They Called Her Molly Pitcher

When her husband joined General Washington’s army, Molly Hays went with him. All through the winter at Valley Forge, Molly watched and listened. Then in July, in the battle at Monmouth, she would show how much she had learned. Molly could tell the day would be a scorcher, so she decided to bring water from a nearby spring to the fighting men. More than 50 British soldiers would die of heatstroke that day, but the American soldiers need only cry, “Molly-pitcher!” On one trip through the fighting field, she saw her husband get shot. She satisfied herself that he wouldn’t die from his wound, then took over his job - firing off the cannon! Molly epitomized the feisty, self-reliant spirit of the colonists who would soon win their battle for independence - and her story has rightly become a beloved legend of American history.