Soldiers and Spies
Women also took on some more unconventional roles as well. These included soldiers and spies. As soldiers, they were limited in what they could do, but once women started to lose loved ones, like their fathers, husbands and sons, they wanted revenge, money to take care of their families and a chance to fight for America’s freedom. Women soldiers did their jobs secretly, hiding the fact that they were women by acting the part as men by the way they dressed, did their hair and talked. The role of women as spies was a bit easier for them since they carried out the more common duties of women at American and British camp sites. Here they could secretly listen in on conversations about military going ons. They could cover up the fact that they were undercover as spies because of the way men looked and thought of women, they considered them to be innocent and they did not see them as being a threat.
Women who decided they wanted to be a part of the war gave up their freedom completely. They entered a whole different world of distress, adversity and a whole lot of risks. They had to live a double life of a soldier and a mother who still had to take care of her family and herself.
Margaret "Molly" Corbin
Most women took on the role of being a soldier secretly others took on the role more openly. One women named Margaret ("Molly") Corbin took over the cannon after her husband John Corbin was killed in November of 1776 in the battle of Fort Washington. She continued her duty until she almost lost her arm from being shot. This gun shot wound caused her to be disabled until she passed away. After the war she became one of the first members of The Invalid Regiment created by Congress in 1777. She became know as the first women combat veteran and also was granted a disabled veteran's pension, which she also was the first women to receive one.
Women who decided they wanted to be a part of the war gave up their freedom completely. They entered a whole different world of distress, adversity and a whole lot of risks. They had to live a double life of a soldier and a mother who still had to take care of her family and herself.
Margaret "Molly" Corbin
Most women took on the role of being a soldier secretly others took on the role more openly. One women named Margaret ("Molly") Corbin took over the cannon after her husband John Corbin was killed in November of 1776 in the battle of Fort Washington. She continued her duty until she almost lost her arm from being shot. This gun shot wound caused her to be disabled until she passed away. After the war she became one of the first members of The Invalid Regiment created by Congress in 1777. She became know as the first women combat veteran and also was granted a disabled veteran's pension, which she also was the first women to receive one.
The Story of Grace and Rachel Martin
One evening while sitting at home with their mother-in-law, a messenger came by with news that a few British officers where to ride by that night with important news for one of the upper stations. They decided to take it upon themselves to capture the papers. They disguised themselves and set out to retrieve the papers. They waited there for awhile and finally heard the trotting of the soldiers horses. They hid in a nearby bush and when the soldiers came near the women jumped out with there pistols and demanded they surrender and hand over the document. The British men gave it up easily and the disguised women completed the task successfully.
One evening while sitting at home with their mother-in-law, a messenger came by with news that a few British officers where to ride by that night with important news for one of the upper stations. They decided to take it upon themselves to capture the papers. They disguised themselves and set out to retrieve the papers. They waited there for awhile and finally heard the trotting of the soldiers horses. They hid in a nearby bush and when the soldiers came near the women jumped out with there pistols and demanded they surrender and hand over the document. The British men gave it up easily and the disguised women completed the task successfully.
General George Washington hired Ann Simpson Davis as a spy to carry messages back and forth from his generals to himself. Ann was so slick in her duty that she was able to go unnoticed though territory occupied by the British. Her ways of hiding the messages she was carrying was in sacks of grain and in her clothing. She carried these secret messages from Eastern Pennsylvania to Philadelphia to Buck County.
The memorial says, "Ann Davis was messenger and carried orders from General Washington to the other commanders in the Revolutionary War in 1779 and 1780."
The memorial says, "Ann Davis was messenger and carried orders from General Washington to the other commanders in the Revolutionary War in 1779 and 1780."