Molly pitcher biography revolutionary war weapons
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MOLLY PITCHER
Thought to be Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley, iconic figure in the US War of Independence, b. 1754, d. 1832
A water bearer to the troops in one of the hardest-fought battles of the American Revolution, a woman nicknamed Molly Pitcher became famous when she took the place of a fallen artillery gunner, her husband, and continued the fight. Her story abounds in vivid detail, including chatting with George Washington, but some historians question its authenticity and doubt that she existed as described.
The woman with whom Molly Pitcher is usually identified, Mary Ludwig, was born to German immigrants in Trenton, New Jersey, on October 13, 1754. She moved to the Pennsylvania town of Carlisle and began her connection with the army at the age of fifteen as a servant to Dr. William Irvine, later a brigadier general in the colonial army. Her first husband, John Hays, enlisted in the First Pennsylvania Artillery in 1775 at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, and she soon joi
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Molly Pitcher
1754-1832
Who Was Molly Pitcher?
Molly Pitcher was an American patriot who carried pitchers of water to soldiers during the Revolutionary War's Battle of Monmouth, thereby earning her nickname. After her husband collapsed during the battle, she took over the operation of his cannon
There are so many legends surrounding Pitcher that some historians believe her story is folklore or a composite of several people. Although there has been ample research done mostly by her descendants, independent review of the documents has led some historians to conclude that Pitcher cannot be definitely identified. Most sources identify her birth name as Mary Ludwig, daughter of Maria Margaretha and Johann George Ludwig, and identify her first husband as William Hays (also sometimes referred to as John Hays), who was in the artillery and fought at the Battle of Monmouth.
Early Life and the Battle of Monmouth
Pitcher was born circa October 13, 1754, near Trenton, New Jersey. In
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Molly Pitcher and the Battle of Monmouth
On June 28, 1778, a vicious battle raged several miles west of present-day Freehold, New Jersey. It included some of the longest sustained combat of the Revolutionary War and also witnessed the largest field artillery duel of any battle. Present along the American gun line situated on top of Perrine Ridge was 23-year-old Mary Ludwig Hays, who accompanied her husband, William, and the gunners of Captain Francis Proctor’s company of the 4th Continental Artillery. bygd day’s end her exploits became that of legend, and the story of a courageous woman known to history as “Molly Pitcher,” was born.
Mary Ludwig was born in either Pennsylvania or New Jersey on October 13, 1754. She married a barber, William Hays, who later enlisted in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in a company of Pennsylvania Artillery when war with Great Britain erupted. As was common in 18th century armies, Mary joined her husband