For all of you history buffs...?

Question

I remember learning in school about a woman who during the revolutionary war (or maybe it was the civil, I'm not sure but it was a war in the U.S along time ago) took over the cannons whenever all of the soldiers were dead or injured. I also believe before this occurred she was going around with a pitcher of water giving it to the wounded/tired soilders. I think she also has a nickname that has something to do with a water pitcher. Any thoughts would be appreciated as my husband is an artillary man in the US Army and this would be something close to out hearts as she showed great strength and bravery to do such a thing. Maybe we will name our first girl after her :o)

Answer 1

This story is that of Molly Pitcher, who has been identified with both Mary Hays and Margaret Corbin. "Molly Pitcher" was a kind of generic name for camp followers who often carried water to soldiers during battle. This was in the Revolutionary War.

"Camp follower" has, over the years, come to be a rather pejorative term, normally referring to prostitutes who would, essentially, tag along with an army. This was also true in the eighteenth century, but overlooks the fact that there were also many respectable women who were camp followers; wives, mothers, daughters, or sisters of soldiers.

Their reasons for traveling with the army were simple: often their homes had been destroyed by the enemy, or they decided to take their chances following their men rather than to stay behind, unprotected. These women performed such services as nursing, cooking, and doing laundry. They also performed a more gruesome chore: that of stripping dead bodies following a battle. It was a harsh life, and scavenging among the fallen for anything that might be of use was a simple fact of that ife.

Of course, there were children in the camps as well--they received 1/4 of the rations of a soldier, while the adult women received 1/2 the ration allotted to a fighting man. As any student of the Revolution knows, this was pretty scanty fare a lot of the time, and it's been estimated that the deaths of women and children at Valley Forge were likely double those of the soldiers.

So, Mary, Margaret, or Molly would be an excellent choice for the daughter of an artilleryman.

Answer 2

That woman's name was Molley or Molly Pitcher is what has gone down in history. During the Battle at/of Mommath temputures reached around 90-100 degrees. People on boths side feel from heat exhaustion and it is believed that there were more casualties from this than battle. Molly origionaly brought water to the troops but when her husband fell at his cannon position she took over. Though the battle was a draw and eventually the Americans withdrew it marked when of the few times in the AMerican Revolution that Americans stood up to the British toe-to-toe European style and held their own. I hope your husband stays safe and admire him and you for what you are doing for this country.

Answer 3

It sounds like you are looking for info on Molly Pitcher. Her given name is actually Mary Hayes McCauly. Revolutionary war era.

Answer 4

Her name was Mary Hays and she was later nicknamed Molly Pitcher