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It was mainly the men who went to war –
who wielded the weapons and fought on the battlefield. But
20,000 women (one for every 10 men) accompanied their soldier
husbands during the Revolution, traveling from army camp to army
camp, tending babies, hearths and injuries far from the comforts
of their own homes. Other women stayed behind and performed the
duties that formerly had been the responsibilities of the men. |
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Grace and
Rachel Martin, two young patriot
wives, lived with their mother-in-law, Mrs. Martin, while their
soldier husbands were away. These two young women performed a
daring feat—they held up a British courier who was expected to
pass by their farmhouse on his way to the next fort. The
women dressed in men’s clothes and brought their rifles.
Toward dusk the British courier appeared with two escorts. The
women jumped out and raised their rifles. In as deep a voice as
possible, one ordered the soldiers to halt, then demanded their
papers before allowing them to leave. The girls took a shortcut
home and immediately gave the confiscated papers to a messenger
headed for an American camp. Then they changed back into
feminine attire.
Soon, three British soldiers rode up and asked Mrs. Martin if
they could spend the night. Mrs. Martin asked if she had
not seen them going by in the opposite direction earlier.
They said that she had, then explained that they had been held
up by two rebel lads. Mrs. Martin let them spend the
night. The next morning at breakfast the soldiers met the two
younger Mrs. Martins, and, never suspecting anything out of the
ordinary, conversed with them politely until it was time for
them to ride on. |
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