Women's Role In The Revolutionary War

Although African Americans and women during the revolutionary war seemed like they weren't apart of it, this could not have been more false. 1775-83, the growing tensions between Great Britain’s 13 North American colonies and the colonial government. Arguments would turn into Skirmishes between British troops and colonial militiamen. The first place to flare up conflict would be Lexinton, then Concord which would start the armed conflict. By the time it came summer, the rebel would wage full fledged wars for their independence. The French would side with the colonists in 1778, and with the help of the French in 1781, the Continental Army make British surrender at Yorktown, Virginia. Americans would continue to gain their freedom and officially
Women who took on the role as a nurse were mainly people who had children and husbands who were serving in the Continental Army. While the surgeons performed most of the skilled medical duties, female nurses would feed, bathe, empty chamber pots, clean the hospital, and sometimes cook for the patients. Female nurses also often came up with new inventions to help treat and care for patients. Some women would dress up like a male just to join the Continental Army and serve, cutting their hair, binding theirs breasts with bandages and using masculine names. Deborah Sampson from Plympton, Mass, who fought in New York under Robert Shurtliff in 1781 and served for over a year before she was caught. Another women Ann or Nancy Bailey from Boston who joined in 1777 under Sam Gray was promoted to corporal before she was found out. After she was jailed and released she joined again for a few weeks before getting caught again. Another key role for women during the war was being a spy. It is not known how many female spies there were, most female spies worked as cooks and maids for the British and American military