Importance is a relative term. Madame Curie made great contributions to medicine, but was not an important suffragette. The same in reverse would apply to Susan B. Anthony.

Women have made tremendous strides in how they are looked at as soldiers. Where once we sent only our sons and husbands off to faraway lands to fight for our country's purpose, today we send both our sons and daughters, and our husbands and wives, off to faraway lands to fight for our country's purpose. Though acceptance of women warriors is relatively new, women warriors in American history are nothing new.

I have selected three courageous American patriots and warriors with historic significance from the Revolutionary War, who also happened to be women, or, in the first case, a teenage girl:

Sybil Ludington (1761 - 1839) was only sixteen years old when word was received the British were burning Danbury, Connecticut, about 25 miles from her home. She convinced her father, a colonel commanding the local militia, to allow her to ride to muster the troops spread over a large area. Sybil rode her horse, Star, throughout the night, even defending herself with her father's musket along the way. Her heroic and selfless efforts that night prevented the British surge from advancing by meeting alerted resistance. She was referred to as "the female Paul Revere," who performed a similar feat a few years before Sybil's midnight ride on her Star!

Deborah Sampson (1760 - 1827) was an indentured servant due to her father's abandonment of his family when she was just a child. The family expected her to work alongside their sons, and she became very strong and able. The family also treated her kindly, and educated her. In 1782, after not finding her way with 'women's work' of the day, she enlisted as Robert Shurtlieff to do her part for the cause. She was injured in battle, but managed to keep her secret. However, a doctor treating her later for fever discovered her secret. He did not reveal it, helped her recover, and allowed her to return to her duty. When the war effort was ended, he beckoned her to personally deliver a sealed letter to General Washington. Washington read the letter, and awarded "Robert Shurtlieff" an Honorable Discharge - at West Point, no less!

Margaret Corbin (1751 - 1800) and her husband John, along with 600 others, were defending Fort Washington from attack in November 1776. The Corbins crewed one of the two cannons used in defense of the fort. John was killed during

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Important women in American history?
We want to hear your view. Write now!