Christine+L.+-+Mary+Ludwig+Hays

My "I am..." person is Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley who is also known as Molly Pitcher. Prior to my research about her I already knew that she was also called by the name "Molly Pitcher." I did not really know why she had two names but later when I was researching I found out that she got this nickname from soldiers who got helped or saw her carry water in a pitcher on a sweltering day of the war. I also knew that she worked as a nurse and a washerwoman in the Revolutionary War where she helped cure the soldiers who were sick or injured and helped with washing clothes and dishes. Another thing that I knew about her was that she did not go out to the Revolutionary War by herself but went to war with her husband as a camp follower which I found out later in my research. Other information that I knew was that when her husband was injured she took his position and fired the cannon in the Battle of Monmouth. I had some good general information about Mary Ludwig to start with since she came out in one of your sections when we were studying. While I was researching about her I was curious to know first of all, why she went to war with her husband and helped the soldiers. I also wanted to know what she did before she went out to war. For example, like what job she had and what kind of person she was. I was tempted to know in detail of what she actually did in the war that made her a hero and also, what she did after the war was over.


 * How did Mary Ludwig Hays get her way of thinking that made her go out to war and even stand up to fire a cannon even though it was such an unusual action for woman to take at that time?**

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=Primary Source:=

http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1999/summer/pitcher.html

Her service record and place as a historical figure is also validated by the documentation of one eyewitness at the Battle of Monmouth, Pvt. Joseph Plumb Martin, who substantiates that Molly Pitcher was more than just a legend. In his most engaging war diary, he described how during the battle he had observed a woman firing cannon.[|3] History is forever indebted to Private Martin for having the presence of mind to mention this woman's valor and for relating this humorous incident.

//A woman whose husband belonged to the artillery and who was then attached to a piece in the engagement, attended with her husband at the piece for the whole time. While in the act of reaching a cartridge and having one of her feet as far before the other as she could step, a cannon shot from the enemy passed directly between her legs without doing any other damage than carrying away all the lower part of her petticoat. Looking at it with apparent unconcern, she observed that it was lucky It did not pass a little higher, for in that case it might have carried away something else, and continued her occupation.[|4]//

=Secondary resource:= http://www.cbsd.org/pennsylvaniapeople/level2_biographies/Level_2_biographies/mary_ludwig_hays_mccauley_level_2.htm Mary was a short woman who often wore a white dress covered by a striped skirt. This skirt was split in the middle and gathered to each side. She also wore a white cap with a broad frilled edge. She loved to talk. She had learned how to swear in the army, and sometimes she spoke her mind in a blunt way. 
 * Appearance **

[|**http://www.americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display.aspx?categoryid=22&entryid=249692&searchtext=mary+ludwig&type=simple&option=all**]

Tradition holds that Hays threw down her pitcher, picked up John's artillery rammer, and ably served as part of the gun crew for the rest of the battle. Tradition also holds that while serving the piece, a British cannonball rebounded through the grass, passed between her legs, and carried away her petticoat. Hays kept on working and commented how she "was lucky it did not pass any higher." This bravery under fire caught the attention of Gen. [[[|http://www.americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display.aspx?categoryid=22&entryid=249692&searchtext=mary+ludwig&type=simple&option=all#|Nathanael] Greene]], who introduced Hays to Washington. He thanked Hays for coolness under fire and promptly promoted her to sergeant.

Hays apparently served in the military for eight more years as a washerwoman without further notoriety. However, from her performance at Monmouth grew a national legend, and she became universally known by the nickname "Molly Pitcher."

In 1822, the Pennsylvania General Assembly, in a special act, voted her a $40-per-month pension in recognition of her service during the American Revolution. Hays died in Carlisle on January 22, 1832 and received a military funeral. During the centennial of the revolution in 1876, she was further honored by a special marker placed on her grave.

http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1999/summer/pitcher.html

She first entered the war record on June 28, 1778, when she signed up two years after her husband to serve with Capt. Francis Proctor's company in the Pennsylvania Artillery. Mary was described by the men in her company as a twenty-two-year-old illiterate pregnant woman who smoked and chewed tobacco and swore as well as any of the male soldiers. Mary had endeared herself to the troops because of her unusual courage and hard work under fire.

She died January 22, 1833, and is buried at Old Graveyard (the name of the town) in Pennsylvania near Carlisle.

http://www.britishbattles.com/battle-monmouth.htm Battle of Monmouth


 * Date:** 28th June 1778.
 * Place:** New Jersey.
 * Combatants:** The army of British and German troops against American Continental troops and militia.

http://sill-www.army.mil/pao/pamolly.htm