Encyclopedia, Difference between revisions of "Molly Pitcher" - New World

From New World Encyclopedia
Line 13: Line 13:
 
In Carlisle Mary met the town barber, a man named John Hays. They were married in July 1769.
 
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.
+
==Battle of Monmouth==
 +
Molly felt the desire to be near her husband while he was at battle. Molly made herself useful by cooking and washing for the soldiers while they were fighting.  
 +
   
 +
The air was filled with musket and gun fire. The troops under General Stirling aimed the its guns directly on the British as they tried to cross a causeway. Stirling's cannons allowed time for [[George Washington|General Washington]] to take command and regroup General Lee's forces.
 +
 
 +
As the gunfire blared the opposive heat skyrocked to 96 degrees. The cannon barrels smoked, and many soldiers collapsed from heatstroke. Through this unbearable weather Molly made the round trip to a nearby creek, bringing much needed water to the men. Her husband controlled one of the cannons. They were successfully holding the causeway.
 +
 
 +
The casualities were reportaly carried away by a large woman, who brought the wounded to a shade tree between her water runsto the stream.
 +
 
 +
During one of her many returns to the line, she saw her husband fall. The commanding officer order his cannon removed since there was noone to man it.Before that order could be followed, Molly Pitcher stepped forward to keep her husband's gun roaring. It appeared she had been trained for the task, Molly kept the cannon shooting. The artillerymen around her noticed her swift, accurate action in keeping the gun firing. No longer were they asking for water from her; she had become one of them - a gunner. The tale of her efforts passed among the men that evening, and as each gunner spoke, the story's details changed.
  
 
==Later Life==
 
==Later Life==

Revision as of 23:27, 20 November 2006


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. The name itself may have originated as a nickname given to women who carried water to men on the battlefield during the war. Molly Pitcher's fame began two years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the American Colonies. The fight for independence had yet to take a favorable turn toward the Colonials.

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.

Battle of Monmouth

Molly felt the desire to be near her husband while he was at battle. Molly made herself useful by cooking and washing for the soldiers while they were fighting.

The air was filled with musket and gun fire. The troops under General Stirling aimed the its guns directly on the British as they tried to cross a causeway. Stirling's cannons allowed time for General Washington to take command and regroup General Lee's forces.

As the gunfire blared the opposive heat skyrocked to 96 degrees. The cannon barrels smoked, and many soldiers collapsed from heatstroke. Through this unbearable weather Molly made the round trip to a nearby creek, bringing much needed water to the men. Her husband controlled one of the cannons. They were successfully holding the causeway.

The casualities were reportaly carried away by a large woman, who brought the wounded to a shade tree between her water runsto the stream.

During one of her many returns to the line, she saw her husband fall. The commanding officer order his cannon removed since there was noone to man it.Before that order could be followed, Molly Pitcher stepped forward to keep her husband's gun roaring. It appeared she had been trained for the task, Molly kept the cannon shooting. The artillerymen around her noticed her swift, accurate action in keeping the gun firing. No longer were they asking for water from her; she had become one of them - a gunner. The tale of her efforts passed among the men that evening, and as each gunner spoke, the story's details changed.

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

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.