Sampson was born on December 17, 1760, in Plympton, Massachusetts. Both of her parents were descendants of the Mayflower Pilgrims. She was tall, strong and agile with brown hair and brown eyes. She learned how to read and was very interested in reading and discussing the news of the day, usually about the disagreements with Britain. After spending much of her childhood as an indentured servant, at eighteen, Sampson worked as a school teacher for a few years.
In 1782 Sampson decided to participate in the fight for American independence by joining the Continental Army. Assuming a man's identity, she enlisted in the 4th Massachusetts Regiment in May under the name Robert Shurtleff. Sampson quickly earned the respect of her commanding officers and fellow soldiers, who nicknamed her “Molly” because of her beardless features. She fought in numerous skirmishes and received both sword and musket wounds. While fighting Loyalists in New York in 1782, Sampson was wounded, but no one found out her secret. She and other soldiers were called to Philadelphia in the summer of 1783 to stop angry soldiers demanding their wages. Sampson came down with a fever in Philadelphia, and her doctor, Barnabas Binney, discovered she was a woman. Binney did not tell on her to those in charge. She was given an honorable discharge in October 1783 and went home to Massachusetts. She was kicked out of her church for "Dressing in mans Clothes and inlisting as a soldier."
In 1784 or 1785 Samson married Benjamin Gannett, a Massachusetts farmer, and was later awarded a small pension (payment for her service) by Congress. In 1802 she began making appearances as a speaker, ending her speech by dressing in a soldier's uniform and performing the manual of arms. In 1838 Congress passed an act providing full military pension to her heirs. Sampson was named the official heroine of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1983.
Bibliography
"Sampson, Deborah." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition.
EncyclopediaBritannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 23 Jan. 2013.
<http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9065234>.
In 1782 Sampson decided to participate in the fight for American independence by joining the Continental Army. Assuming a man's identity, she enlisted in the 4th Massachusetts Regiment in May under the name Robert Shurtleff. Sampson quickly earned the respect of her commanding officers and fellow soldiers, who nicknamed her “Molly” because of her beardless features. She fought in numerous skirmishes and received both sword and musket wounds. While fighting Loyalists in New York in 1782, Sampson was wounded, but no one found out her secret. She and other soldiers were called to Philadelphia in the summer of 1783 to stop angry soldiers demanding their wages. Sampson came down with a fever in Philadelphia, and her doctor, Barnabas Binney, discovered she was a woman. Binney did not tell on her to those in charge. She was given an honorable discharge in October 1783 and went home to Massachusetts. She was kicked out of her church for "Dressing in mans Clothes and inlisting as a soldier."
In 1784 or 1785 Samson married Benjamin Gannett, a Massachusetts farmer, and was later awarded a small pension (payment for her service) by Congress. In 1802 she began making appearances as a speaker, ending her speech by dressing in a soldier's uniform and performing the manual of arms. In 1838 Congress passed an act providing full military pension to her heirs. Sampson was named the official heroine of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1983.
Bibliography
"Sampson, Deborah." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition.
EncyclopediaBritannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 23 Jan. 2013.
<http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9065234>.