The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-29
Capt. Molly Pitcher
 Remains the Greatest Feminine Warrior

ssr. From the European battlefieIds come many accounts of the heroic deeds of valiant women. Not con tent with playing the role of angels or mercy, many brave girls and wo- men have won glory at the cannon s mouth and have fought and bled and died for their country. Others are performing duties hitherto consider ed exclusively masculine and have asZ sumed the laborious burdens of their husbands, fathers and sons. Mrs. Pankhurst has justified her miIitancy and proved her consistency by offer Ing to lead regiment of wild wo- men'' to the front
 It is not necessary to go back to the days of the Amazons to find prece- dent for this stalwart patriotism. Just IST years ago today, June 2Ss TITS, Capt Molly Pitcher, at the battle of Monmouth, in New Jersey, demon strated cone1usively that the fair sex can fight as well as pray and weep. The European heroines of the bloody present are sublime in their devotion to the cause they consider just. All honor to them. At the same time, Capt. Molly Pitcher remains the greatest of feminine warriors. By rnanning-if the word is permissi ole "a Continental cannon has helped to save the day for the revolution ists. Historical iconoclasts have at tempted to class Capt. Mollys per formance with such myths as that of Washington and the cherry tree, but they have miserab1y failed. Scuffers and critics are invited to visit the bat tlefieId, now easily reached by a rail- way which crosses the meadows which onces hook with the roar of Molly's cannon, and there they may see the well from which Capt. Molly carried water to her husband, as we'll as the old church which she doubt less attended.
 An old New Jersey historical work, published in 1844, gives the following quaint account of the deed which made Molly Pitcher immortal:
 .'She was a, female of masculine mould, and dressed in a mongreI sex and an artilleryman's, coat, cooked hat and feathers. Before the armies engaged in general action two Of the advanced batteries comm enced a severe fire against each other. As the heat was excessive, Molly, who was the wife of a cannonier, constant 1y ran to bring her husband water from a neighboring spring. While passing to his post she saw him fall and on hastening to his assistance found him dead At the same mo- ment she heard an officer order the cannon to be removed from it's place, Complaining he could not fill his post with as brave a. man as had been killed. No,'' said the intrepid Molly, fixing her eyes upon the officer, the cannon shall not be removed for the want of some one to serve it: since my brave husband is no more, will use my utmost exerdons to avenge his death. The activity and courage with which she performed the office of cannonier during the action at tracted the attention of all who wit messed it, and finally of Washington himself, who afterward gave her the rank of lieutenant and granted her half pay during life. She wore an epaulet and was called ever after Captain hGoIly.'
 Mrs Alexander Hamilton described Molly Pitcher as sa stout, red haired, freckle faced Irish woman with a handsome, piercing eye" Irish-and with red hair. That explains Capt. Molly's herqisrn- The words put into her mouth by the historian are prob ably false. More likely she shook her fist at the enemy and shouted, 'Pu git even with you for killin' my man, you dom, red-coated spalpeens!'' Otherwise there is no page in history easier to believe than-t that which deals with Molly Pitcher.