Kit Sergeant
Who Was Agent 355? Women, Espionage, and the Culper Ring in the American Revolution
In 1779, Culper spy Abraham Woodhull wrote of a mysterious woman — code-named 355 — whom he believed could “outwit them all.” Nearly 250 years later, her identity remains one of the American Revolution’s most tantalizing unsolved mysteries. Who was she? Three women stand out as candidates: Sally Townsend, Elizabeth Burgin, and Margaret Moncrieffe — each with undeniable ties to Washington’s Spy Ring, each with a compelling case. In this session, Kit Sergeant, author of 355: The Women of Washington’s Spy Ring, will untangle the documented evidence, the later claims, and the fascinating limits of what we can actually prove. Along the way, familiar names from Hamilton and AMC’s TURN — Aaron Burr, Robert Townsend, John André, and others — will make appearances in a story that is equal parts espionage thriller and forgotten women’s history.
Kit Sergeant (kitsergeant.com, @kitsergeant, Facebook: Kit Sergeant Author, Amazon: Kit Sergeant) is the author of nine historical novels centered on real-life women who shaped pivotal moments in history, particularly during the American Revolution and World War II. Her works include 355: The Women of Washington’s Spy Ring, The Spark of Resistance, Marie-Madeleine: World War II Women Spies, and The Doctor of Auschwitz, which explores the moral courage of Dr. Adélaïde Hautval. Her next book focuses on Virginia Hall and is expected to be released in the summer of 2026. Sergeant’s fiction is grounded in extensive archival research, memoirs, trial transcripts, and historical scholarship, with particular emphasis on the role of women in resistance networks and intelligence operations. Her work highlights the operational structures of organizations such as Churchill’s Special Operations Executive and the French Resistance. She is a member of the Chicago Writers Association Speaker’s Bureau and regularly presents on women in espionage and resistance movements at libraries and historical societies. A teacher by profession and at heart, Kit loves to impart little-known facts and dares you to walk away from one of her books or talks without learning at least one new thing.
