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Long ago on December 1, 1760 a little girl 

named Deborah was born in Plympton 

Massachusetts. Little did she know she would 

grow up to fight in the Revolutionary War.

Although Deborah was a direct descendant of 

William Bradford (a Mayflower Pilgrim) she still 

grew up in poverty. When she was young, her 

father left and never returned.

When Deborah completed her servitude, she 

became a teacher from 1779-1780 until she 

heard news of   the Revolutionary war.

As soon as she heard news of the 

Revolutionary war, she joined the military. 

Deborah was no ordinary soldier, she had a big 

secret that no one could find out.

Deborah had to disguise herself as a man! She 

sewed herself a man's coat, shirt and pants and 

once she put them on, Deborah Sampson was no 

more! She enlisted in Captain George Webb's Light 

Infantry in May 1781 as Robert Shurtliff.

Deborah Sampson was no more! She was as 

strong, sturdy and as tall as a man standing at 

5' 8" tall. 

Near the Tappan Zee, Deborah fought her first 

battle in "No Man's Land". Deborah received a 

sabre wound across her face, but tended to it 

herself for a fear of being discovered.

After spending weeks in lower Westchester, 

Sampson marched to Virginia and participated 

in the siege of Yorktown. She received many 

minor injuries but on October 19, 1781   Lord 

Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington, 

ending the last battle of the Revolutionary War.

In June of 1782 she got   a bullet wound that 

could expose her identity.In order to avoid 

discovery Deborah removed the musket-ball 

bullet herself. Soon she was again ready to fight 

in the war.

Deborah fought in many battles, but on 

October 23, 1783 she received an honorable 

discharge from General Henry Knox.

On April 7, 1785 she married Benjamin Gannet, 

and they had three children, Earl, Mary, and 

Patience. She also had an adopted child named 

Susanna.

On February 20, 1804, Deborah Samson wrote 

a letter, with the help of Paul Revere, to 

Congressman William Eustis in regards to a 

pension. The following year Deborah received 

the pension she had attempted to get for many 

years, and in 1821 she was awarded a general 

service pension.

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