Anna Strong is a member of the Culper Ring. Along with her childhood friends, Abraham Woodhull, Major Benjamin Tallmadge and Lieutenant Caleb Brewster, Anna helps to complete spy missions for the Continental Army and General George Washington.
Throughout the American Revolutionary War, Anna helped gather intelligence with the other members of the Culper Ring.
Biography[]
Early life[]
In her youth, Abraham Woodhull made friends with Caleb Brewster and Benjamin Tallmadge. The three would look out for each other and do many things together, including escorting Abe to secretly gain a kiss from Anna.
Anna and Abe went on to become lovers and were eventually engaged, until Abe broke off their engagement to become engaged to a woman named Mary, due to the death of his brother Thomas, who was engaged to her before his death.
Anna went on to marry Selah Strong, while Abe went on to wed Mary.
Culper Ring service[]
Early beginnings[]
In the autumn of 1776 in Setauket, Long Island, Abe visited Strong Tavern to pay off part of a debt that he had to Selah, the bar's owner. While Abe and Selah were talking, Anna entered and was pleased to see Abe. She then invited Abe and his family to dinner but Abe declined, saying that he'd be shamed for her to cook for his family while in arrears.
John Robeson, a Tory oyster farmer, then happily reads an account in the Royal Gazette of a retreat by General George Washington to a room full of Redcoats. Selah then ordered Robeson to leave with both of them struggling briefly. Beer was then spilled on Captain Charles Joyce, who angrily tackled Selah. Abe attempted to intervene but was stopped by Lieutenat John Graves Simcoe, who put a pistol to the back of Abe's head. Joyce then threw Abe to the floor and kicked him in the head.
Later that night, with the help of his father, Richard Woodhull and off of Major Edmund Hewlett's orders, Simcoe released Abe. Selah, however, remained in custody. Joyce was soon killed, with Abraham leaving town on business.
Simcoe, who'd been made Captain in the wake of Joyce's death, showed up at Strong Manor and asked Anna about Abe's whereabouts. He then made advances on her. After she rebuffed him, he informed her that he'd been billeted at the manor.
Later, at Strong Manor, Abe snuck into the barn and signaled to Anna. He gave Anna money from selling his cabbage to repay his debt, then told her that he had met with Caleb and Ben. He told her that Ben tried to recruit him as a spy. "Don't worry, I won't do it," he said. "Why not?" Anna then asked, disappointed. "What are you waiting for? What more do they need to take from us?" She then left without taking his money.
Later Abe sprinted over to Strong Tavern and pulled Anna aside in the cellar, away from prying eyes. He then asked her to hang a black petticoat from her laundry line as a signal to Ben that he had Intel for the rebels. Abe then told her that his plan would get rid of Simcoe, who continued to harass Anna. Abe then scrambled to hide as Simcoe entered the room. Anna distracted Simcoe by flirting with him and they left the room together.
The next day, Anna hanged a black petticoat on her peg line, helping Abe meet with Caleb.
Characters met[]
- Abigail
- Caleb Brewster
- John Champe
- Cicero
- Alexander Hamilton
- Edmund Hewlett
- Randall
- Robert Rogers
- John Graves Simcoe
- Selah Strong
- Benjamin Tallmadge
- Robert Townsend
- Samuel Townsend
- George Washington
- Martha Washington
- Abraham Woodhull
- Mary Woodhull
- Richard Woodhull
Relationships[]
Allies[]
Abigail[]
Caleb Brewster[]
Benjamin Tallmadge[]
George Washington[]
Family[]
Selah Strong[]
Romance[]
Abraham Woodhull[]
Enemies[]
John Graves Simcoe[]
Behind the Scenes[]
Anna Strong was portrayed by Heather Lind in Seasons 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Turn: Washington's Spies.
Appearances[]
Episode
Turn: Origins (first appearance)- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Pilot"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Who by Fire"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Of Cabbages and Kings"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Epiphany"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Mr. Culpeper" (referenced only)
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Mercy Moment Murder Measure"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Challenge"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Against Thy Neighbor"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "The Battle of Setauket"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Thoughts of a Free Man"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Hard Boiled"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "False Flag"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Men of Blood"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Sealed Fate"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Houses Divided"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Valley Forge" (dream only)
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Providence"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "The Prodigal"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Gunpowder, Treason, and Plot"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Valediction"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Cold Murdering Bastards"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Benediction"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Hearts and Minds"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Hypocrisy, Fraud, and Tyranny"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Many Mickles Make a Muckle"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Judgment"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Mended"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Blade on the Feather"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Trial and Execution"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Spyhunter General"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "The Black Hole of Calcutta"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Blood for Blood"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Nightmare"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Private Woodhull"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Our Man in New York"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Quarry"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Belly of the Beast"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Reckoning"
- Turn: Washington's Spies - "Washington's Spies"
Description[]
Season 1[]
- "Anna is a smart, headstrong woman who has been friends with Abe, Ben and Caleb since they were children. Three years ago, Anna was engaged to marry Abe until the engagement was broken off by their respective fathers: her father a liberal Whig and Abe's a staunch Tory. As the British marched into town and drove her family out, Anna married Selah Strong, a known Whig, in the wake of her broken engagement. Since then, whispers have implicated Anna as a Patriot sympathizer. Despite being married to others, the connection between Abe and Anna remains strong and perilous circumstances of the war draw them closer together."
- ―Official description
Season 2[]
- "A smart, headstrong woman, Anna has a complicated past with Abe, her former fiancé. Despite their history, they worked together to pass along crucial information to George Washington and the Continental Army, strengthening their own bond in the process. Believing her husband, Selah, was dead, Abe and Anna re-consummated their love but soon learn they were mistaken when Selah returns to town with the patriots during the Battle of Setauket. At the end of last season, Anna was faced with the choice of leaving with Selah and the other patriots during the retreat or giving up everything to stay behind. Anna jumped from her boat and swam back to Setauket, securing her status as a loyalist in the eyes of Major Hewlett and the other soldiers in town, and providing her with crucial access to continue her work with Abe and the Culper Ring."
- ―Official description
Season 3[]
- "Anna, aka "The Signal of Setauket," is the heart of the four friends comprising the Culper Ring -- ready to do whatever is necessary for the cause. Anna even passed up the opportunity to leave Setauket with her husband at the end of Season One, electing to remain in danger, out of loyalty to her country and her love for Abe. In the second season, Anna's affair with Abe runs its course, but she continues to watch out for him as his co-conspirator in the ring. Anna encourages Major Hewlett's romantic interest in her to gain influence over the enemy, but is drawn in by his humanity and starts to care for Hewlett. Anna even resists Abe's plan to kill him in the Season Two finale. Season Three finds Anna's loyalties further divided as Hewlett becomes even more of a threat to Abe. Not wanting to see Abe hanged as a spy, but unwilling to see Hewlett sacrificed either, Anna embarks on a third way, a risky course of action that jeopardizes her own position."
- ―Official description
Season 4[]
- "Anna, a.k.a. "The Signal of Setauket," is the heart of the four friends comprising the Culper Ring—ready to do whatever is necessary for the cause. Anna even passed up the opportunity to leave Setauket with her husband at the end of Season 1, electing to remain in danger out of loyalty to her country and her love for Abe. Anna's affair with Abe ran its course, but she continued to watch out for him as his co-conspirator in the Ring. Anna encouraged Major Hewlett's romantic interest to gain influence over the enemy, but started to care for him, even resisting Abe's plan to kill Hewlett. Not wanting to see Abe hanged as a spy, but unwilling to see Hewlett sacrificed either, Anna accepted Hewlett's proposal of marriage, humiliating him at the altar but saving his life. As we settle into Season 4, Anna fights for her place in the camp and her place in the Ring, as she becomes an advocate for the Camp Followers – the army of women who follow the army itself."
- ―Official description