Women in the American Revolution
When the founding fathers said that “all men are created equal,” they left out the women. Women at that time were not allowed to
vote, their career opportunities were severely limited, and most legal representation had to take place through a male
representative – either husband or family. That didn’t stop them from taking an important part in the fight for independence. Here
are just a few of them.
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Margaret Corbin-followed her husband as he fought in the army for the Patriots. When her husband was killed, she took
his place loading the cannon until the gunner was killed as well. She was hit and left for dead, but a passing doctor saved
her life. Her wounds left her personally disabled and she received a lifetime pension for the wounds she suffered in battle.
Nancy Hart – Questioned by British soldiers about helping a Patriot soldier, she admitted it to them. Forced to cook the
British a meal, she killed two of them with their own muskets. Once she disguised herself as a crazy man and went into the
British camp to gather vital information about the British plans. In Georgia there is a county named after her, and her
portrait is in the state capital. War Woman Creek is named for her.
Molly McCauley (Molly Pitcher) served the Patriot army bringing pitchers of water to the men in battle. One day she saw
her husband shot in the arm. She took over his position at the cannon, firing several rounds at the British forces heading
toward them. The sight of her fighting encouraged the other soldiers, sending the British into retreat. Her action
impressed General Washington who commissioned her as “Sergeant Molly Pitcher.”
Martha Bratton – left in charge of the store of gun powder while her husband was away, Martha heard that the British were
planning on stealing it. She set a trap, blowing up the building just as the British soldiers arrived. Later, realizing just how
awful war was, she set up a hospital and nursed both British and American soldiers.
Lydia Darragh – A Quaker, she was convinced that she should not be involved in the war. The British found this convenient
and used her house for meetings. At one meeting Lydia heard the British planning a surprise attack on General Washington
and his men at a nearby camp. Now she had a problem. She felt that she should not be involved in the war, but she
realized that many would suffer and die if she did not act. So she personally delivered the information to Washington’s
men, turning a British victory into a disappointment.
Sybil Ludington – the female Paul Revere- The daughter of Colonel Ludington, she heard that someone was needed to
gather the troops when the British were heading for Fredricksburg. She jumped on her horse and rode around informing
everyone of the danger. She actually rode about twice as far as Paul Revere.
Rebecca Motte – British forces kicked her out of her house so they could use it as a fort. She gave the Patriots fire arrows
to shoot and set her own house on fire to get rid of the British. The British left so quickly the Patriots were able to put out
the fire and save most of the house. Then she fed the Patriots a meal in the house they helped set on fire!
Penelope Barker – Arranged her own tea party – the Edenton Tea Party where over 50 women wrote up a declaration
against the use of tea and clothes made from British cloth. All the women at the meeting signed the document, and more
joined in on the boycott of British goods.
Elizabeth Burgin – helped plan the escape of over 200 prisoners being held on a British prison ship in the New York harbor.
Grace and Rachel Martin – borrowed their husbands clothes and pistols to set up an ambush of a British courier carrying
important documents to South Carolina. Later that night, they returned home only to find the British officers they had
ambushed enjoying a meal their mother had prepared! Fortunately, they were not recognized.
Mary Murray – Her husband a loyalist, knew that British troops had landed to trap retreating patriots. She invited the
British commanders to tea, which stalled them long enough to allow the patriots to get to New York safely.
Deborah Sampson – cut off her hair and disguised herself as a man to enlist in the Revolutionary Army. She successfully
carried off this disguise for years until wounded in battle. She got sick while recovering, and the doctor treating her
discovered her secret. He took her to his house to recover in private, and didn’t let anyone know until the end of the war.
At that time, she was given an honorable discharge. Her husband was the only man to receive a widower’s pension from
the Revolutionary War.
These are only a few of the women that acted for the revolution’s success. They fought in battles, acted as spies, and carried secret
messages. Some of them were brilliant writers and speakers, convincing people that independence from Britain was the right thing.
In some cases, they even made the difference between whether a town was loyal to Britain or a part of the revolution. They worked
to give the Revolutionary Army the supplies it needed to keep fighting. In spite of all this, they were still not given equality with the
men. Abigail Adams wrote to her husband John Adams about this discrepancy frequently and with great eloquence.
African Americans fought, too
African Americans actually fought on both sides of the Revolutionary War. Some saw the Declaration of Independence and the idea
that all men are created equal to be something worth fighting for. They also hoped that they would be included in the equality
spoken of in the famous documents. Free black men fought for many reasons – a desire for adventure, a belief in the goals of the
Revolution, and the possibility of receiving a bounty. Men who joined were given (or promised) money, and some would become
free because of their contribution. Some hoped that they would be freed or at least get an expansion of their civil rights as slaves.
Some AA’s were enlisted as Minutemen. Both free and slave AA’s had served in local militias – especially in the North – defending
their towns from attacks by Native Americans. The battles at Lexington and Concord and the battle of Bunker Hill all had African
soldiers fighting along with white patriots. They served as soldiers, guides, messengers, and spies. New England regiments recruited
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black slaves by promising freedom for service in the Continental Army. During the war, about 1/5 of the northern army was black.
After a time, the Revolutionary leaders began to get worried about using black men in the armed forces. They feared an armed
uprising, especially in the southern colonies. As an interesting side note, in southern colonies it was permissible for a slave owner to
have his slave serve in the army in his place. In May 1775, the Massachusetts Committee of Safety stopped the enlistment of slaves
in the armies of the colony. When the Continental Congress took over the army, they continued this practice. General Washington
issued orders to reenlist free black men who had already served in the army – he was worried they might go fight for the British. In
1777, when they were desperate for more forces, they finally allowed black men to serve in exchange for freedom.
The British didn’t miss the trick either. Lord Dunmore, British governor of Virginia, issued Dunmore’s Proclamation, which promised
freedom for black slaves who fought with the British (as long as they weren’t owned by Loyalists). They were designated as “Lord
Dunmore’s Ethiopian Regiment.” They fought so effectively, that it made the Continental Congress worried, and changed their minds
about enlisting black men in the army. Thousands of slaves looked on the British as their ticket out of slavery, and went to the
British lines for freedom. In fact, in total over 20,000 black men served the British cause, although relatively few of them were
allowed to bear arms. The British were worried about an armed uprising just as much as the Continental Congress was. In the end,
the British tried to honor their promise and relocated 4,000 black Loyalists to Nova Scotia at the end of the war.
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Agrippa Hull – born free, he enlisted in the Colonial army in 1777, and served as an orderly for General Patterson and
Tadeusz Koscuiszko.
Lemuel Haynes – probably the first African American to be ordained by a mainstream Protestant Church in the United
States, and enlisted as one of the Minutemen.
Colonel Tye – Titus Cornelius - one of the “Ethiopian Regiment” he fought for the British and at one time commanded 800
men. He terrorized New Jersey – stealing cattle, freeing slaves, and capturing patriots.
Boston King – an escaped slave who joined up with the Loyalists. He fought for General Cornwallis at Camden, where he
served as a messenger and an orderly. Kidnapped by southern Loyalists who tried to sell him back into slavery, he escaped
and again rejoined the army.
Crispus Attucks - believed to be the first person killed at the Boston Massacre.
Colonel Louis Cook – the first AA to be promoted to a Lieutenant Colonel in the Continental Army. Participated in many
attacks on British troops, often leading from the front. Sent by General Schuyler to destroy British ships at Niagara.
Jack Sisson – served as the pilot on one of the boats used to sneak across British controlled waters to capture British
General Richard Prescott. Some accounts say he used his own head to break in Prescott’s door and capture him.
William Flora – the hero of the Battle of Great Bridge – during the battle he ripped up the planks of the bridge to halt the
progress of the redcoats even though he was under heavy fire.
James Armistead – used by his owner as a substitute for army service during the war. He volunteered to spy on British
forces and soon gained the confidence of British general Lord Cornwallis. He began informing the Americans about British
troop movements and helped the patriots win the Battle of Yorktown. Granted his freedom for his service in 1786.
Phillis Wheatley – brought to America as a slave in 161, went on to become the first African American to publish a book, a
collection of poetry. She was set free in 1773 and published another volume of poetry.
Foreign soldiers fought, too
The American Revolutionary Army wasn’t manned by professionals. Most of the men who served signed up for a three month term
of service. They were farmers, small businessmen, not professional soldiers. While most of them were reasonably proficient with
firearms, they were not used to fighting as a group. Much of the military training and professional talent was imported from Europe.
Some of these men were fighting for money. Some came over and expected to be made officers immediately based on their military
experience, whether they were any good or not!
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The Marquis de Lafayette – A French aristocrat who came over to fight for liberty. He used his own money to pay for
soldiers and was given the title of General. A great friend of George Washington. He was very influential in persuading the
French Government to lend financial and military aid to the revolution.
Baron von Steuben – Prussia – during the long winter at Valley Forge, he created a training regimen that for the first time
put the Continental Army on an equal footing with the well trained British army.
Baron Johann de Kalb – Germany – commanded the Maryland and Delaware Continentals at the battle of Camden. Died on
his horse as a Major General, leading a counterattack on the British lines
Thaddeus Kosciuszko – Poland (present day Lithuania) – engineer who built Fort West Point and the fortifications on Bemis
Heights. These were invaluable in securing the surrender of General Burgoyne and 6,000 British and German soldiers –
generally considered the turning point of the war.
General Casimir Pulaski – fought for Polish liberty before being kicked out of Russia. Came to America where he
volunteered his services to the Continental Army. Distinguished himself as a brilliant tactician, and became known as the
“Father of the American Cavalry.” Often used his own money to make sure his men had the best equipment and personal
safety when the Congress was short on funds. Died during the Battle of Savannah, mortally wounded by a cannon blast.
Jose Monino de Redondo Count of Floridabanca – Spain – Spanish Minister of State who persuaded Spain to enter the war
as America’s ally.
Admiral Francois Joseph Paul Compte de Grasse – France – commanded the French fleet that defeated the English fleet and
blockaded the Chesapeake Bay, preventing General Cornwallis’ escape and forcing him to officially surrender.
John Paul Jones – Scottish – Raided British shipping off European waters and raided a key British base in the Bahamas to get
supplies for the Continental Army. Actually invaded England itself when his crew assaulted the British town of Whitehaven,
destroying its cannons and attempted to set the British fleet there ablaze.
Charles Gravier Comte de Vergennes – France – French Minister of Finance responsible for most of France’s military and
economic assistance during the war.
Caron de Beaumarchais – France – set up a private trading company that France used to covertly funnel supplies to the
colonies at the beginning of the conflict.
Charles Fox – Great Britain – one of the most outspoken Members of Parliament in support of the American Cause against
the British government. Argued that the colonies protests were valid, and that the British Government’s insistence on
treating the colonies as subservient would result in their loss to the British Empire.
Of course, the British weren’t above using foreign troops either. Mostly they used Hessian mercenaries imported from Germany to
fill out the numbers of troops in the British army. Much of the foreign aid came from France, one of the results of Benjamin
Franklin’s work there as a diplomat. In fact, without the French aid, today we might all be speaking…English.