By Barbara Latta
While the names of famous founding fathers come to mind when
thinking of the Revolution,
the influence numerous women had on the outcome of
the war goes unnoticed. Without these heroic females, battles would have been
lost, more soldiers would have died and many messages not transported across
enemy lines.
 |
| Women's History Month 2018 |
We will never know every act of the thousands of women who
gave aid to husbands, fathers, sons and soldiers during the birthing of our
nation, but Women’s History Month is an apt time to remember their brave sacrifices.
Martha Washington – We know her as the first First Lady but
there are many facts about her life that are relatively unknown. When George
Washington left Mount Vernon in 1775 to serve in the Continental Army, he didn’t
return for six years. Martha took it upon herself to travel to the various
battle sites and stay with her husband for as much as six months at a time
providing food, nursing the sick, and acting as her husband’s companion and confidante.
No doubt her presence and help during these times affected General Washington in
some of his difficult decisions. Martha Washington’s philosophy obviously came
from her deeply religious views (compare to Philippians 4:12) as she is quoted
as saying, “I have determined to be cheerful and to be happy in whatever
situation I may be, for I have learnt from [experience] that the greater part
of our happiness or misery [sic] depends upon our dispositions, and not upon
our circumstances; we carry the seeds of the one or the
other about with us, in
our minds, wherever we go.”
 |
| Remembering Heroic Revolutionary Women |
Because she had never left her native Virginia prior to
traveling to visit her husband, the arduous journeys were difficult for her. Despite
her fear of the procedure, she was willing to become inoculated against
smallpox. Because this disease had taken its toll on many soldiers, General
Washington’s decision to vaccinate his troops saved many lives. Mrs. Washington
had to endure this procedure to prevent her exposure to the disease and the
chance of spreading the threat wherever she went.
Lucy Knox – Wife of General Henry Knox, grew up with a
Loyalist family and had to give them up to marry the man she loved at fourteen
years of age. She provided aid to the troops along with Mrs. Washington. Most
officers and their wives had homes in various parts of the colonies, but Lucy
and Henry Knox did not have a permanent home until they had been married for
twenty years. She and her husband opened the headquarters he used beside the
artillery park at Valley Forge to aid hungry and cold soldiers.
Catherine Moore Barry – Volunteered as a scout because of
her familiarity with trails around the plantation where she lived. She was an expert
equestrian and became known as the “Heroine of the Battle of Cowpens” which
took place on January 17, 1781. She was credited with rounding up the militia to
support General Daniel Morgan. This was a victory for the Continental Army and
Catherine Barry was instrumental in rallying the troops which included her
husband, Captain Andrew Barry.
Sybil Ludington – Traveled over 40 miles through Putnam and
Dutchess Counties to warn the militia that the British were burning Danbury,
Connecticut. A messenger was dispatched to warn Sybil’s father, Colonel
Henry Ludington, of the attack but the exhausted rider was unable to continue his journey; therefore sixteen-year-old Sybil
continued the task while avoiding British soldiers and Loyalists
before she returned home the next day. She is known as a female version of Paul
Revere.
Celebrate Women’s History Month by giving thanks for the
bravery of women who were willing to step up and take the reins of leadership,
care, secrecy and support in a time when females were not recognized like they
are today. They didn’t do anything for recognition; they did it for the cause of the country they were fighting for.
Join the conversation and share about other women you know who
have influenced history.
No comments:
Post a Comment