Deborah sampson, american revolutionary soldier and one of the earliest female lecturers in the country. Born in the small village of plympton, massachusetts. Deborah sampson became a hero of the american revolution when she disguised herself as a man and joined the patriot forces. She wrote a book, then launched a yearlong lecture tour, becoming the first woman to speak. At some point in her childhood, her father abandoned her family, and deborah was. The story of deborah sampson was a huge help when i had to do a class project on the american revolutionary war. Tales of paul revere, george washington, and the like dominate the history books while stories of lesserknown yet undoubtedly heroic women often go overlooked. Facts about deborah sampson during the revolutionary war. Deborah sampson gannett december 17, 1760 april 29, 1827 was the first known american woman to impersonate a man robert shurtliff, from uxbridge. Deborah sampson and molly pitcher werent the only women patriots of the american revolution. This is a book about deborah sampson, who wants to go to the army in the revolutionary war, but there are no girls allowed.
Deborah sampson goes to war 1984 edition open library. The revolutionary war was a war between great britain and. A handwritten diary of massachusetts revolutionary war corporal abner weston. This biography tells the story of the life of deborah sampson, who in 1782 at 22 years old. Revolutionary war diary reveals new details about deborah.
Born to a poor family in massachusetts, she was orphaned at the age of five. Deborah sampson is a veteran of the revolutionary war. Over the course of history, women have dressed as men to fight for their country. After disguising herself as a man and enlisting under the name robert shurtliff, she served for 18 months. Deborah sampson was a woman that dressed as a man, so that she could join the american soldiers in the revolutionary war. During the american revolutionary war, she served the continental army by disguising as a man. In 1782, as the revolutionary war was barreling toward its conclusion, a woman named deborah sampson disguised herself as a man.
Deborah sampson gannett december 17, 1760 april 29, 1827, better known as deborah sampson, was a massachusetts woman who disguised herself as a man in order to serve in the continental army during the american revolutionary war. Source for information on sampson, deborah 17601827. In the united states, it was primarily thought of as occurring in the civil war. History american revolution roles of women during the revolutionary war most women during the revolutionary war stayed home and took care of the farm or the family business. Sampson s time as a revolutionary fighter came to a halt a few months before the end of the war, after she fell ill in philadelphia and a doctor realized that shurtleff was, in fact, a woman. Deborah sampson was the first known american woman to impersonate a man in order to join the army and take part in combat. In this book deborah is sent to war to fight against the british, but girls arent supposed to be in the war. This exciting discovery sheds new light on deborah sampsons. Why is deborah samson garrett so commonly given the surname of sampson.
Deborah sampson was one of several women to serve in the revolutionary war while posing as a man and become the first woman to receive a military pension for serving in the war. Young scrapes through layers of fiction and myth to uncover the story of deborah sampson, a massachusetts woman who passed as a man and fought as a soldier for. Barnabas binney, discovered sampsons gender while treating her. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Deborah sampson or samson spelling was irrelevant and interchangeable until fairly recently was born into poverty in plymouth in 1760. My favorite part was at the end, when she told her captain that robert was not a boy and was actually deborah sampson. Life of deborah sampson, the female soldier in the war of the revolution see other formats.
Deborah sampson fought in the revolutionary war for two years before her gender was discovered fun facts. It was filled, they say, with innumerable falsehoods and inaccuracies, but manns misspelling stuck. Deborah sampson by rick burke selected pages soldiers secret, the story of deborah sampson by sheila solomon klass selected pages glory, passion, and principle, the story of. She is one of a small number of women with a documented record of military combat experience in that war. Deborah sampson goes to war by bryna stevens, 1984, carolrhoda books edition, in english. Deborah sampson 17601827 was a soldier who fought for the continental army during the american revolutionary war. She was taken to a hospital and treated for head wounds. Deborah sampson was born in plympton, ma in december 17, 1760. Deborah sampson gannett was a controversial figure in her own time. Why did she do something that women didnt do at the time of the revolutionary war.
Her incredible story as a continental soldier in the. Deborah sampson a soldier of the revolution by renie burghardt. Or, memoirs of an american lady by herman mann first misspelled her name that way. A story of early plymouth, was a runnerup for the 1969 national book award for childrens literature. Not all of the soldiers who fought in the revolutionary war were men. He revealed her identity to general paterson through a letter.
After a childhood as an indentured servant, she worked as a school. Deborah sampson was a woman who disguised herself as a man and fought as a soldier in the continental army during the american revolution she was one of only a small number of women who fought in the revolutionary war and was later awarded a pension for her military service. Deborah sampson gannett 17601827 sources continental soldier fame and obscurity. At a very young age, deborah lost her father, which left her mother stranded with several kids at the. The story of deborah sampson, revolutionary war soldier 9781451276664. Deborah sampson in the revolutionary war ohio memory. But miss sampson was was feeling the need to help her country more. The story of deborah sampson, revolutionary war soldier. Deborah was very fearful of having her identity discovered, thus she didnt tell. Deborah sampson was born in 1760 in plimpton, massachusetts. April 1827 in sharon, massachusetts, war eine usamerikanische soldatin. She served 17 months in the army under the name robert. After living there for a long time, deborah wanted to learn like the boys, so she took their school books and read them through the night. Deborah sampson gannett december 17, 1760 april 29, 1827, better known as deborah sampson, was a massachusetts woman who disguised herself as a man in order to serve in.
Deborah sampsons personal vision of what she could contribute to the revolution was an unusual one. Life of deborah sampson, the female soldier in the war of the revolution books. Author alex myers to speak on revolutionary heroine deborah. So in 1781 in the spring she enlisted in the contenential army in the revolutionary war. This week, we look at deborah sampson, the woman who disguised herself as a man and joined the. She was born in plympton, massachusetts, on december 17. At the museum of the american revolution, author alex myers spoke on. Diary sheds light on deborah sampson, who fought in the. Deborah sampson ganet december 17, 1765 april 29, 1827, better known as deborah sampson, was an american woman who impersonated a man in order to serve in the. Sampson was severely wounded in battle and received an honorable discharge after her gender was. Life of deborah sampson, the female soldier in the war of revolution, in. Sampson, deborah 17601827revolutionary war soldier who, disguised as a man, fought in several engagements with the enemy. Life of deborah sampson, the female soldier in the war of the revolution.
Deborah sampson soldier of the american revolution deborah sampson b. This is a 21 slide, highly animated power point presentation on the american revolutionary war key figures deborah sampson, a woman patriot who disguised herself as a man to serve as. Patricia clapp was born in boston and attended the columbia university school of journalism. The remarkable story of the woman who fought in the american revolution as. Deborah sampson chose her own path in supporting the. There is a timeline, and clear information to help you with facts. You read that right, a woman veteran from the revolutionary war. Deborah sampson gannett december 17, 1760april 29, 1827 was one of the only women to serve in the army during the revolutionary war. Now a firsttime novelist, myers is using the historical tale of a distant ancestor, the revolutionary war figure deborah sampson, as a literary parallel to his own determination to live as a man.
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