The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-08-17
FOUR WOMEN WHO DID THEIR BIT In
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
LYDIA DARRAH WARNING THE AMERICANS OF
SURPRISE ATTACK PLANNED BY THE
BRITISH.

was at work in the neldS. lie lett MS
pillow in the furrow and started for
Cambridge without stopping even to
change his clothing. Stark was saving
pine logs when he heard of the Battle
of Lexington. He shut down the gate
of his mill and set out for Boston in
his shirt sleeves.
Such was the spirit of the men who
made it possible for us today to be
singing My Country, Tis of Thee,
instead of bawling Justify, God Save
the King" But only half of the hon
ors of victory belongs to the men. The
other half was earned by the Colonial
women.
They melted their spoons into shot
and tore their fine linens into band
ages. They served as cooks with the
army. They nursed. They acted as
spies, and handled rifles when occa-
sion demanded.
1t would take larger volume to set
forth the herOsm of the women of the
Revolution. Numerous books have been
written telling of their part in the war
of the sacrifices they made and OF the
Spartan courage with which they sent
their men into battle. They had reared
their boys to be soldiers in Liberty
army. Near the top of the roll OF hon
or stand these names: Elizabeth Hag-
er, Molly Pitcher" Margaret Corbln
and Lydia Darrah.
Elizabeth Hager was left an orphan
in Boston at years old. After the
custom of the time, the city fathers
bound her out" to a farmer living
near Boston. Bound out" meant that
the little girl must remain with the
farmer as one of his family until she
was of age legally, doing such work
as should be required of her. In re-
turn the farmer agreed to feed and
clothe the maid, care for her when she
was sick and give her religious and
moral instruction.
The girl became strong and healthy
and skilled in the various duties that
came to the farmers wives and daugh-
tiers of those pioneer days. And in ad-
dition Miss Hager was especially adept
with tools. 1t is said she could make
almost anything out Of iron or wood
that she had once seen made. This
ability gained for her the title of
Handy Betty" or Betsy the Black
smith" After serving out her appren-
the farmers of the community.
For weeks before the war began the
farmers boys and the minute men
were organizing secretly and drilling.
Betsy was working at the time for
Samuel Leverett, a blacksmith and
farmer. She was his helper both at the
forge and on the farm. Every minute
that Leverett could spare from shoe
ing the oxen and horses of his neigh
bors he was at work in a secret ROOM
repairing old matchlocks and muskets.
And as fast as he pounded out gun
locks and powder pans Betsy filed and
ground, polished and put together the
pieces.
After the battle of Concord Betsy
was one Of the first of a band Of self
constituted nurses on the ground with
bandages and liniments. While bath
ing injured heads she noticed the Brit
ish soldiers had left six brass cannon
behind them. They had been spiked,
but Betsy, after giving them profess
siOnal examination, hurried back to
Leverett with the information that
The Kings men have left six of their
brass field pieces down there and we
can make them as good as new"
Before morning the six pieces Of ar
tillery were hidden in a back room of
the smithy, where the two, working in
secret at night, drilled out the spikes
and retitted the locks. Six weeks aft
er the battle they were delivered to
the American commander
Miss Betty didn't stop there. She
began making ammunition to be used
in the guns. 1t is said that once,
when she ran out of flannel needed in
making cartridges, and being unable
to get more, she cut up and used her
own under clothing. Throughout the
war she was an angel of mercy to the
sick and suffering, especially to the
families of soldiers.
What became of Miss Betty After
the war she married John Pratt, who
had been one of the minute men and
had carried one of the guns repaired
in Leveretts shop. They rented farm
and the wife, who might also have
been called Thrifty Betty stocked
it. They prospered. Children came
and Betsy Hager lived to the ripe old
age of SO, as the story books say.
The name of Molly Pitcher" Mary
Ludwig Hays, is famous. That Of Mar
garet Corbin is less familiar. Both
fought as common soldiers, with arms
and necks barred, faces blackened by
smoke-fought with the lust to kill.
Mol o. the Pitcher" she was to the
thirsty lads of Capt. Francis Proctor's
company. With her old stone ever,
its spout broken, she carried water to
the dying, bathed their throbbing
heads and pressed it's cooling rim to
their scorched lips.
1t is recorded that Molly was red
haired and afraid of nothing. At Is
she married John Hays, barber.
When Hays went off to war, Molly &C
companied him. 1t was the custom
then to permit a number of married
women, wives Of soldiers, to accom-
pany their husband. They did the
washing and mending and sometimes
helped with the cooking.
For two years Molly shared SOL
dier's life Her husband had risen to
the rank of sergeant. He was wound
ed at the battle of Monmouth just as
he was sighting his piece. Molly had
been carrying water to the soldiers
during the engagement. She saw him
fall and ran to his assistance. She
helped him back to sheltered place
and made him as comfortable as pos
sible until the surgeon could get to
him. Then, at his bidding, she went
back to the gun, which the command
er was about to have removed, since
there was no one to serve it.