Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley is credited to the actions of Molly Pitcher. Molly was a common nickname for women named Mary. Mary was born to a German family in Pennsylvania circa 1744. There are not many known details about her childhood, but it is believed she had many siblings, was not taught to read or write, and that her father was a butcher. She married William Hays, a barber, in 1769. Hays was a patriot involved in the 1774 boycott of British good that arose as protest for the unfair tax being placed on the colonies.
In 1777, enlisting into the Continental Army, Hays was trained as an artilleryman. Mary followed and joined a group of camp followers led by Marth Washington. They made food, washed clothes, took care of the troops, and helped …show more content…
While in the act of reaching a cartridge and having one of her feet as far before the other as she could step, a cannon shot from the enemy passed directly between her legs without doing any other damage other than carrying away all the lower part of her petticoat. Looking at it with apparent unconcern, she observed that it was lucky it did not pass a little higher, for in that case it might have carried away something else, and continued her …show more content…
Her story, while very similar, is slightly different. John enlisted and Margaret followed, joining a group of camp followers so she could take care of him. In 1776, at Fort Washington, John was killed, leaving his cannon unmanned, and Margaret took over until she herself was badly injured. The British won that fight, but they released her as the equivalent of a wounded soldier. Margaret went to Philadelphia, completely disabled from her wound and was left unable to work. She was the first woman to receive a government pension as a wounded veteran, though it was not the same amount as the men soldiers would
In 1777, enlisting into the Continental Army, Hays was trained as an artilleryman. Mary followed and joined a group of camp followers led by Marth Washington. They made food, washed clothes, took care of the troops, and helped …show more content…
While in the act of reaching a cartridge and having one of her feet as far before the other as she could step, a cannon shot from the enemy passed directly between her legs without doing any other damage other than carrying away all the lower part of her petticoat. Looking at it with apparent unconcern, she observed that it was lucky it did not pass a little higher, for in that case it might have carried away something else, and continued her …show more content…
Her story, while very similar, is slightly different. John enlisted and Margaret followed, joining a group of camp followers so she could take care of him. In 1776, at Fort Washington, John was killed, leaving his cannon unmanned, and Margaret took over until she herself was badly injured. The British won that fight, but they released her as the equivalent of a wounded soldier. Margaret went to Philadelphia, completely disabled from her wound and was left unable to work. She was the first woman to receive a government pension as a wounded veteran, though it was not the same amount as the men soldiers would