The Henry County weekly. (McDonough, GA.) 18??-1934, June 28, 1907, Image 6
-ifiiraii n - * - ..in ili»m«»i>r^ifaj»iiW»i*ii.*^»i>iWit'irrtAiiiMfaiiirfmr MOLLY PITCHER AT THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH. ( \ooman Who honored Ci .[f a Revolutionary Heroine 3 J^Mdr have filled no unimportant place in U i e’«/'« fd military affairs from [n 0 * VV # ®nj the days of Joan of n. © v «Lr, Arc to those of the nios t modern of u|HJScLSHSHSfII daughters of the regi nlo t ’e®e®o'*m ment - But few, how -15 & 9 o ay ever, have had any lasting memorials of the part they played. Some have figured in man's attire in both the army and the navy, and for all whose Identity became disclosed there were doubtless many others who preserved the secret of their sex, despite the proverbial tendency of feminine mem bers of society to make known the facts which should be most sedulous- ]y concealed. Of the America* 1 women who have taken part in warlike scenes, none is more widely known than “Mollie Pitcher,” the heroine of Monmouth’. This battle was one of the important conflicts of the Revolution, and was fought in the summer of 1778, when the British troops, retreating from Philadelphia, were overtaken and at tacked in New Jersey by the Conti nental forces under Washington. Al though no decisive result occurred from the battle, the fact that the American forces were not repulsed by the foreign foe gave heart to the colonies to continue the efforts be gun two years before, and which were to last five years longer before suc cess was attaiped. In the troops from Pennsylvania was John Hays, a gunner in the First Artillery, "Con tinental line. He had been accom panied by his wife w'hen the troops to which he belonged had been sent to the field, and she busied herself in doing laundry work for the officers. On that July day, when the fight raged on the New' Jersey plain, the thermometer* standing at ninety-six degrees in the shade, Mrs. Mary Hays busied herself in carrying water in a pitcher from a spring to the hot and wearied troops. “Here’s Molly with the pitcher" was frequently heard from the thirsty Continentals, and finally it was abbreviated to "Here, Molly Pitcher,” and the sobriquet was permanently substituted for her real name when she displayed gallantry and heroism which surpassed her lim itations of sex. The company in which Hays was fighting and in which he was a ram mer was stationed on rising ground between the brigades commanded by Livingston and Varrnun. In a dash by British cavalry and infantry Hays was shot down, but not killed, and a call was made for some one to fill his place. No man appeared, but his wife", "dropping the pitcher, picked up the rammer which her husband had held, and said she would avenge him. She served with the smoking cannon throughout the rest of the battle, and her courage was commended by the seasoned troops. The next day the brave woman, with her garments still soiled with the smoke of battle, was summoned by General Greene, who took her to Washington, by whom k r gallantry was praised and who gave her a commission as a ser geant, under which she wore a cocked hnt and the ins:»nia of her rank. After her husband's death she con tinued to serve in the array, and she V" . . ■" r J|?m w \ ..-■ *>f ’••i\''* , ask*> sc - „ t ■ - -" Wm, ;l';", - :■ .ft # JbE |Vaiaßnaci><»v,w^'iffl?*«,*) t -• «-< or.j was finally placed in the list of half pay officers. “Molly Pitcher” was born at Car lisle, Pa., in October, 17 44. Her maiden name was Mary Ludwig, and her father came to this country from Germany. She was employed as a servant in the family of General Will iam Irvine, in Carlisle, and there in 1769 she married John Hays, who was a barber. He became an artil leryman in December, 17 75. The story is told that his wife w*as with his troop at Fort Clinton, on the Hud son, in November, 1777, when that fortification was assaulted and taken by the British. The American garri son fled in such haste that Hays dropped a lighted match, with which he was about to touch off a cannon, and his wife picked up the match and put it to the touchhole of the gun, and so fired the last shot before the surrender. After the Revolution “Molly Pitch er” lived at the barracks at Carlisle, doing cooking and washing for the soldiers. She was also employed as a nurse by a number of families, as she was fond of children and gentle to them, although somewhat rough in her manner and stern in matters of discipline, demanding military obedience. For a considerable period in her later years she kept a small store, and is described as hav ing been garrulous and querulous. Several years after the death of the gunner, Hays, she remarried, her second husband being Sergeant Geo. McCauley. He is said to have abused her and to have lived on her earnings. In l 822, a year before her death, the Pennsylvania Legislature recognized her services in the War of the Revo lution by voting her the sum of S4O at once and the same sum as an an nuity for life, to be paid half yearly. Her death occurred at her home in Carlisle in January, 1823, and she was buried with military honors. Her grave remained unmarked until the centennial year of American in dependence. A sum of money was ! then collected for the purpose and a shaft erected, on which appears this inscription: Mollie McCauley, Renowned in history as “Molly Pitcher, The Heroine of Monmouth. Died January 22, 1823, Aged seventy-nine years. Erected by the citizens of Cumber land County, July the Fourth, 1876. There is a bass-relief representing the battle heroine in the act of ram ming a cannon on a monument on the battlefield of Monmouth. In the painting of "The Fleldof Monmouth,” by George Washington Parke Curtis, “Molly Pitcher” also figures. THE GLORIOUS FOURTH. There was a patriotic youth Who dearly loved a maiden, But, being very bashful, he Proposing kept evading— , Until they went one glorious Fourth To see the men parading. The big guns boomed, the bugles blew, The horses’ footsteps clattered; While rattling drums, exploding bombs, Along the line were scattered; And noisy boys fired crackers big Till every nerve was shattered. “Oh! everything is popping, George!” She said with eyes that flirted. Before he knew, he took the hint, And something to her blurted— Then heard through din of noisy Fourth A “Yes” from lips averted. —May Kelly, in July Lippincott’s Maga zine. The Fourth of July. Much has been written of late years upon the dangers incident to the noisy celebration of Independ ence Day, and attempts have been made by legislative and other enact- —From Youth’s Companion. ments to abolish the gunpowder method of commemorating the na tional birthday. __ Undoubtedly much suffering would be prevented and many lives would be saved were the day to be kept as \:> 7 .Ip •/ ~ 4 •.-yUV-v - " : - ■ r.■ vt.y‘ v - - •:•■■■ ~• £■> I MOLLY PITCHER'S HOME, AT CARLISLE. PA., BEFORE THE WORK OF TEARING DOWN WAS BEGUN. fast day once was in New’ England, but old established customs are changed with difficulty, and it is much easier to abolish the most dan gerous features of the celebration without depriving the youngsters of a chance to make noise in a safe way. But the grown-up members of the community should be taught sense, and the reckless firing of guns and pistols by hoodlums and less vi cious persons should be sternly sup pressed. ■■■ Valley F'orge a Park. Valley Forge, the camping ground of Washington’s little army during the dismal winter of 1777-78, may soon be converted into a national park or a military reservation. Pow erful interests are striving to secure the passage of a bill by Congress for that purpose. The State of Pennsyl vania has already secured 217 acres of the land, but the rest is owned by private persons. The plan is to have Congress, buy up the old camping ground and restore it as nearly as possible to its form at the time the gallant Continentals froze a'nd hun gered and suffered while the enemy was feasting and dancing in gay Phil adelphia. WOMAN’S WAY. Petey (on the Fourth) —“Girls is curious critters!” Mugsy—“Dere de limit. Dere’s one lljit ! 14-ii^ft iiiii iijp now —setting off a ten-cent cannon cracker and den sticking her fingers in her ears so she won’t hear it.” — From Puck. Automobiles in United States. It is stated that there are 150,000 automobiles registered in twenty-five States in the United States, and there are 50,000 in the twenty-one States which have no laws pertaining to au tomobilism. —Engineer. The ordinary firecracker and the paper torpedo are comparatively harmless. Little injury beyond su perficial burns will ordinarily result from even a reckless use of these noise producers. The truly danger ous things are the toy pistol, the cannon cracker and the clay torpedo. These are all death dealing instru ments, which children should never be permitted to handle. It is from them that most of the Fourth of July accidents result. R. O. JACKSON, Attorney-at-Law, McDonough, ga. Office over Star Store. E. M. SHITH, Attorney at Law, McDonough, Ga. Office over Star Store, south side square. All work carefully and promptly attended to. JST - Am premared to negotiate loans on real estate. Terms easy. TELEPHONES AGENT WANTED FOR HENRY COUNTY Write for Particulars CADIZ ELECTRIC CO., 91, C.C.C. Bldg CADIZ, OHIO HELP IS OFFERED TO WORTHY YOUNG PEOPLE. "We earnestly request ail young persons, no matter how limited their mean? or education, who wish to obtain a thorough business training and gsod posi tion, to write by first mail for our great half-rate offer. Success, independenceand probable fortuno are guaranteed. Don’t delay. Write today. Tho Ga. « Ala. Business Collega, Macon, Ga. KILL the COUGH amp CURE the LUNGS with Sr. ling’s lew Diseevsry /TGNSUIVIPTION Price LliH S OUGHSand 50c & SI.OO ISOLDS Free Trial. r T'nP r ? r vy*<r.iV •« vxas.:jwaa&rjra im jim»—l» wy m ■■■ Surest and Quickens Cure for all THROAT and LUNG TROUB LES, or MONEY BACK. kMk TOBACCO SS a delicious chew, made from the best North Carolina leaf; a leaf that has a spec ial texture, a special flavor and which makes RED EYE a specially fine and satis- j fyingehewingtobacco. Most people prefer it to tobacco costing one dollar per pound. Ask your dealer for it and insist on him keeping it. MERCHANTS Write for Special Prices. WINSTON N C JAMESTOWN Ter-Centennial Exposition April t November, ISO 7. Exceedingly low rates have been authorized by the Southern Railway to Norfolk, Va., and return, account Jamestown Ter-Centennial Exposi tion. Stopovers will be allowed on sea con, sixty day and fifteen day tickets, same as granted on summer tourist, tickets. Tickets will be sold daiiy 'commencing April 19th, to and incut, ding November 30th. 1907. The Southern Railway is taking a verv areat interest in this exposition and doing everything within their power to promote its welfare fdr the reason that it is located on historic and southern grounds, and has cv dence of being one of the most import ant and attractive affairs of this kind that has ever been held. Through train service and sleeping car service to Norfolk during the ex position has not yet been announce!, but it is expected that most exc - lent schedules will ho put in effect; so as to make the trip comfcrtaW au<; satisfactory in rvery way. Full and complete information w il be cheerfully furnished upon applica tion to any ticket agent of the South ern Railway company. rt