Molly Pitcher" the myth, the legend, the real stories

Everyone has heard of Molly Pitcher, the legendary woman who picks up loading the cannon after her husband falls in battle. Did you know that there was more than one Molly Pitcher? The story of Molly Pitcher is a composite folk hero inspired by the actions of different women in the battlefield during the Revolutionary War. According to historian Emily Teipe, the possibilities of who Molly Pitcher was are too numerous and asserts that the name is a collective generic term, much like "G.I. Joe."'  Molly Pitcher serves as a common label for the women who served in numerous ways in the army and colonial militia (Teipe, 1999). Here are just three women who helped build the Molly Pitcher legend. 

Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley was born on October 13, 1754. At 13, she became a domestic servant and would later marry William Hays, a barber. When the Revolutionary War broke out, William enlisted as a gunner in the Pennsylvania Artillery (Alexander, 2017-2018). Mary would eventually join him during the Philadelphia Campaign (1777-1778) and would winter with him at Valley Forge. She would bring water to the artillerymen. Legend says that Mary was carrying water for the troops at the Battle of Monmouth (June 1778) when her husband was wounded. She abandoned her water jugs to take his place loading the artillery. The personal account from Joseph Plumb Martin, a soldier in the Continental Army, describes a woman taking up the artillery but doesn’t identify the woman by name (Historic Valley Forge). There are some sources that claim that Washington even gave Mary Hays a commendation but no record exists. After the war, William and Mary returned to Pennsylvania, settling in Carlisle. William Hays died in 1786 and Mary would remarry in 1793 to John McCauley. Mary was awarded a pension in 1822 from the Pennsylvania State Legislature. She died on January 22, 1832 at the age of 67 (Historic Valley Forge).  

 

Margaret Cochran Corbin was born November 12, 1751. She was orphaned at 5 when her father was killed during an Indian raid and her mother was taken captive, never to be seen again (Michals, 2015). She joined her husband, John Corbin, during the war, working as a nurse for the injured soldiers. On November 16, 1776, during the Battle of Fort Washington, she dressed as a man and joined her husband on the battlefield. When her husband fell in battle, she took his spot. She was able to fire, clean and load the cannon with ease and speed, earning the nickname, “Captain Molly” (Michals, 2015).  She would be seriously wounded in battle herself. Her battle wounds left her unable to work to support herself and eventually even simple tasks became difficult (Women and the American Story). She would earn a reputation for being a bad-tempered, hard-drinking eccentric. She died on January 16, 1800 at the age of 49. In 1926 when the New York State Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution verified her account and she was reburied with full military honors at West Point (Women and the American Story). She is one of two Revolutionary soldiers and one of three women buried there. 

Deborah Sampson was born December 17, 1760 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. At the age of 10, she was forced into indentured servitude to Deacon Benjamin Thomas, a farmer in Middlesbrough (Michals, 2015). At 18, her servitude was complete and she would be able to work as a teacher during the summer and a weaver in the winter (Michals, 2015). In 1782, she disguised herself as a man to serve in the Continental Army. She would be chosen to serve in the Light Infantry Troops, the most active in the Hudson Valley from 1782-1783 (Serflippi). Her true identity went undetected with a few close calls. She was injured with a gunshot to the thigh. She would dig out the pistol ball herself (Michals, 2015) in order to avoid being discovered. She was eventually discovered when she fell ill. She served seventeen months under the name of Robert Shirtliff (May 20, 1782-October 25, 1783) before being honorably discharged (Serfilippi). She received a pension from the State of Massachusetts and in 1802, she spent a year lecturing in full military uniform (Michals, 2015). She died on April 29, 1827 at the age of 66.

In conclusion, Mary Hays, Margaret Corbin and Deborah Sampson are just three of the countless women who served during the Revolutionary War and embodied the bravery that became a part of the Molly Pitcher legend. Their stories are proof that the heroes of history aren’t just men, women joined the fight as well. That women have been willing to put their part for generations and is not just a modern phenomenon. Just like Rosie the Riveter is an allegorical icon for the women who worked in the factories and shipyards during World War II, Molly Pitcher is a composite of the women who served for the independence during the Revolutionary War. She represents the willingness to step in and help when duty calls. 

References

Alexander, Kerri Lee (2017-2018). Mary Ludwig Hays. National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mary-ludwig-hays. Retrieved July 13, 2021.

Historic Valley Forge (no date). Molly Pitcher. Historic Valley Forge. https://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/youasked/070.htm. Retrieved July 13, 2021. 

Michals, Debra (2015). Deborah Sampson. National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/deborah-sampson. Retrieved July 13, 2021. 

Michals, Debra (2015). Margaret Cochran Corbin. National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/margaret-cochran-corbin. Retrieved July 13, 2021. 

Teipe, Emily J. (1999). Will the Real Molly Pitcher Please Stand Up? National Archives. Summer 1999, Vol. 31, No. 2. https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1999/summer/pitcher.html. Retrieved July 14, 2021. 

Serfilippi, Jessie (no date). Deborah Sampson. George Washington’s Mount Vernon. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/deborah-sampson/. Retrieved July 13, 2021. 

Women and the American Story (no date): Life Story: Margaret Corbin (1751-1800). New York Historical Society Museum and Library. https://wams.nyhistory.org/settler-colonialism-and-revolution/the-american-revolution/margaret-corbin/#resource. Retrieved July 13, 2021.