The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-18

EOj I1is rapidly develop
- ing heroes, anc
doubtless will bring to the front hero
ines of which Mollie Pitcher of the
Revolutionary army was a type. The
heroine of the battle of Monmouth who
served the cannon after her husband
was stricken down at the post of duty
has received brief mention in history,
and even now writers are declaring that
she was a myth or locating her domicile
In various states. 1t is with a view to
furnishing evidence as to her identity
and her early life that this article is
written. The main facts are furnished
by Commodore" Porter of Carlisle
Pa, distant relative of the heroine who
was named "Mollie Pitcher" by the
Pennsylvania soldiers because she car
ried water in a pitcher for them on the
hot and dusty battlefield. "Mollie," or
MOL, " was Mary Hays, wife Of Ser
geant John Hays, an artillery officer in
Colonel Irvine's command, who had
been barber at Carlisle before the war,
but went to the front with the "Associa-
tions, " as the colonial militia of Penn
sylvania was called.
Before her marriage she was Mary
Ludwig, daughter of John George Lud-
wig, who came to Pennsylvania from
the Palatinate. She was born Oct Is,
1744, and took service in the house of
General William Irvine at Carlisle, Pa.
She married John Hays July "a, 1869.
When the Revolutionary war broke
-.
First Pennsylvania artillery, which was
later attached to the Seventh Pennsyl-
vania line, commanded by Colonel Irvine
and part of the famous riflemen of
General Wayne-which did such terri
BILE execution against Moncton's grena-
diers and "the heavenly pretty red.
coats" at Princeton and Monmouth.
With spirit born of the frontier,
where the wives and youths guarded
their homes against the Indian savages
while the husbands and older sons were
lighting for freedom in their homespun
suits, Mary Hays accompanied her hus-
band to the battlefield and shared its
fatigue and perils.
The battle of Monmouth was fought
June 20, 177S, and the stubborn valor
and heroic conduct of the Pennsylvania
line had an important bearing upon the
success Of the patriot arms. Losing says
that 1t was one OF the hottest days of |
the year, and the battle opened at q.
M, continuing until night.
In the patriotic verses of the Revolu- |
tionary period this heroine's action at |
Monmouth is thus set forth:
Mollie Pitcher, she stood by her gun
And rammed the charges home, sir
And thus on Monmouth's bloody field
A sergeant did become, sir
How Mollie looked as a gunner bold |
has been portrayed by those ever swift
to use patriotism to advertise their bust.
ness. There is no authentic picture of
her to be found. A Revolutionary con-
temporary CURLY says, "She was stout
and red and coarse and uncouth look.
ing female"
Doubtless upon that arid day the
patriot, sunburned and be.
grimed with the smoke Of battle. did
not compare favorably with the Tory
bellies OF Philadelphia who praised "the
heavenly pretty redcoats' with whom
they danced and played in Major An
1re's "Mischianza" while the patriot
army was starving and freezing at Val.
ley Forge. Others who still remembered
her years ago said that she was a buxom
lass, with rosy, plump cheeks and red
1lsh hair which later in life was mixed
with gray. Her eyes were mild blue.
md one became blind by accident In ,
Did age her form became bent. Accord. I.
ng to the oldest inhabitants, she wore
short skirt of blue with white stripes.
md her head was covered by broad !
White cap with white fiaring ruffies. :
'he also wore sunbonnet, and her
voolen stockings were of her own knit :
Ing. Heavy, serviceable shoes covered :
Ter feet. This description relates to her :
IS very old woman, for she died Jan. :
~, 1882, over sc years ago, at the adj. =
'anced age of SO.
"Uncouth" and coarse, she NAV
ave been, but when she rushed r. Tho
ide OF her fallen husband with her I'll. :,
ian red hair streaming over her strong =
houlders and her blue eyes flashing as =
ne served the gun she must have been a
ne central figure Of picture of strength :,
no heroism that any painter would r
ave delighted to immortalize on can. -
as: 10 this figure enchantment is lent o
y her glorious head of hair, the hair q
mich made Helen an Aphrodite and :
aused Titan to place upon his heroines :,
crown of gold. =,
Well has Apuleius said in The Meta. =,
lorphosis, "How exquisitely charming a
hair OF q beautiful hue and rich ms.
u when 1t flashes back the rays of the =,
In or shines with milder radiance and -,
aries It's lovely aspect with every
lange OF light, now emitting q bright. u
sss Ike that Of gold: now shaded on =,
ITO the softer hue Of honeyp' -
Carbide 10 rich in historic names and q q
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