Molly Pitcher

A statue of Molly Pitcher (colonialbytes.blogspot.com ())

Our world is filled with heroes. Some people are heroes in everyday life like doctors, nurses, firemen,and policemen. A hero to me is someone who is brave, strong, courageous, and selfless. Real life isn't like books and movies where the main character is the hero. A hero can be someone who has done a small act of kindness that ends up helping many. In the American Revolutionary War I think Molly Pitcher was a hero.

Molly Pitcher (Mary Ludwig Hays McCauly) was born in 1754 in Trenton, New Jersey and lived until 1832. Her father George Ludwig, a German settler was a butcher from Philadelphia. Her father raised her to be their servant. Molly Pitcher lived with Doctor Irvine and his wife for many years. It was in the town of Carlisle that she met her husband William Hays and was married in 1769. They said that they had a son together, John Hays born after the war started in 1775 but before the famous battle of Monmouth in 1778.

Molly firing a cannon (villamaria.org)

Mary Ludwig (Molly Pitcher) and her husband William Hays both were at the battle of Monmouth in New Jersey in 1778 where George Washington led an army of 15,000 American soldiers to fight the British. In a kind and selfless action, Mary Ludwig brought pitchers of water to the men to drink and also for their hot guns to cool them down in the battle. This is how she got the nickname Molly Pitcher. Her husband was shot while manning his cannon during the battle of Monmouth. Molly Pitcher was bringing him water when she saw him slumped over. With all her courage she took over the rammer staff and helped to keep firing away at the enemy. It's said that George Washington himself honored her with an award for her above average services for her call of duty and bravery and called her "Sergeant Molly". This is a great example of someone doing something as small as running pitchers of water like a "water boy" and becoming a famous hero.

Molly Pitcher firing away at the enemy. (fineartamerica.com (Granger))

Molly Pitcher is a brave, strong, and courageous woman said to have "sworn like a trooper and chewed tobacco". She selflessly acted during the Battle of Monmouth and may have saved the day. She was not just a "water boy", she's a hero.