Deborah Sampson

Deborah Sampson was a woman who dressed as a man, so that she could join the American soldiers in the Revolutionary War. The Revolutionary War was a war between Great Britain and the thirteen original colonies. Deborah Sampson came from a poor family. She worked as an indentured servant from the age of eight to the age of eighteen. She worked for no pay for a family, but that family let her study with and spend time with their sons.

Sampson wanted to serve in the war against the British, but the American Army would only take men. She dressed as a man, and she got into the Continental Army. She went by the name of Robert Shurtleff. 
She later got married. She worked as a teacher. She also spoke in public about her experiences in the war.

During her time in war she went to extremes to keep her identity a secret. She once got slashed in the head by an enemy, yet bandaged it up herself. She also got shot in the leg twice. But, in order to not let people find out who she was, she pulled the bullets out of her own leg. In war, she collapsed from fever. She went to the hospital because of it and this is where her peers and boss found out about her being a woman.

Even if she lied to get into the army, her bravery was recognized and she was honored by her General and Congress as well.

 In books 
 Alma Bond and Lucy Freeman, America's First Woman Warrior: The Courage of Deborah Sampson
 Susan Casey, “Women Heroes of the Revolution"
 Samuel Willard Crompton, “Deborah Sampson"
 Ann McGovern and Katherine Thompson, The Secret Soldier: The Story Of Deborah Sampson

References

Category:1760 births
Category:1827 deaths
Category:American revolutionaries
Category:People from Massachusetts