Molly pitcher death

Molly Pitcher's real name was Mary Ludwig, the daughter of German settler, John Georg Ludwig, a butcher in Philadelphia. She was born on October 13, 1744, and was raised to be a hard worker. In 1768, Mary Ludwig was hired by a Mrs. Irvine from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, who wanted a young girl to help with the housework. Mary Ludwig lived with Doctor and Mrs. Irvine for some years, and it was there that she met her husband, William Hays. They married on July 24, 1769.

In 1775, the Revolutionary War began, and Hays enlisted in May, 1777, in the Colonial Army in Briston, Bucks County. Mary Ludwig Hays followed her husband to war, a custom in the British Army and, to some extent, among the American troops. Following her husband's regiment, she nursed the sick and assisted in cooking and washing. On June 28, 1778, in Freehold, New Jersey, during the Battle of Monmouth, Mary Ludwig Hays earned the nickname "Molly Pitcher," becoming one of the most popular female images of the Revolutionary War. On that day, during the Battle of Monmouth, Molly Pitcher performed an act of unusual heroism,

Molly Pitcher

Nickname for women fighting in the American Revolutionary War

Not to be confused with Moll Pitcher.

Molly Pitcher is a nickname given to a woman who fought in the American Revolutionary War. She is most often identified as Mary Ludwig Hays, who fought in the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778. Another possibility is Margaret Corbin, who helped defend Fort Washington in New York in November 1776.

Suggested identities

Mary Ludwig Hays

Main article: Mary Hays (American Revolutionary War)

The deeds in the story of Molly Pitcher are generally attributed to Mary Ludwig Hays, who was married to William Hays, an artilleryman in the Continental Army. She joined him at the Army's winter camp at Valley Forge in 1777, and was present at the Battle of Monmouth, where she served as a water-carrier. Her husband fell and she took his place swabbing and loading the cannon, and was later commended by George Washington.[citation needed]

The incident was recorded by Joseph Plumb Martin in his memoir published in 1830.[1]

Margaret Corbi

Molly Pitcher

1754-1832

Who Was Molly Pitcher?

Molly Pitcher was an American patriot who carried pitchers of water to soldiers during the Revolutionary War's Battle of Monmouth, thereby earning her nickname. After her husband collapsed during the battle, she took over the operation of his cannon

There are so many legends surrounding Pitcher that some historians believe her story is folklore or a composite of several people. Although there has been ample research done mostly by her descendants, independent review of the documents has led some historians to conclude that Pitcher cannot be definitely identified. Most sources identify her birth name as Mary Ludwig, daughter of Maria Margaretha and Johann George Ludwig, and identify her first husband as William Hays (also sometimes referred to as John Hays), who was in the artillery and fought at the Battle of Monmouth.

Early Life and the Battle of Monmouth

Pitcher was born circa October 13, 1754, near Trenton, New Jersey. In 1768, she moved to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where she met Hays, a local barber. They married on July

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