Molly Pitcher

October 13, 2009

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Profile America — Tuesday, October 13th. One of America’s first women heroes was born on this date in 1754. Her name was Mary Hays, but she became known as Molly Pitcher during the Revolutionary War. While carrying water to soldiers at the battle of Monmouth in New Jersey, she saw that her husband had collapsed from heat stroke and took over the loading and firing of his cannon. Her bravery under fire so impressed General George Washington that he issued a warrant for her as a noncommissioned officer. After that, she was affectionately known as “Sergeant Molly.” There are close to 1.4 million members of the U.S. armed forces, nearly 200,000 of them women. In addition, more than 190,000 women are in the ready reserve. Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau, now preparing for the 2010 Census.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2009, p. 507
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 494, 500
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2009edition.html