Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-07-05
MOLLY PITCHER AT MONMOUTH.

Of France owed his realm. After a three
months struggle she wrested the scepter
from the British and crowned him king
at Reims.
One OF the most famous American wo-
men soldiers in the war Of the Revolu-
tion was Deborah Sampson, who joined
the Continental army in 177S under the
name of Robert Shirtliffe. She served
in the army for three years as a private
soldier before her sex was discovered.
Dicey LangSton of the Caroliras was
one OF Marion's most trusted scouts.
Night after night, when she was suppos-
ed to be asleep in her own room, she car
ried news over field and swamp to the
American camp. Though the British
wondered how their plans were always
.ircumvented, she was never detected
Emily Geiger, too, was famous army
messenger of the Revolutionary times.
On one occasion when she was carrying
n message, the contents of which she
knew, from General Greene to Sumter,
she was intercepted by some Tory scouts
and taken prisoner on suspicion. Left
alone for a few minutes she chewed into
bits the written message that she was
carrying. When searched, of course there
was nothing discovered and she was per-
mitted to pursue her journey. She de-
livered to Sumter, verbally, the message,
which saved the day.
On the field of Monmouth Molly Pitch
er made herself famous. A shot from
the enemy killed her husband, a can
noneer : his post. The officer in COM
mand, having no one competent to fill
the vacancy, ordered the gun TO be with
4 Che haorI ha 1pIar mud cai1ipr
the rammer, continued the fight, vowing
that she would avenge her husbands
death The commission Of sergeant was
conferred upon her by General Washing
ton in recognition Of her bravery.
Just as all soldiers do not win personal
renown, so all the army of devoted Amer
lean women could not enter the lists of
battle heroines, like Deborah Sampson
and Mollie Pitcher; but they proved
heroineS in patience, in watchfuness and
in patriotic spirit.
In 17GS the colonial women showed
their patriotism by the spirit Of self de-
nial when in the face of the stamp act
they unanimously agreed to reject Bohea,
the brand of imported tea then so popu-
lar, and chose the balsamic Hyperion,
domestic manufacture prepared from the
dried leaves Of the raspberry plant. The
ladies who thus denied themselves We're
known as the Daughters of Liberty.
When husbands and fathers were away
in the Continental ranks in 177S, the wO-
men of Wyoming plOwed, sowed and
reaped, and not only that but they made
gunpowder, too, for the supply was low
at the fort.
In 1880 the distress Of the American
army was very great on account of the
lack of clothing. The women formed an
association for the purpose Of relieving
the distress Of the soldiers. Those who
could gave money. The highest danes
Of the land labored with their needles and
sacrificed their trinkets and jewelry. The
ladies of Philadelphia contributed 2,2OO
shirts, which they had cut and sewed
themselves On each garment was the
name of the maker and in number Of
cases this led to courtship and marriage.
On the retreat Of the Continental army
from Fort Edward Mrs. Philip Schuyler,
the wife Of General Schuyler rode from
Albany to Saratoga, and gave orders to
set fire to the extensive fields of wheat
on their estates and requested the ten
ants to do the same rather than suffer
the enemy to reap them.
During the terrible winter passed at
Valley Forge, Mrs. Washington endured
every privation Of the camp and was
busy from morning till night providing
comforts for the sick soldiers. She dress
ed with great simplicity so that her pri-
vate means could be used for the pur-
poses of relief.
But from the tidbits Of social gossip
handed down in colonial annals it is evil
dent that the lives of the women OF that
period were not always beclouded by
stress and sObcrness. Smiles now and
then banished the tears. Refreshed by
their fragrant Hyperion beverage and
inspired by noble zeal matrons and maids
piled the needle and spinning wheel for
the army and for liberty. One skillful
needlewoman wrought an imperishable
record upon the first flag given to the
breezes by the new republic, and thus
linked the name of Betsy Ross with that
~ Washington. L. VoN KAAMAN.