Molly Pitcher

From This Day In History’s Facebook:

The Battle of Monmouth occurred on June 28, 1778. The battle gave Washington the chance to show off his better-trained Continental Army after Baron Von Steuben had worked his magic at Valley Forge. It featured Washington's angry confrontation with his second in command Charles Lee after Lee had botched the start of the battle. And it saw the birth of a legend.

MOLLY PITCHER Mary Hays’ husband joined the Continental Army and she went along as a camp follower. Camp followers were women who accompanied armies on the march to provide services like cooking and laundering. And maybe some professional comforts. “Sergeant Molly” was at Valley Forge and she made some money to supplement her husband’s salary by washing and cooking. She was like one of the guys. She smoked a pipe, chewed tobacco, and swore a lot. The next summer, she was with her husband at the Battle of Monmouth. He was a cannoneer with the 1st Pennsylvania Artillery. Molly had an important role that very hot day. She carried water from a nearby spring to the parched soldiers. They would yell “Molly, the pitcher!”, hence her famous nickname. When her husband was felled by heat stroke (some say he was wounded), she took his place swabbing his cannon. In 1822, the Pennsylvania legislature granted her a $40 yearly pension.