by Felicia Arnold

Created on: August 13, 2011

America has always had powerful women who were leaders and fighters in their day.  Many of these women were unassuming, non-flamboyant, Americans, and yet they endured physical and emotional abuse for their goal for all Americans.  Due to their great faith and their strength they conquered all adversity for their successes.

When our country was preparing for the Revolutionary War, there were no women's names on the documents.  The male statesmen signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  Yet, this did not prevent women from serving their country.  Margaret Corbin was one of these women.

Margaret Corbin's husband was fighting at Ft. Washington, NY in 1776 and was shot and he could no longer fire  his canon.  It was the custom in those days for women to accompany their husbands and help the injured and feed the soldiers.  When Margaret saw that her husband was wounded she began to fire the canon.  She was so badly wounded that her left arm was almost severed from her body. In recognition for her bravery the Continental Congress in 1779 rewarded her with a lifetime pension.  The only Revolutionary War veteran to be buried at West Point  was Margaret Corbin, known as "Captain Molly."

There was another famous Molly in American history...Molly Pitcher.  Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley joined her husband John and left their Pennsylvania home to fight with the Continental Army.  In 1778 they joined the Pennsylvania 7th Regiment, and as was the custom, Mary nursed the wounded and help feed them as well.  At the Battle of Monmouth New Jersey, Mary carried water to the thirsty soldiers and there began her name, Molly Pitcher. When John was wounded Molly Pitcher took his place at firing the canon.  After John died Molly remarried and  in 1822 the Pennsylvania Legislature honored Molly with a $40 a year pension, for "services during the Revolutionary War."

When Deborah Sampson heard that  the Continental Army needed soldiers, she dressed up as a man and enlisted at the age of 21.    In 1782 she enlisted at the Massachusetts Regiment as Private Robert Shurtleff.  She disguised herself well, and no one was the wiser.  When she was wounded she removed the musketball from her thigh herself and stitched up her wound.  In 1792 she received back pay from the Massachusetts Legislature for "extraordinary instances of female heroism."

These three women helped create the United States by putting their country first and their safety second.  Not everyone could do what these remarkable women accomplished, however, we can all remember their bravery as true American heroes.

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