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Molly Pitcher
at
the Battle of Monmouth |
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Mary Ludwig Hays' noble
selfless actions in the Battle of Monmouth during
American Revolution earned her the endearing name of
Molly Pitcher by the American troops she was aiding . .
. She was and remains a Great
American Patriot! And the
best way to honor Molly Pitcher
(1744–1832) is the following account of
her efforts during the Battle of Monmouth...
Molly Pitcher's fame began two years after the signing of the
Declaration of Independence by the American Colonies. The fight for
independence had yet to take a favorable turn toward the Colonials.
As the war continued, 28 June 1778 proved to be another day of
fighting with stories of bravery. Monmouth rocked with musket and gun fire. The colonial cannon line
under General Stirling aimed the barrels of its guns straight down
on the British Redcoats as they attempted to cross a causeway.
Stirling's left-wing cannons bought time for General Washington to
take command and regroup General Lee's scattered forces. The gun
line met the demands of the mission. |
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The heat of June 1778 soared to 96 degrees as the guns barked at the
British. The cannon barrels smoked, and men fell from heatstroke. |
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In
this stifling heat, a woman, Mary Ludwig Hays, walked back and forth from a
well (or possibly a nearby creek) carrying water to the hot men and
smoldering guns. Her husband, William Hays, manned one of the
valuable cannons. They were making a difference by holding the
causeway. As American men fell from wounds and heat, the woman's bucket of
water (or "pitcher") became precious. The men among the cannons
began to call her ... Molly Pitcher. A large woman, she reportedly
carried wounded men away from the line to shade trees as she made
her trip back to the well. |
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During one of her many returns to the line, she saw her husband
fall. A Colonial officer ordered his gun moved to the rear to make
room on the line; he had no one left to man it. But Molly Pitcher
stepped forward to keep her husband's gun roaring - every cannon was
important.
As if she had been trained for the task, Molly kept the cannon
booming. The artillerymen around her noticed her swift, accurate
action in keeping the gun firing. No longer were they asking for
water from her; she had become one of them - a gunner. The tale of
her efforts passed among the men that evening, and as each gunner
spoke, the story's details changed. Information
about the Battle of Monmouth provided by the nominator. |
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