. Agent 355 is an unknown woman who worked as a spy who is thought to have a major role in exposing Benedict Arnold. Agent 355 got her name because “355” was the number assigned to the word “lady” in Tallmadge’s secret code. She was almost certainly a friend of Major John Andre, chief of British intelligence. Brian Kilmeade investigates America's first female spy. What they found was electrifying. Lydia Darragh // Undercover Patriot. Within two months, detailed headquarters-level intelligence on the British Army flowed to Washington in Newburgh. Others believe that Agent 355 was the common-law wife of one of the principal agents for the Culper Ring and was captured, birthed a son, and died aboard a prison ship. The popular television series Turn: Washington’s Spies, theorizes 355 was a former slave of Anna Strong. He was hung for a spy on Washington’s orders. It was at one of these parties that she got wind of the British plan to gain West Point by subversion. The most amazing thing about Agent 355? These VA benefits for spouses, children, and parents of Veterans and service members who died in the line of duty or from a service-related injury or illness give a tax-free monthly payment to eligible survivors. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Had Townsend formed a powerful emotional attachment to her, and was gathering money to ransom her freedom? The conditions of detention were dreary, and she died shortly after. Whoever held West Point, held the Hudson River Valley. Agent 355 was the code name of a female spy in the Culper Ring. Her real identity is unknown. In August 1776, George Washington and the Americans had to beat a hasty retreat leaving the British in control of New York City. This was thought to be the end of 355. Major Andre handled the correspondence-based negotiations with the commander at West Point, Arnold, originally making contact through Arnold’s wife – Andre’s old Philadelphia theater friend, Peggy Shippen. George Washington maintained a large spy network, including a … Hamilton wrote that the scheme traced back to June 1780 (coinciding with Andre’s return to New York), and noted that the Americans had intercepted some of the letters between the conspirators. Was Abraham Woodhull’s female acquaintance, with whose help he expected to “outwit them all,” a confidante of John Andre? Robert Townsend’s early reports to Tallmadge indicated that he could get good information on the British Navy, but little on the British Army. However, Arnold found out her identity and turned her over to the British who imprisoned her on the Jersey. The spy network was particularly effective in gathering valuable information from careless conversations between the British and their sympathizers. ©2020 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC. Just a guy called Benedict Arnold (Read about him in this post: http://www.historynaked.com/benedict-arnold/ ) Arnold was getting disillusioned with the lack of cash and fame he was getting from the revolution. Plain and simple, from us to you. Agent 355 is one of these. She delivered the child — a boy, Robert Townsend Jr — but died aboard the fetid conditions on the ship. Robert Townsend Jr. did exist, and was supposed to be the son of James Townsend, Robert Townsend Sr.’s brother. Arnold took the deal. This is the only direct reference to Agent 355 in any of the Culper Ring documents. What they found was electrifying. It is speculated that it was 355 who passed along the critical information that exposed the treason of Benedict Arnold and led to the arrest of Major John Andre, who was captured with maps of West Point and a pass signed by Arnold in his possession. Although Sacagawea is documented in Clark’s journal as having died in 1812 around age 24, Native stories say that she left her forced marriage, crossed the Great Plains, and married into the Comanche Tribe, later returning to her Shoshone home, and dying in 1884. Ultimately, it is revealed that she suffers from survivor's guilt in much the same way as Yorick did, brought about by the death of her sister. Unfortunately for them, 355 was on the job and got wind of the plot. She had just escaped the secret cellar of a local technician that abused her for 8 years. Townsend’s emotional reaction to this news is evident through his own ledgers and in Woodhull’s letters. Out of this need, the Culper spy ring was born. Andre confessed and was hanged. Meanwhile, at Washington’s headquarters, BenjaminTallmadge and Alexander Hamilton took charge of tracking the developments. 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