Women in the Revolutionary War
By: Maria
Table of Contents:
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
1 : All about women in the Revolutionary war
2 : Nurses
3 : Independent Dames
4: Conclusion
5: Of to War
Glossary
Sources
All about Women in the Revolutionary War
The Revolutionary war was when the colonists wanted to be separated from Great
Britain and wanted to be their own nation, not ruled by Great Britain. That later led to the
revolutionary war. There were all kinds of people that helped in the war, Including soldiers.
But women helped too, they were nurses and Dames that helped in the Revolutionary war.
Nurses
Some women supported troops by actually helping them by being nurses. They gave
them food, clothes and shoes. They even melted there forks, spoons, knives, mugs and turned
them into bullets for the soldiers. Some women turned their home into a hospital for soldiers.
These women helped bloody soldiers when they were begging for help. They were not
doctors but they did try to patch up the damage caused by bullets and gun shots. Some
soldiers took their wives to the battlefield so they could cook and took care of the people
that were hurt and wounded. Even though they were not doctors they tried to help and they
were a big help. If they were not there on the battlefield the soldiers would be wounded and
no one would be able to help them as quickly because the other soldier were tired and had
to battle. I believe there would be more deaths in the Revolutionary war if it wasn’t for all the
extra help these women offered during the war. These women that were nurses could have
said, “ no I don’t want to help”, but they didn’t they helped in the war so not only were men
helping with the revolutionary war women were too.
Independent Dames
Independent dames are women that are on the colonists side and help them to be
their own nation.
There were pioneer dames which were the tough girls. They fought enemy troops by
throwing boiling hot water on them and firing muskets. They also, worked as scouts for the
army by leading american troops through the wilderness and stopping ambushes. The
american soldiers needed food, water and blankets because they were running out of it. So
some fancy Philadelphia ladies helped them get the stuff they needed. They went from house
to house and wrote letters for donations. They were not supposed to do stuff like that but
they did and it worked. Also, a lot of other women did this and sent them to the Philadelphia
ladies so they could send them to the troops. There was a lot of money coming in. George
Washington was so thankful and happy he sent a thank you note to the ladies.
Some dames fought because they had no choice. This was because sometimes
there was a war going on in their backyard. Also, when the british soldiers demanded food
and supplies, the women would grab their guns and swords to protect themselves and their
families from the soldiers. Nancy Hart had six loyalist soldiers invade her home and demand
food. So Nancy made a meal for them and after when they were all drunk she got their
rifles and shot one of them. She held the other to gunpoint while her daughter ran for
american support.
This is a picture of Nancy Hart and the six loyalists.
Some British soldiers took over people’s homes and moved in without even asking.
American moms had to wash their clothes and cook for them. Two women named Prudence
Wright and Sarah Shattuck led a group of women that dressed like men and held muskets to
guard their local village after the Lexington and Concord battle. They caught a British spy that
had secret messages in his boot.
Some moms spied on the British soldiers. These women hid coded messages about
plans in buttons, bags of flour and balls of yarn. They gave these messages to American
soldiers. They didn’t just eavesdrop, they also stole official messages, counted weapons and
troops, carried military instructions, watched for war ships and spread the word when
British were coming. There was a women named Mom Rinker. American agents spying on
British in Philadelphia would give their notes to her, who would put the notes deep in her
yarn. She would knit on a cliff and let her yarn role off the cliff to the american soldiers.
The spy moms and daughters ruined some of their enemies best plans. The British were
mad! They offered cash rewards for them. Passing secrets became harder and harder. The
British would kill the spies male or female, they didn’t care.
When battles were going on, women would bring food and water to the soldiers. If a
soldier was hurt or killed they would sometimes grab the weapon and shoot at the other
side. After the battle the women would take care of wounded or dead soldiers. Some
women did not want to cook, wash clothes or be a nurse. So they disguised themselves as
men to fight like a soldier. They trained, they fought, they risked their life like soldiers. If they
got caught they would be arrested or punished for dressing like a man. But they fought great,
like men. Deborah Sampson dressed like a man. She got wounded by a sabel below her
head and another time by gunshot in her leg. She was caught by a doctor but she still got her
military pension.
Conclusion
This informational book shows that women did a lot of things in the Revolutionary war.
They did not just sit down on the couch and wait until the war was over. Some went on the
battlefield. Others took care of soldiers and their families. They were very brave.
Off to War
I didn’t want to clean, cook or wash stuff for the soldiers. I wanted to be a soldier.
So I dressed up as John Brown. They actually believed me. My first battle was gonna be
Saratoga. It is tomorrow, it is gonna be great.
So I got dressed for the battle. Then I went to the battlefield, I wanted to be first row
and I was!!! The battle started, I shot my first shot, it was great. We were gonna win this one,
I knew it. I kept shooting and shooting, I got it right on the spot each time, it was great. The
battle was almost over and we were gonna win. Then at that moment I got shot in the leg,
Then another in the stomach. I thought I was gonna die. But a nice women helped me get up
and took me to the nurses’ house. I was so thankful, but I was also scared. If she found out
I was a women she might report me and I would get arrested or punished.
After, she found out. I begged her not to tell anyone. I was so lucky that she said she
would not tell anyone. I told her I was gonna leave the war and I did. I ended up being a nurse
with the women. It was pretty fun. I also, ended up being friends with her. She thought it was
cool that I tried to be a soldier and risked my life.
Glossary Great Britain: A country located in Europe Revolutionary war: A war when the colonist’s wanted to be free from Great Britain Dames: Women that help the said they want to win Battlefield: A field that people are fighting on or battling in Wounded: It is a hurt or a bruise Ambushes: When a army comes out of no where and attacks Disguised: When you dress as something else or someone else Lexington and Concord: The first battle of the Revolutionary war Loyalist: People that lived in America that were on the British’s side Sources Independent Dames: Laurie Halse Anderson The picture is called Nancy Hart from wikipedia.com from a book in 1898