Molly Pitcher was a brave and heroic woman. She served our country in a time of need. For that we have given her great recognition. She was one of America's founding leaders and one of the American Revolution's greatest Patriots ever.

Molly Pitcher was born in 1754 in Trenton, New Jersey. Her birth name was Mary Ludwig. She grew up and moved to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and lived there until she died. Her first job when she moved to Carlisle was a servant. She was sixteen when she married a barber named William Hays. When her husband decided go fight in the war, Molly tagged along.

In the Battle of Monmouth on July 28, 1778, soldiers were falling left and right because of the heat. When the temperatures got really high, she carried pitchers of water to the soldiers. That's how she got her name, Molly Pitcher.

Image courtesy of ArtToday.

When her husband and other men became wounded, she helped to tend them. When her husband could not fight any longer in the battle of Monmouth, she took over his place at the cannon. After the battle, General Washington found out about her heroic actions. He then named her Sergeant Molly. In 1789, William Hays died. Molly then married George McCauley. She died in the year 1832 at age 78. Now, you can visit her grave site in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. A flag and cannon stand by her tombstone. Her life was a long one and very happily lived.