In 1776, a camp follower's husband was killed in combat and the woman boldly manned his weapon and singlehandedly fought against the British.

This woman became a legend of the Revolutionary War.

Born Around Ward

Margaret was born in western Pennsylvania in 1751. When the Indian and French War began, she was only four years of age. During this brutal conflict, the Delaware and Shawnee Tribes launched an attack on her hometown.

Margaret's parents sent her and her brother to her uncle's house for safety, a smart move. Her father was killed and her mother kidnapped, never to be heard from again.

Life was hard as an orphan, but in those times you pushed through or you died.

Margaret married John Corbin in 1772 at age 21. Not long after, her new husband joined the Pennsylvania military to fight against the British. With no income and fear of getting attacked by Natives or the British, Margaret followed along with her husband as a camp follower.

Camp Followers

Camp followers were the wives and daughters of the soldiers who followed along with the armies. Their role in the war was to cook, sew, do laundry, and act as medics for the injured.

Margaret stayed with her husband until Fort Washington, a terrifying battle where the British deployed the Hessian mercenaries. Margaret dressed up like a man and followed her husband into battle, even though the Hessians were a terrifyingly elite group of brutal soldiers.

The Hessians killed her husband along with the rest of the front line, leading to the majority of the soldiers retreating. However, Margaret was a little more stalwart than her male counterparts.

Fighting The British

Margaret manned her husband's cannon and used it to fire on the British. Unfortunately, she was injured in the fight, getting shot in the arm, jaw, and chest. The British scooped her up and took her to be treated by their medics.

She survived, but the British gained control of the fort. The British paroled Margaret, and she worked at West Point, taking care of wounded soldiers.

Due to the horrific injuries from the battle of Fort Washington, Margaret lost use of one of her arms. This made daily tasks incredibly difficult. Nut Margaret had proven she was a woman made of stern stuff.

Her story quickly spread throughout the Continental Army, where the soldiers began calling her "Captain Molly."

The story eventually reached the ears of the Continental Congress, who gave her a lifelong pension equal to half of what men received. Eventually, she was given a food and rum allowance as well.

General Henry Knox ordered a servant assist Margaret with eating and bathing, as these tasks were a struggle due to her injuries.

Margaret died in 1800 at the age of 49. In 1926, the Daughters of the American Revolution verified her story and she was given full military honors. She was re-buried at West Point.