The stories of men like Nathan Hale, who was captured and later hanged for crossing into British territory to gather information, surely weighed heavily on the General’s shoulders. He knew that spying was a field that was fraught with risk. Washington recognized the need for an organized approach to espionage. In order to win, he needed to out-maneuver and out-smart the enemy. Compared to the formidable British forces, Washington’s army was under-trained, under-staffed, under-equipped, and under-funded.

The emergence of an organized American intelligence community under Washington’s watch shouldn’t come as a surprise. In some cases, Washington himself didn’t even know the identities of the men who worked together in secret to aid the cause of freedom. Much as with modern-day operatives, the members of these networks kept at a distance from each other and maintained secret identities.

The undercover agents were merchants, tailors, farmers, and other extraordinary patriots with ordinary day jobs. Under Washington’s astute watch, several networks of spies operated in both close-knit circles and far-reaching societies. Among other honorifics, George Washington-known as Agent 711 in the Culper Spy Ring-is often heralded as a great “spymaster,” and indeed, he was.

Famous spy agent names