America Unearthed, Season 4, Episode 6, Culper Spy Ring

I have to admit I had never heard of the George Washington's Culper Spy Ring, let alone the mysterious Agent 355, before filming this episode.  I had certainly heard of my tipster, Valerie Plame, before having the pleasure of meeting her in person.  Back in 2003, she was outed as a CIA spy by the George Bush administration upon the direction of then Vice President, Dick Cheney.  Valerie's outing was the vindictive response to her husband's editorial that essentially accused the Bush administration of getting the U.S. involved in the Iraq War under false pretenses their country was hiding weapons of mass destruction.  It turned out the editorial was right, but damage to Valerie's career was done.  She was the perfect person to launch me into this investigation with truly fresh, unbiased eyes.

Allison Pataki and I quickly concluded that Peggy Shippen Arnold was not working for George Washington behind her husband's back thought she was a fascinating woman regardless.  The second suspect, Anna "Nancy" Strong's contributions to the war effort was heroic for sure, but her lack of proximity to New York City eliminated her as the female spy who we know spent a lot of time working behind the scenes and under the radar of the British army.  That person could only have been Elizabeth Bergin, who risked her life helping prisoners on death ships escape to freedom.  She was the right person, in the right place, at the right time.  She should now be recognized as the Revolutionary War hero that she was.  What do you think?       

Former CIA spy, Valerie Plame, mysteriously appears under the bridge in Central Park, New York, to deliver information to me about Agent 355 who was park of George Washington's Culper spy ring during the Revolutionary War.

Valerie Plame and I pose for a photo between takes on a bitterly cold night in Central Park.

Brandon Boulay captures a beautiful shot of Cleopatra's Needle on a cold and wet January night in Central Park.

Allison Pataki and I together after filming a scene where we discussed if the wife of traitor Benedict Arnold, Peggy Shippen Arnold, could have secretly been working for George Washington's Culper spy ring.  Allison wrote a New York Times best-selling novel about Peggy's life titled, "The Traitor's Wife." 

The Committee Films crew captures the view Anna "Nancy" Strong had overlooking Port Jefferson Harbor where Caleb Brewster would appear in a rowboat after crossing the Long Island Sound with intelligence about the British intended for General George Washington. 

Anna Nancy Strong would hang clothing in specific patterns on her "Magic Clothesline" to alert fellow spy Abraham Woodhull what bay Caleb Brewster would arrive in to avoid British troops. 

Abraham Woodhull's view across the bay shows the three white towels (center to the left of the white house) were visible and coded clothesline communication under the nose of the British indeed did work. 

The grave and monument of Anna "Nancy" Strong lies only yards from where she risked her life to hang her coded clothesline in support of the American Revolution. 

The conclusive evidence in my mind that Elizabeth Bergin was Agent 355 is in this December 25, 1779, letter written by George Washington.  He wrote, "From the price I entertained of her service and suffrage I have ventured to take the liberty of directing the commissary at Philadelphia to furnish her and her children with rations..."  Her service must have be mighty indeed for the General to personally write such a letter.