Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley is believed to be the real name of the famous Molly Pitcher, one of the most significant women heros that the Revolutionary War saw. The Revolutionary War was one of the most hard fought battles for America’s independence from the Britain. From the first shots fired at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 to the battle at Yorktown in 1781, the Patriots had a purpose and was willing to give it their all. Although women were not allowed to fight in the war, they were allowed to follow their husbands in the battles that they were involved in and made sure to assist in any way possible.
Mary was born in 1754 in Trenton, New Jersey. Although she was born in New Jersey, she lived most of her life in Pennsylvania. Soon after arriving in Pennsylvania, she met her husband William (John) Hays who was a local barber at the time. He had also been a long time protestor of British goods because of the unfair taxes they had imposed….
During the cannon fire, Mary’s husband fell either because of the extreme heat or because he was struck. Immediately, she dropped her pitcher of water and began to fire the cannon where her husband had left off. Mary stayed at the cannon until the battle was over and the Patriot warriors had finally gained their victory. There are accounts in the National Archives that state during battle, a cannon ball passed through her legs and didn’t do any harm except tear off the bottom of her petticoat. It was as if Mary was completely oblivious to the fact that a cannon ball had passed through her legs, and the only thing that mattered was making sure the cannon was run properly. Legend also has it that Mary was thanked personally by none other than General Washington himself. The Battle of Monmouth was the last battle that occurred directly between the British and the Americans, and was one of the last wars that was fought in the northern…
