Deborah Sampson
A Revolutionary War Solider
Deborah Sampson was born near Plymouth, MA in 1760, a direct descendant of two of the prominent original Pilgrim settlers. One of seven children, her family struggled financially. Eventually, her widowed mother was forced to indenture Deborah to a farm family at the age of 9 or 10. There, she assisted with the housework and worked in the fields, during the growing and harvest seasons, but, in the winter, she was allowed to attend school. This education enabled her to become a schoolteacher when her indentured period ended at age 18. She supplemented her meager income as a teacher through weaving.
In May 1782, at the age of 21, she enlisted in the 4th Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army as "Robert Shurtleff", and was stationed at West Point, NY. To keep her gender a secret, she bound her breasts tightly, used the latrine in secret, and bathed only at night. She had to endure teasing about not having to shave, but most of her fellow soldiers assumed “this boy” was still too young for that daily chore. She quickly proved that she could perform all the duties of a soldier and was accepted as an equal in the ranks.
While at West Point, "Shurtleff" was chosen to serve in George Washington's Light Infantry Troops, the most active troops in the Hudson Valley from 1782 to 1783. To qualify, soldiers had to meet specific requirements. They needed to be at least 5’5” (she was 5'8") and be physically able to keep a fast and steady marching pace. They were referred to as “light” infantry because they traveled with fewer supplies and took part in small, risky missions, and skirmishes. It is thought that because she was in an elite unit, Sampson's disguise succeeded. It was unlikely for anyone to look for a woman among soldiers who were specially chosen for their above average height and superior physical ability.
In June 1782, "Shurtleff's" unit was assigned to scout out British forces outside of West Point, NY in an area known as Neutral Ground. This region was full of renegade Tory and Patriot "cowboys" known for terrorizing civilians. The reconnaissance resulted in several skirmishes, some involving hand-to-hand combat. During one of these actions, "Shurtleff" lead a raid on a Tory home that resulted in the capture of fifteen men. During the winter of 1782, while not on missions, she served as a waiter to General John Paterson.
For almost 18 months, "Shurtleff" kept her identity a secret, even while enduring injuries. During combat near Tarrytown, NY, she received a gash in her forehead from a saber and was shot in her left thigh. She insisted on tending to her own wounds. She painfully extracted the musket ball from her leg using a pen knife and sewing needle, the result being that the wound never healed properly. However, in 1783, she fell dangerously ill with fever in Philadelphia and was taken to the hospital. While unconscious a doctor discovered her secret. Impressed with her courage, he contacted General Paterson who arranged an honorable discharge on October 23, 1783.
After her discharge, Deborah returned home. Her military service resulted in her excommunication from the First Baptist Church of Middeborough, MA. The congregation thought dressing in men’s clothes and enlisting as a soldier, was deemed "loose and unchristian like". Nevertheless, in April 1785, she married Benjamin Gannett, a farmer, with whom she had three children and adopted a fourth. She went on to live the life of a simple farmer's wife. In 1802, because they were struggling financially, she decided to share her wartime experiences on a national lecture tour. She would appear in a dress and then change into full military regalia during her presentations. Unfortunately, it wasn't as successful as she had hoped. She also allowed the story of her life to be written by Herman Mann in 1787, "The Female Review: or, Memoirs of an American Young Lady".
The reason for this memoir was to bolster Sampson’s public reputation and make the case for her honorable wartime service. This was part of Sampson's attempt to receive a military pension. She first had to fight Massachusetts State Legislature for back pay. This she finally achieved in 1792 in the lump sum of 34 pounds, supplemented by Paul Revere to 36 pounds. In the late 1790s, she petitioned Congress for a disability pension but was denied. Women were not legally permitted to serve in the Continental Army. She had to contend with providing the burden of proof which required gathering affidavits from surviving officers and character references. It wasn't until Paul Revere wrote a strong letter of support in 1804 to Congressman William Eustis, explicitly framing her return to traditional feminine roles and good morals, that she was considered. In 1805 Congress finally granted her a federal military pension, making her the first women to earn one for military service.
Initially, she was awarded $4 a month which was the same rate as a male soldier's disability. However, in 1818, Congress passed a General Pension Act for Revolutionary War Soldiers, increasing the rate to $96 per year ($8 a month). Thus, she relinquished her $4 a month disability stipend to accept the general pension.
Deborah Sampson Gannett died of yellow fever on April 29, 1827, at the age of 66 and was buried at Rock Ridge Cemetery, Sharon, MA. Four years after her death, Benjamin Gannett petitioned Congress for a pension as the spouse of a veteran. It wasn't until 1837, that the committee overseeing his petition decreed that the history of the Revolution "furnished no other example of female heroism, fidelity and courage." He was awarded the pension but died before receiving it.
Deborah Sampson was proclaimed the Official Heroine of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on May 23, 1983, and in 1985 the United States Capitol Historical Society posthumously honored "Deborah Sampson" with the Commemorative Medal. On April 10, 2026, as part of the US Postal Service Figures of the American Revolution, a Forever stamp was issued in her honor.
