Women's Role in the War

Throughout the war women’s work was crucial. At first when their son and husbands went to war they stayed in charge of everything at home, they made clothing, blankets, and shoes for the soldiers, this way they went well prepared to fight.

Without this help soldiers wouldn’t make it through, but after some time some women wanted to go to war with their husbands to the army, some helped maintaining them and even some started helping with cannons, various women were outstanding at this. The most recognized were Deborah Sampson, Molly Pitcher and others.

DEBORAH SAMPSON

Deborah Sampson was the first known American women who took the role of a man in order to enter the army and take place in combats. On May 20 1782 when she was 21 was enlisted as a man named Robert Shurtleff in the Continental Army. She performed her duties just as another man. After her service ended she was awarded a pension from the state of Massachusetts.

MOLLY PITCHER

Molly Pitcher was a nickname given to a woman who fought in the revolutionary war.  This Molly Picher stories are attributed to Mary Hays. She was from a German family but born in New Jersey. This woman was known because she delivered water to the troops and sometimes fired the cannon of her husband.