Molly Pitcher

Molly Pitcher depicted in 1859 engraving

"Molly Pitcher" was a nickname given to a woman who may have fought briefly in the American Revolutionary War. Historians differ on who was the "real" Molly Pitcher, or even if she ever existed at all. Since the various Molly Pitcher tales grew in the telling, historians now often regard Molly Pitcher as folklore rather than history. However, "Molly Pitcher" may be a composite image inspired by the actions of a number of real women. The name itself may have originated as a nickname given to women who carried water to men on the battlefield during the war.

Early Life

Molly’s (Mary Ludwig) father was named John George Ludwig. He was a dairy farmer. He had a farm near Trenton, New Jersey. Molly was born there on October 13, 1754. She lived with her parents and worked on the farm until she was fifteen years old.

When she was fifteen years old Molly's father found her a with a doctor's family. Taking the job required her moving to Carlisle, Pennsylvania which was nearly one hundred miles away. Mary went to work in the home of Dr. William Irvine. She worked as a laundry woman, cook and caretaker to the doctor's children. Dr. Irvine paid her well enough that was able to send money home to her family. She reported to her family that this made her feel as a proud and loyal daughter.

In Carlisle Mary met the town barber, a man named John Hays. They were married in July 1769.

Molly had a desire to be near her husband while he was at battle. Molly made herself useful by cooking and washing for the soldiers. She also acted as a health aid. Molly's husband was shot. He died. Molly was astonished! They were already short on soldiers. Molly took over for her husband filling or loading the cannons for the remainder of the battle. Without her help, the men would be working double duty trying to fill the spot her husband left.

Later Life

After the Revolution, Molly and her husband returned to Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She was left a widow in 1789, and remarried George McCauley. In 1822, the Pennsylvania State Legislature granted her a pension for her outstanding valor at the Battle of Monmouth.

There is even a debate over the exact date of Molly Pitcher’s death. Her gravestone, tax records and contemporary newspapers do not agree if she died in January of 1832 at the age of ninety or in January of 1833 at the age of seventy-nine. Whatever day she died, whatever her age, monuments stand near her grave in honor of her heroism.

Tributes

In 1928, "Molly Pitcher" was honored with an overprint reading "MOLLY / PITCHER" on a U.S. postage stamp. "Molly" was further honored in World War II with the naming of the Liberty ship SS Molly Pitcher, launched, and subsequently torpedoed, in 1943.

There is a hotel in Red Bank, New Jersey — not far from the site of the Battle of Monmouth — named after Molly Pitcher, called the Molly Pitcher Inn. There is also a rest stop on the New Jersey Turnpike named for Molly Pitcher at Southbound Mile 71.7. The stretch of US Route 11 between Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania is known as the Molly Pitcher Highway.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Bohrer, Melissa Lukeman. Glory, Passion, and Principle: The Story of Eight Remarkable Women at the Core of the American Revolution. New York: Atria Books, 2003. ISBN 0-7434-5330-1.
• Raphael, Ray. Founding Myths: Stories That Hide Our Patriotic Past. New York: New Press, 2004. ISBN 1-56584-921-3. Raphael regards "Molly Pitcher" as a myth which serves to obscure the actual (though less dramatic) contributions of women to the war effort.
• Teipe, Emily J. Will the Real Molly Pitcher Please Stand Up?

External links

• Find-A-Grave profile for "Molly Pitcher", identified there as Mary Ludwig Hayes McCauley

Credits

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