4. Molly Pitcher was likely more than one person
The legend of Molly Pitcher is that of a wife of a Continental artilleryman carrying water to troops engaged at the Battle of Monmouth Court House on a blisteringly hot June day. Named Molly Hays, troops called to her for water with the words, “Molly, Pitcher”. When her husband fell wounded, Molly manned his gun, keeping up a steady fire on the British and Hessian troops. According to one source, General Washington saw Molly serving the gun during the battle and promoted her to non-commissioned officer status in the aftermath of the fighting. What should be remembered is that women were a common sight on Revolutionary battlefields.
Women camp followers, some wives to the men and others claiming to be, remained with the Continental Army throughout the war, washing and repairing clothes, cooking, and providing “companionship”. Following the war, the tale of Molly Pitcher grew, said to have occurred on different battlefields. Another woman named Margaret Corbin was said to have performed in much the same manner during the attack on Fort Washington, years before the Battle of Monmouth. Molly Pitcher appears to be a composite of several people and legends, some based in fact and some embellished by folklore, but an enduring symbol of the American Revolution.
