Deborah Sampson: A Female Veteran of the Revolutionary War
Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man and enlisted in the Continental Army's elite light infantry in 1782. She marched through the Hudson River Valley, participated in reconnaissance missions, and fought in hand-to-hand combat for 17 months.
Despite her bravery, her secret was discovered by a Philadelphia doctor in 1783, and she received an honorable discharge. Sampson was born on April 17, 1760, in Plympton, Massachusetts, to a family with a distinguished ancestry, including Gov. William Bradford and Myles Standish.
- She covered her chest with a tight piece of cloth and adopted a man's name to enlist.
- She fought in brutal hand-to-hand combat and participated in dangerous missions.
- Her childhood was marked by poverty after her father abandoned the family.
Her battlefield service earned her an honorable discharge, but she had to fight for her military pension.
Author's summary: Deborah Sampson fought in the Revolutionary War disguised as a man.