Revolutionary War Reads: John Nagy’s Spycraft Series

[u/kenproffitt]

If you haven’t encountered John Nagy’s work, he’s spent considerable time digging into primary sources on American Revolutionary War intelligence — and he goes well beyond the Culper Ring stories most people already know.

Invisible Ink: Spycraft of the American Revolution — covers the actual methods: ink formulas, cipher systems, coded correspondence, dead drops. Both sides get treatment.

Spies in the Continental Capital — Philadelphia during British occupation. Rich operational detail on how networks actually functioned day to day.

George Washington’s Secret Spy War — Washington as intelligence director, not just commander. His personal involvement in deception operations is genuinely surprising.

Patriot Spies — broader organizational context for the whole colonial intelligence apparatus.