The times., 1898-10-16
She Served as a Soldier in the
Revolution.
HER SEX WAS UNKNOWN
The Interesting Story of n Young
Woman Who Enlisted as n Pri-
vnte Soldier in n New England
Company and Served to the End,
Getting n Certificate for Courage.

case:
Early in May, 1881, General Paterson |
received under his authority soldier |
who turned out to be a woman. Debo- |
rah Sampson, who enlisted as a man in |
Capt. Webb's company in Col! Shepard's
regiment, under the name Mof Robert
Shurtlien Her height was recorded by
the proper officer as feet H. inches;
eyes hazel, inclinng to blue She en-
listed in Worcester in company with a
large number of other recruits. At West
Point her civilian suit was exchanged
for a Continental uniform, which was a
blue coat faced with white, white vest.
breeches, stockings. with black STRAPS
about the knees. half-boots, black stock
made of velvet stiffered with leather,
cap with n variegated cockade on one
side, a white plume tipped with red on
the other side, and white sash about
the crown. She was furnished with a
French fuse and bayonet, knapsack, car
fridge box, and twenty cartridges. In
the month of June she was sent with
part of her company to Harlem ana
White Plains. They defeated there
part of the enemy. and though the bat
tie was unexpected and furious and the
man next to her was shot oead at the
second discharge, she says that she SUI
fered less from fear than fatigue. thirst,
and the heat of the day. She was after
ward transferred with most OF her COM
pany to Col. Henry JacksOn's regiment.
The American forces early III June
were Joined by the French from Newport,
under Col. Rochambeau. After series
of maneuvers, made to deceive the enc
nv into the belief that an attack on New
York was intended. the whole allied ar
my, about the 10th, under the command
of Washington, took up its march for
| the Chesapeake. The army went from the
head of the bay to James River in
| fleet of transports, consisting of more
| than loo vessels, furnished for this occa-
| sion by the French admiral, Count de
| Grasse. for the capture OF Yorktown
| She bore the great fatigue and ala extra
| ordinary work unwilling TO be outdone
| nv the men In the trenches. and was Of
| ten exposed to fire. On the night of the
| Tth OF October she was one in large
detachment under Gen. Lincoln who were
| ordered to open trenches within miie
of the enemy's lines. The night was one
| of severe labor and exposure. ana IN the
| morning Gen. Lincoln noticing her eh-
| treme exhaustion and blistered hands.
! said: You have had too great a share OF
! fatigue. my fine lad. Retire to your tent
! and pleasantly dream an hour or two.
| Day after day for week the air was
| filed with shot and she'll Two large re-
doubts were held by the enemy 300 yards
in advance of the American lines, ana
severely enfiladed the besiegng forces. 1t
was necessary to carry these redoubts py
assault The attack was one entrusted
TO a body of French troops under Baron
yiomenfl. and the other to American in
fantrv under the Marquis de Lafayette
She was engaged in this attack. The re-
doubts were carried on the 18th at the
point of the bayonet. On the 18th Corn
| wallis surrendered.
After the surrender the army returned
North by the same route it had come
and went into winter quarters on the
Hudson In June. 1882. she with thirty
| others volunteered on expedition
against party of Tories who were COM
hitting outrages on the east of the
Hudson She received two wounds. one
in the left temple and the other in the
thigh near the groin. She was carried
to the hospital, but concealed the wound
in the thigh and extracted the ball her
self so that her sex escaped detection
In all respects she acted with bravery,
firmness. and resolution equal to any
| soldier in the regiment.
Peace was proclaimed on the 18th of
! April 17S3. Being sent to Philadelphia
| during the summer of that year. she was
| seized with a malignant fever, which
nearly ended her life. During this at
~
her SEX but the secret was kept and she
5 | was transferred to the apartments of the
5 | matron of the establishment, and as
soon she was able to ride she was
5 taken to DIR. Binney's house ind treated
with great attention. On her departure
T for the camp for the purpose of being
j discharged DIR. Binney gave her letter
= to Gen. Paterson, in which he disclosed
: the fact of her sex and the manner ir
which it was discovered. The genera
= treated her very kindly. She had beer
n well known to him as a brave soldier
e and had. during a part of the third year
$ ar'e1 his aide de camp and lived ir
his family during the illness of Major
U | Haskell who was his aide de camp. Gen
Paterson supplied her with a suit of fe
male apparel, but she continued to veal
her military costume during the follow
ing winter. She received an honorable
| discharge on October g. 1TS3 from Gen
Knox. Testimonials of faithful perform
ance of duty and of exemplary conduc
were given by Gen. Paterson, Gen. Shep
: ard. Col. Henry Jackson and others Col
Il Jackson's certificate reads:
: ITO all whom ii may concern: Thf
t may certify that Robert Shurtlieff was
/ soldier in my regiment in the Continenta
Army, from the town of Uxbridge in tn
. commonwealth of Massachusetts, an
!, was enlisted for the term of three years
y that he had the confidence of his off
. GERS and did his duty a faithful an
a good soldier and was honorab'y discharg
a ed the army of the United States''
- She arrived among her relatives in Mas
:. sachusetts in November. 17S3 She did no
q Immediately make herself known, but a
+ length resumed feminine dress and EN-
II ployments. In 1884 she became the wife Q
d Benjamin Gannett. She had one sor
o Capt. Earl Gannett. and two daughter:
l. She died at her home in Sharon, April g
/. 1897, aged sixty-seven, sustaining TO th
l. end the character of faithful and ex
o emplary wife and mother and a kin
} neighbor and friend.
) AS a soldier she showed great activity
= courage and valor On scouting partie
I she would usually ride forward a iittl
l. nearer the enemy than any of her CON
IS rades dared. She was very fleet, and ha
% the reputation of being the fastest runne
g in the army. She went through thre
lie campaigns without the discovery of he
&c sex and consequently without the loss
IL her virtue. Her delicate appearance an
" particularly her having no beard wa
:. often noticed, but her sex was never su.
"a pected.
=, An act was passed allowing her fu
n pay from the 1st of January, 1Is3, for tn
rest of her life. In 1882 her husband wa
a granted the same pension a widow.
l. She was in Capt. Webb's company.
j. the Fourth Massachusetts, regiment.
IN January 20. 1882, the general cost
l. Massachusetts resolved, on the petition
g Deborah Gannett for compensation fc