Molly Pitcher
Molly Pitcher at the Battle of Monmouth, Dennis Malone Carter (1827-1881), Collection of fraunces tavern museum,
Gift of Herbert P. Whitlock, 1913
The women who descended on the battlefield are collectively known as Molly Pitchers. Two of the most distinguished Molly Pitchers were Margaret Corbin and Mary Ludwig Hayes. These women were camp followers, the wives or daughters of soldiers who traveled with the Continental Army. These women cooked, did laundry, and provided medical assistance. It is unknown how many camp followers there were during the war.
Mary Ludwig Hayes
Mary Ludwig joined her husband, William Hays, in the 4th Pennsylvania Artillery. During the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778, Mary carried pitchers of water back and forth on the battlefield when she saw William collapse. She heard the order to retire the cannon as there were no longer enough gunners to man it. She stepped forward, saying she could serve the gun, and began firing.
After the battle, General Washington supposedly asked about the woman firing cannons with the artillerymen. Then, noting her courageousness during battle, Washington allegedly promoted her to a non-commissioned officer. In 1822, the Pennsylvania Legislature awarded a veteran’s pension of $40 per year for her service during the war. Mary died in 1832 and was honored with a Molly Pitcher statue above her grave.
Margaret Corbin
On November 16, 1776, the British Army attacked Fort Washington. Immediately, Margaret donned men’s clothing and followed her husband, John, into the battle. British and Hessian forces quickly made their way up the hill and towards the fort, killing John and most of his team in the process. When she realized he had been killed by enemy fire, she immediately began firing the cannon. Margaret’s aim was so good that the Hessian forces stopped advancing towards the fort and directed their efforts to stop her. Margaret was hit with three musket balls and grapeshot; her left arm was nearly torn off of her body, and she sustained severe wounds to her chest and jaw. Despite this, Margaret was the last one to cease firing before the Continental troops abandoned the fort.
The soldiers she fought alongside at the Battle of Fort Washington detailed Margaret’s act of heroism and selfless devotion to the Patriot cause. On July 6, 1779, the Continental Congress awarded Margaret a lifetime pension for her service, the first time the Continental Congress recognized a woman for her military service. It is worth noting that her pension was half that of a male soldier. In 1926, the Daughters of the American Revolution (today, The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution) led efforts to locate the grave of “Captain Molly.” With assistance from historians and New York Daughters of the American Revolution members, they discovered Corbin in Highland Falls, New York. On April 24, 1926, Margaret Corbin was re-interned near the Old Cadet Chapel in West Point with full military honors.
