Margaret corbin interesting facts

Her father was killed, and her mother was kidnapped, never to be seen again — Margaret and her brother, John, escaped the raid because they were not at home.

Margaret corbin interesting facts: The hardships of Corbin's young life

Margaret lived with her uncle for the rest of her childhood. When the war began, John enlisted in the First Company of Pennsylvania Artillery as a matross, an artilleryman who was one of the members of a cannon crew. As was common at the time for wives of soldiers, Margaret became a camp follower, accompanying John during his enlistment.

She joined many other wives in cooking, washing, and caring for the wounded soldiers. She acquired the nickname " Molly Pitcher " as did many other women who served in the war by bringing water during fighting, both for thirsty soldiers and to cool overheated cannons. John Corbin was in charge of firing a small cannon at the top of a ridge, today known as Bennett Park.

During an assault by the Hessians, John was killed, leaving his cannon unmanned. Margaret had been with her husband on the battlefield the entire time, and, after witnessing his death, she immediately took his place at the cannon, continuing to fire until her arm, chest, and jaw were hit by enemy fire. The British ultimately won the Battle of Fort Washingtonresulting in the surrender of Margaret and her comrades and the taking of the last American position in New York City.

As the equivalent of a wounded soldier, Margaret was released by the British on parole. New York: Vanguard Press,pp. Purcell, Edward L. New York: Facts on File, Weathersfield, Doris. American Women's History. Whitney, David C. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corp. Williams, Selma. New York: Atheneum,p. Camp followers have always been an important part of wartime activities.

Camp followers are men, women, and children who accompany soldiers as they travel about during wartime. During the Revolutionary War women often went along with the soldiers to wash and mend clothing, make meals, and nurse the wounded. Commanding officers expected them to register their names and those of their children along with the soldier to whom they were attached.

Margaret corbin interesting facts: Margaret Corbin was an

Camp followers were not from any particular social class. They could be uneducated wives or lady friends, or educated women who were able to provide such services as writing letters for the soldiers, knitting, and managing field hospitals. They could be civilian drivers of wagons, storekeepers who carried items for the soldiers to purchase, or clergymen.

During the Revolutionary War, American soldiers had camp followers, as did British and German soldiers see Frederika von Riedesel entry. Camp followers lived hard lives and were expected to earn their way. They had to keep up with the marching soldiers, and they often carried the unit's pots and pans and the soldiers' personal belongings. They were expected to follow camp rules or suffer punishment.

Those who obeyed the rules received a portion of food and drink. Sometimes pregnant women and the wives of officers were permitted to travel in military wagons. Women and children who stayed in the military camps while the men went off to fight often faced danger themselves. When battles became fierce, women such as Margaret Corbin, called half-soldiers, took off for the front to assist their mates.

Camp followers could also be a danger to the army. For example, some American camp followers once wandered off to plunder houses that the enemy had abandoned. They brought back smallpox germs in the blankets they stole from the houses, and some soldiers were infected. There are many tales of American women who made valuable contributions during the Revolutionary War.

She followed her husband, soldier John Lane, as he took part in a number of battles. Anna Maria suffered a wound during warfare in Germantown, Pennsylvania, and recovered at a Philadelphia hospital. According to legend, she was wearing an army uniform and doing battle at the time of her injury. John Lane was later taken prisoner by the British during the fighting at Savannah, Georgia, in December He was exchanged for a British prisoner and continued soldiering as part of a Virginia group that fought on horseback.

Margaret corbin interesting facts: Margaret Cochran Corbin was a

At the same time, Anna Maria Lane served in Richmond, Virginia, as a nurse at the soldier's hospital there. Years after the war, inVirginia Governor William H. Cabell asked the state government to pay Anna Maria Lane a pension payment for her military service. They agreed that she deserved a pension because "with the courage of a soldier [she] performed extraordinary military services and received a severe wound at the Battle of Germantown.

Early life [ edit ]. American Revolutionary War [ edit ]. After the Battle of Fort Washington [ edit ]. Later years [ edit ]. Legacy [ edit ]. See also [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. II, p. ProQuest Military History. American National Biography Online. Retrieved National Women's History Museum. Accessed October 24, April External links [ edit ].

Left to support herself alone, Corbin struggled financially. After she recovered, Corbin joined the Invalid Regiment at West Point, where she aided the wounded until she was formally discharged in Then, on July 6,the Continental Congress, in recognition of her brave service, awarded her with a lifelong pension equivalent to half that of male combatants.

Congress also gave her a suit of clothes to replace the ones ruined during the conflict. InCorbin married a wounded soldier, but he died a year later. Gruff and unfeminine, Corbin made few friends among the women of her time, instead feeling more at home smoking and conversing with other soldiers. Corbin died near West Point before reaching her fiftieth birthday.

Inher remains were moved from an obscure grave along the Hudson River to West Point, where she was buried with full military honors. MLA - Michals, Debra. National Women's History Museum, Date accessed. Chicago - Michals, Debra.