The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-21


she was sent on number OF important
expeditions and was engaged in several
lively skirmishes along the banks OF the
Hudson river. During ono OF these she
was wounded by musket ball which
lodged In her body and remained there
till she died. Her recovery must have
been speedy for she was In ACTIVE service
at the time and was present at the sur
render Of CORVALLIS. She appears To have
served without suspicion OF her sex until
the army was disbanded in the fall OF
l7Sa when she received her discharge as
Robert Shurtleff and returned home.
Once more in her native town, and IL bc-
coming known that she had served as
soldier In the patriot army she did not
lack for suitors; and 10 seems little out
of place that she did not marry soldier
But through the long winter evenings
which followed, man OF about 80 years,
Benjamin Gannett by name, was much in
her company, and as spring approached 1t
became evident that the soldier girl had
fallen In love, Just like others OF her sex,
and was soon TO become Mrs. Gannett
The marriage took place on the 1th OF
April, 1884. at his fathers house In
Sharon, and the happy couple received the
warm congratulations of their friends, she
for having secured an industrious, softer
and upright husband. and he for having
won the heart and hand of the most
A large family blessed the union and
despite the unsettled condition of the
times the family was fairly prosperous
until the musket ball embedded In Mrs.
Gannett's body became troublesome A
physician was summoned, but he could
afford only temporary relief. Her suffer
ings continued for years, and the money
paid out during her illness on account Of
the wound for A:edical attendance alone
amounted TO $500. For large part of
the time she was unable TO perform any
manual labor whatever, and help in the
house had TO be employed. 1t Is quite
evident that 1.-THE hired girl question
was not then so serious matter ms IL
has grown to be in recent years, for
woman who signed herself 'P. ParsOn"
made oath "that she lived In the family
of benjamin GanDett more than forty six
years after he married DeborahSampson.
Mrs. GaDnett after time, applied Tor an
invalid pension on account O1 her wound,
was successful In proving herself To be
the Identical person who had served as
Robert Shurtleff ana on January !, 1903,
the pension was allowed gt the rate of SiS
a year, a small plttance, Co be sure but it
helped To pay the doctors bills. On the
2ith of April 1916, she got it increased To
SIS 50 q year, and under the act OF 1918 she
surrendered her invalid pension, and
rate of s. per month, or $50 per year, at
which rate she drew until March 4, just
prior TO her death, which occurred Auril
20, 1871, as direct result of the old
wound.
The husband had difficult struggle
then. All his means had been exhausted
in providing for his family and caring
for his invalid wife. For ten years he
struggled as best he could until his case
was brought To the after tion of Congress
In the form Of bill for a special pension.
The bill was referred to the committee on
pensions which on January 81, 1881 made
Its report in the course Of which IL saiu !:
The petition does not allege that ho
served In the war Of the Revolution, and
IL does not appear by any evidence In the
case that such was the fact It Is not,
however To be presumed that "a female,
who took up arms I'm defense of her coun-
try, who served as a common soldier for
nearly thrcy years, and fought and bled
Tor human liberty, would Immediately