Revolutionary War Female Soldier Deborah Sampson

Deborah Sampson (1760-1827) is well-remembered for her actions during the Revolutionary War. She decided it was her calling to serve in the Continental Army, so she disguised herself as a man and enlisted.

She served successfully for 17 months in an area near West Point, known as Neutral Ground. The discovery of her gender occurred when she was sent with her regiment to Philadelphia. Many of the soldiers—including Deborah- became seriously ill. Sampson’s fever became so high that she lost consciousness, and a doctor treating her must have realized her circumstances. He did not turn her in at that time.

To fully measure Deborah Sampson’s grit, readers must see that her bravery was not a temporary wartime impulse, but her defining trait. She grew up in poverty. Because she was placed as an indentured servant, she realized that overcoming difficulty meant rejecting traditional boundaries. Throughout her life, Sampson had to forge her own way.

Growing Up in Massachusetts

Deborah Sampson (also spelled Samson in some sources) was born in Plympton, Massachusetts. She came from parents of notable lineage. Her father Jonathan was descended from Henry Samson who crossed to the colonies on the Mayflower. Her mother was the great-granddaughter of William Bradford, the second Governor of Plymouth Colony.

Despite this heritage, her parents could barely get by in this new country. The couple soon had seven children. Jonathan Sampson announced he could help them by going to sea, leaving his wife at home with seven children and little money.  (If Jonathan did go to sea, he never returned home. Later he was found living in Maine with a new wife.)

In that era, mothers who were overwhelmed often placed some of the children with other families. This was the option that Deborah’s mother chose, and Deborah was one of five who were sent elsewhere. Initially, Deborah lived as a companion with an elderly relative, but Deborah was only five at the time, so her mother found another option. Deborah was moved to live with a woman referred to as Widow Thatcher. (Widow Thatcher is thought to be the person who taught Deborah to read and write.) But when the widow died, Deborah’s mother needed yet another solution.

Indentured Servant

Deborah’s mother saw that she needed a more permanent placement for Deborah.  The Jeremiah Thomas family in Middleborough, Massachusetts had many children, and one of their daughters lived at home with children of her own. The Thomas family wanted an indentured servant (a person who remained with them for a guaranteed number of years in return for room and board).  They accepted Deborah and made an arrangement with her mother that she would stay with them until she was 18. Deborah worked hard and was kept very busy.

Jeremiah Thomas was not a mean man, but he saw no need to provide Deborah with anything but her basic needs of food and clothing. He also saw no need for women to be educated. Sampson saw a way around that. She suggested that she stay with the children when they were being tutored so that she could help them with their homework.  Thomas eventually agreed that she could do so if her other work was done.

Living with the Thomas family was not a happy situation for Deborah Sampson, but she created opportunities for herself when she could. While living in their household, she learned woodworking and weaving—two tasks that were beyond the scope of most servants, and ones that were helpful to her later on.

After Her Indentured Service

When Deborah Sampson finished her servitude with the Thomas family, she knew she could rely only on herself. She talked to families in the area whom she thought might need tutoring for their children and/or weaving of cloth for their clothes. Several families welcomed her, so she moved from household to household on an as-needed basis.

One of the tasks she often did for families was run errands, and this frequently took her in and out of the local taverns where the war was being discussed. The Thomas family sent several sons to war, and some of the churches in Middleborough stood against being under the thumb of Great Britain. As Deborah went around the town, she heard much talk about the importance of liberty. After her time as a servant, she felt it, too.  

Deborah Sampson’s Determination to Enlist

While Deborah Sampson’s interest in enlisting was unusual, she had few things holding her back. Her mother was rarely in touch, and Deborah had no lasting ties to the community. She lived as an independent woman. Her exposure to the Patriots’ cause in the taverns and around town must have increased her interest in finding a way to participate. She agreed with the cause for which the Patriots were fighting. The option of adventure and better payment may have persuaded her to come up with the ruse of dressing as a man and enlisting.

She was tutoring and weaving at a home where the family’s son was off to war. Since Deborah stayed in the son’s room, she investigated the clothes he left behind and began experimenting with her appearance. She was a tall (about 5/7”), big-boned woman. She bound her chest and tried on the clothing in his room. They were larger than she needed, but she could see possibilities. When the family was out of town, Sampson tried going out in male garb and must have felt comfortable enough. 

As she developed her plan, Deborah used the young man’s clothing as a pattern for sewing the clothing she needed to make for herself.

Why Did Recruiting Take Place After Yorktown?

Cornwallis surrendered to the Continental Army at Yorktown in the fall of 1781.  But the war was not yet over. The British still occupied New York City, Charleston, and Savannah. Washington knew that if he disbanded the army, the British would re-initiate major attacks. In the meantime, skirmishes occurred up and down the coast for two more years.

For that reason, the towns in Massachusetts were still actively recruiting in the spring of 1782, and Deborah felt ready.

We know from the book she permitted Hermann Mann (The Female Review: Life of Deborah Sampson) to write that her enlistment was her second attempt to join the Army.  Her first attempt was in her local area. Though she felt well-disguised, someone remarked that she looked familiar. Deborah was spooked and gave up the signing bonus she had been promised if she enlisted.

But she didn’t give up. She traveled to another area, Uxbridge, Massachusetts (south of Worcester). No one there knew her, and she signed up as “Robert Shurtleff,” (the records spell her name multiple ways).  Some sources say she had a deceased brother by this name, but ancestry records show that is not true.

Assigned to the 4th Massachusetts

Upon her enlistment on May 20, 1782, she was assigned to Captain George Webb’s company within the 4th Massachusetts Regiment. This unit functioned as “light infantry”—the 18th-century equivalent of an elite, rapid-response force. Reserved exclusively for the army’s most agile and physically fit soldiers, the light infantry specialized in high-stakes reconnaissance, advance skirmishing, and critical rear-guard actions that demanded exceptional endurance.

The regiment was soon deployed to the Hudson Highlands and Westchester County, a chaotic region flanking the strategic American stronghold at West Point. Designated as “Neutral Ground,” the area was anything but peaceful. With the British firmly entrenched in nearby New York City, this No Man’s Land dissolved into absolute lawlessness, defined by constant, bloody skirmishes.

Loyalist marauders routinely terrorized the countryside, turning daily life into a psychological nightmare for local families. Desperate to protect their livelihoods, farmers hid their livestock in nearby swamps and abandoned their beds at night, sleeping in the woods to avoid being attacked in their own homes.

The 4^th Massachusetts was among the units trying to defend the residents, and it was brutal, guerilla-style combat.

Living With the Men

Living in tight quarters in huts with men presented its challenges. Deborah was discreet when she had to take care of personal needs or change clothes. Perhaps because of her size (she was taller than many men who enlisted), no one suspected anything. She learned all the gun maneuvers, marched well, and took orders.

On one occasion she offered to help a fellow soldier mend his uniform, but she soon realized that she shouldn’t make a practice of demonstrating her sewing skills. 

Injured

As a member of Captain George Webb’s elite light infantry unit, “Robert Shurtleff” was part of a 30-man scouting patrol sent south from West Point. Their mission was to hunt down a notorious band of heavily armed Loyalist raiders—frequently called “Cowboys”—who had been terrorizing local Patriot farmers.

Near Tarrytown, the scouting party ran headfirst into an ambush. The fighting quickly devolved from a distant firefight into a chaotic, hand-to-hand melee amidst the brush and trees.

Shurtleff/Sampson sustained two wounds—ono was a saber slash to the head; the other was two musket balls to the thigh. Other members of the company insisted Shurtleff seek medical attention. Deborah was terrified of discovery, so she focused on her head wound while minimizing what happened to her thigh. After her head was bound by the doctor, she left the medical office quickly and used a pocket knife to dig the musket balls out of her leg.

Unfortunately, the wound was serious, and the men were always on the move. Her leg never healed properly, and she was left with a limp. But Sampson was relieved. She accomplished her main goal. No one realized she was female.

New Assignment

Shurtleff/Sampson was a good soldier and was well-respected by the officers in her unit. When a request was sent out for an orderly to work for General John Paterson who was stationed near West Point, Shurtleff was selected. Sampson was concerned about leaving the familiar, but she didn’t have a choice.

All went well with her service for General Paterson, but Paterson needed send soldiers out on another assignment. The provisional government still had not worked out its finances. There was disagreement about currency, and the paper money issued had decreased greatly in value. Soldiers were  not being paid, and they were ready to go home.

 In June of 1783, a mob of roughly 400 unpaid, angry soldiers from the Pennsylvania Line marched on the State House in Philadelphia, blocking the doors and demanding their back pay from Congress.

A panicked Congress ordered George Washington to send federal troops to restore order. Washington dispatched a detachment from West Point under General John Paterson.  As a member of Paterson’s light infantry, Shurtleff/Sampson marched to Philadelphia with the unit, arriving in late June/early July (1783) to put down the rebellion.

 In Philadelphia, this coincided with an outbreak of “malignant fever.” (Disease experts speculate it was malaria.) Many in the city were ill, and those newly arrived, including the soldiers, were susceptible. A good number became ill, including Deborah. Her fever spiked, and she became unconscious. 

Very Sick

At that point, Sampson encountered great good luck. The doctor treating her, Dr. Barnabas Binney (1751-1787), took a look at the young patient and realized he was a her. Amazingly, Binney remained mum. Perhaps the doctor understood how much this soldier had given to the country. He lived with his wife and children, and he sent her to his own home to give her time and space to get better. 

After several weeks, Deborah was ready to live on her own. She feared the worst as she knew she needed to return to the military, but she was steadfast in accepting whatever happened to her.

Dr. Binney arranged for a carriage to take her back to Paterson’s headquarters. She carried with her a note from him to General Paterson. Sampson worried the whole trip about her fate, but when she got there, Paterson took the letter from her. Before reading it, he sent her off to her former quarters where the men were happy to welcome Robert back.

A few days later, she was summoned to come see General Paterson. He asked about her experience, thanked her for her service, and provided her with an honorable discharge on October 25, 1783.

After the Military

Fewer details are known about the next stage of Deborah Sampson’s life. She married Benjamin Gannett, a farmer who inherited a small farm in Sharon, Massachusetts, about 20 miles south of Boston. She became Deborah Sampson Gannett. The couple had 4 children, later adopting a fifth when the little girl was orphaned.

Unfortunately, their life was not easy. The land in Sharon was rocky, and the farm was too small to be able to compensate for the poor soil. The family was barely able to scrape by.

Petitioned for Back Pay

Though Deborah received an honorable discharge, no provision was made for a pension payment given the strange circumstances. She also never received back pay that others in her company received. 

The back pay seemed the most attainable, so in January of 1792, Sampson petitioned the Massachusetts State Legislature for the amount she was due “as a private soldier, under the name of Robert Shurtleff.” After serious consideration, the legislature granted her petition. Governor John Hancock signed it.  She was awarded 34 pounds plus back interest following her 1783 discharge.

It wasn’t much but anything helped.

Lecture Tour

By this time, Deborah Sampson’s story was known locally, so Sampson began thinking more broadly. In 1802, Sampson came up with a plan to travel the area, giving lectures about her wartime service. 

As her performance was staged, Sampson began her speech dressed as a woman, talking about the importance of women during Revolutionary War time.  She then stepped off stage returning in her uniform to demonstrate execution of the military drill and gun maneuvers she learned while in the service.

Audiences enjoyed the lectures, but the income from ticket sales still didn’t provide the funds her family needed.

Paul Revere Helped

After the war, Paul Revere established a copper-rolling mill in Canton, Massachusetts, which was just one town over from Sharon. According to information from the Massachusetts Historical Society, Revere was curious about the “female soldier” he heard about and in 1804, he decided to ride over to visit the Gannett family.

When Revere arrived, he was surprised. Instead of meeting a rough-hewn masculine- seeming woman, he found Deborah to be a refined and articulate woman who was exhausted by her circumstances. She still suffered greatly from the musket ball wound to her leg. Farm work was a struggle for her because of this. 

Details from manuscripts from the Paul Revere House show that Paul Revere noted firsthand how the family struggled. He was moved by her plight and outraged by the government’s neglect of a legitimate veteran, and Revere decided to use his massive political capital to help her. (Paul Revere House)

On February 20, 1804, Revere wrote a passionate letter to his district’s U.S. Congressman, William Eustis. In the letter, Revere didn’t just ask for a favor; he demanded justice. He wrote:

“I think her case much more deserving than hundreds to whom Congress have been generous… we may expect but little from the State Government; if she receives any relief, it must be from the Nation.”  (Massachusetts Historical Society: Object of the Month).

A letter from the highly-respected Patriot Paul Revere carried immense weight. Thanks directly to his intervention and political muscle, Congress finally broke through its bureaucratic gridlock. In 1805, Deborah Sampson was officially placed on the federal invalid pension list, securing her an annual payment that saved her family from financial ruin.

Death of Deborah Sampson

In 1827, Deborah Sampson died and was buried at Rock Ridge Cemetery in Sharon, Massachusetts.

Four years later, her husband Benjamin Gannett petitioned Congress for a pension as the spouse of a veteran.  Several years later (1837), the committee overseeing the history of the Revolution surprisingly agreed. Gannett was awarded a pension but died before he could receive it. 

Recognition Comes Eventually

Today, Deborah Sampson is well-remembered in Massachusetts for her pioneering spirit. In Sharon, she is commemorated by a life-sized bronze statue outside the Sharon Public Library. Her grave at Rock Ridge Cemetery remains a major historic landmark, uniquely bearing both her legal name and her military alias, Robert Shurtleff.

In 1983, Massachusetts further recognized her when they proclaimed her the Official Heroine of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. That year the legislature also established May 23rd (the anniversary of her 1782 enlistment) as Deborah Sampson Day, ensuring that the woman who once had to conceal her identity to serve her country is now publicly celebrated by name every spring.

National Recognition

Sampson was also recognized on a national basis. In December of 2020, the Deborah Sampson Act was signed into law to “eliminate barriers to care and services” faced by women veterans. It also provides for an office of women’s health in the Office of Veteran Affairs.

Though the current administration has taken actions to reverse certain parts of the Deborah Sampson Act, the Act itself remains intact because it is a federal law. Structural changes like privacy provisions and specialized medical staffing are still mandated. Recent executive orders dial back some training programs and reproductive health services.

Despite these changes, the woman who once had to completely erase her identity just to serve her country is now the face of the law ensuring modern service women should not have to be invisible again.

***

For another story about women during revolutionary times, see Sybil Ludington, 16, Helped Patriots. There are some who question the full accuracy of the story but it provides an excellent look at the people and the times.

Share with Others!