BAY CITY, Mich. -- On the 4th of July, we Americans celebrate the signing of the document that would declare our independence from Britain and send us down the road to revolution. While the first famous historical figures that come to mind are none other than our Founding Fathers, there are many women who were instrumental in the birth of our nation.
This Independence Day, we at Graff Bay City would like to share with you these famous women of the American Revolution, and the important roles they played in our history.
1. BETSY ROSS
There's at least one woman who comes to mind when one thinks of the Revolution, and that's Betsy Ross. She is famously credited with designing and producing the first American flag, which bore 13 stars arranged in a circle representing the first colonies, although historians are now claiming that this is more a legend than fact. While this famous upholsterer may or may not have made our first flag, she did contribute to the war effort by repairing uniforms and making tents, blankets, and ammo pouches.
Ross was also quite easy on the eyes, and there is speculation that she might have been the "beautiful young widow" that distracted Hessian colonel Carl von Donop and caused him to keep his troops out of the Battle of Trenton, a crucial engagement that turned the tide in favor of the Patriots when General Washington and his men crossed the Delaware River and took the Hessian mercenaries by surprise.
Ross was also quite easy on the eyes, and there is speculation that she might have been the "beautiful young widow" that distracted Hessian colonel Carl von Donop and caused him to keep his troops out of the Battle of Trenton, a crucial engagement that turned the tide in favor of the Patriots when General Washington and his men crossed the Delaware River and took the Hessian mercenaries by surprise.
2. SYBIL LUDINGTON
You've heard of Paul Revere and his famous "Midnight Ride," but you might not have heard of his female counterpart, the brave Sybil Ludington. On April 25th, 1777, a force of 2000 British soldiers led by General William Tryon began burning houses and shops in Danbury, Connecticut. Sybil's dad, Colonel Henry Ludington, was a commander of the local militia, and a messenger was sent to him bearing news of the attack on Danbury. By the time he reached the Ludington home, however, the messenger was exhausted, not to mention he was unfamiliar with the area.
It was then that 16-year-old Sybil Ludington took over and rode off into the rainy night, alone, 40 miles from her home through the Putnam and Dutchess counties to alert the rest of the militia to the attack, all the while dodging not only Redcoats but also British Loyalists and "Skinners", who were vicious highwaymen. The militia arrived too late to save Danbury, but they were able to stop them from invading any of the other surrounding towns and thus saved lives and property that could have been lost had Sybil not took it upon herself to sound the alarm.
3. PRUDENCE CUMMINGS WRIGHT
The ladies of Pepperell, Massachusettes were die-hard patriots, so much that when they learned of the Boston Tea Party, they burned their tea leaves on the town common to show their support. When the men of the town marched off to war, it was no surprise that the women of Pepperell formed their own militia to protect the remaining citizens with Prudence Cummings Wright, or "Prue," elected the leader of the "Mrs. David Wright's Guard."
In April of 1775, Prue and the Guard captured two men suspected of being British spies tasked with running intel from Canada to Boston. Following the Revolution, the town officials of Pepperell voted to compensate the Guard for their service.
In April of 1775, Prue and the Guard captured two men suspected of being British spies tasked with running intel from Canada to Boston. Following the Revolution, the town officials of Pepperell voted to compensate the Guard for their service.
4. LYDIA DARRAGH
George Washington maintained a huge spy network during the Revolution, including several agents in British-occupied Philadelphia. One of these agents was Lydia Darragh, a Quaker woman whose home became a meeting place for British soldiers, and thus a rich hub of intelligence gathering.
Lydia would hide in a closet while the Redcoats met in the next room, then passed off their plans to her son who served in the Patriot forces, often sewing the messages on button covers or hiding them in needle books. During her career as a Patriot spy, Lydia is said to have saved the lives of countless Revolutionary soldiers, including George Washington himself when she relayed news of a surprise attack planned for the town of Whitemarsh which was successfully thwarted thanks to her intel.
5. AGENT 355
On the subject of espionage, there was another lady spy who was responsible for the capture of the United States' most famous traitor, yet her identity remains a mystery to this day. Agent 355 is said to have been close to a well-regarded Loyalist family in New York, and thus had access to many high-ranking British officers as well as the sensitive information to which they were privy.
Thanks to her efforts, the traitorous nature of General Benedict Arnold was exposed, and his plot to turn over the fort at West Point to the British was foiled, saving the lives of numerous Americans and to a degree the Revolution itself.
6. MARGARET CORBIN
During the Revolution, Patriot wives and female relatives would follow behind the soldiers in the field providing support tasks like mending clothes, cooking, laundry, etc. However, some of these women ventured out of the camps and onto the battlefield, including Margaret Corbin. When her husband was killed while operating a cannon, Margaret quickly took over, firing until she was struck with grapeshot that mangled her arm and chest.
Following the Revolution, she was one of only two women to receive a federal pension for their service.
7. DEBORAH SAMPSON
The other woman to receive a federal pension for her service was Deborah Sampson, except no one knew her by that name, nor did they know she was even a woman. A dedicated Patriot, Deborah was determined to join the Continental Army, and in 1782 enlisted with the 4th Massachusetts Regiment under the name "Robert Shurtlieff." She fought courageously in many battles, wounded several times but always refusing care for fear that she would be found out, even removing a musket ball from her own leg with a penknife and sewing needle.
In 1783, she fell ill with "brain fever" and her true gender was discovered during her treatment. She wasn't allowed to serve anymore but was given an honorable discharge, passage home, and in 1802 was granted a pension as a war veteran.
8. NANCY HART
A rebel heroine noted for her efforts against Loyalists in the northeastern backcountry of Georgia, Nancy Hart was a tough and resourceful woman of the frontier, and not one to be trifled with. The most famous account of Nancy is when a group of six British soldiers barged into her home and demanded that she feed and offer them drink, and she did. Meanwhile, as the Redcoats were gorging themselves, Nancy began slipping the rifles out through a hole in the wall, taking one for herself. She then aimed at the soldiers and ordered them to remain still, the two who disobeyed her were shot and killed, and the rest took the hint and met their fate when her husband returned.
9. MERCY OTIS WARREN
Known as the "Conscience of the American Revolution," Mercy Otis Warren was revolutionary in her own right, especially for a woman of the day. In addition to being a prolific writer and the first female playwright, Mercy was an early advocate of gender equality regardless of station in life, carrying the torch for women in education and politics. Although she wasn't a feminist as defined by the standards of today, she was uniquely progressive for her time, using the written word to make a difference and start the new America down the road to women's rights.
10. MARTHA WASHINGTON
It is said that behind every great man, there's an even greater woman. An excellent example of this is Martha Washington, wife of the General of the Continental Army and our first president. During the horrible and starving time that was Valley Forge, Martha and her squad of officers' wives including Kitty Greene and Lucy Knox arrived on the scene with much-needed supplies from Mount Vernon and was indispensable as a nurse and comforter to Washington and his men during that bitter winter in the camp.
Even though the society of the time did not easily permit women to participate in the Revolutionary War, they just as crucial in the formation of our country as our Founding Fathers. These 10 ladies of liberty and others like them are shining examples of bravery and patriotism, even in the midst of an era when only men were "created equal." They believed in freedom, and that's all that mattered.
Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706 and we are here to help our community grow to become an even better place to call home! For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our website: www.GraffBayCity.com.
