American Revolution, Role of Women in the (Wars)

Women’s roles during the Revolutionary War in America between 1776 and 1783. Americans declared independence from Britain in 1776, and the British sent troops to the colonies to quell the revolt. Patriots (Americans who supported the Revolution) fought against the British and colonial loyalists (Americas who did not want independence from Britain). During the war, some women helped the patriots, and others sided with the loyalists. Some women, although not loyalists themselves, were affected by their husbands’ loyalty to Britain, which jeopardized their safety during the war. The same was true for women whose husbands were patriots.

Throughout the war, many women maintained the household economy (i.e., they tended to farm work and family businesses) and protected their property while husbands and male relatives were at war. The wartime role of these women was to maintain such activities until the men returned home. In addition, both the British and American armies had women camp followers, who lived in the camps, helping out with chores. Some women even enlisted in the American Continental Army disguised as men, although this was illegal. The army’s medical units included women who served as nurses. Women further supported the effort by feeding and providing clothing for the soldiers. Some loyalist women passed information about American troops to the British, and women could be accused of being spies or sympathizers simply by giving sanctuary to British soldiers in their homes. Married women faced property confiscation if their husbands were loyalists. Rape was another reality women faced during wartime when either army occupied an area. In Connecticut and New Jersey, rape and gang rape occurred. It became a symbol of power for the victorious side, with women the victims of this practice.


On January 1, 1776, the Continental Army began recruiting to build up its infantry, rifle, and artillery regiments, which included more than 20,000 men. If a woman wanted to enlist, she did so illegally by disguising herself as a man. For example, Deborah Sampson used the name Robert Shurtleff to enlist. It was not until she was wounded in battle and consequently undressed by a doctor that her true identity was discovered. However, her brave and patriotic behavior received compliments rather than punishment. A few women went onto the battlefield with their husbands or took their husbands’ places after they were killed on the battlefield. For instance, Mary Hays fired artillery cannons against the British and stayed with her husband, a gunner, during the war. Margaret Corbin took over her husband’s cannon when her husband was killed by enemy fire. The army allowed women to stay with their husbands, fathers, or sons mainly because some men might not have joined the regiments if their women were not allowed to go with them. Some women brought their children with them as well.

Women intelligence riders from South Carolina during the Revolutionary War intercepting dispatches.

Women intelligence riders from South Carolina during the Revolutionary War intercepting dispatches.

At first women camp followers were seen as a burden for the troops, but later even George Washington, commander in chief of the Continental Army, would see the value of women in the camps.They could also serve as nurses, although their status was low among the hospital staff, and their main duties were custodial. Nurses were also paid poorly because their work was not seen as skilled employment. Female nurses could, however, free up men from taking care of the wounded, allowing more men to fight for the army. In 1777, a Continental Army Medical Corp requirement indicated that every one hundred wounded needed one matron and ten female nurses. The nurses took nonmedical direction from the matron, who supervised the hospital and distributed medicine under the supervision of a surgeon. Women were involved in other activities at camps and battle sites as well; they molded bullets, carried water and gunpowder, and assisted at the cannons, for example.

Although women were seen as nonofficial auxiliaries, they did draw rations from the army; children who accompanied them received a half ration. When food supplies were tight, women and children used up part of the rations, which the soldiers desperately needed. Nonetheless, women did have their function in the army, and their tasks were valuable, especially because men were not adept at chores such as cleaning and mending and washing clothes.

At the start of the Revolution, the British army limited the number of women accompanying its troops to one woman for every ten men, but this ratio later increased. The Continental Army did not set a quota for the ratio of men to women in the regiments because this would force some refugee women to leave the camps when the army needed them to take care of various tasks.

In general, women’s participation in combat depended on whether men were available to fight the enemy. As men left home to join the army, few, if any, were left to defend the towns and villages. Thus, many women defended their communities from the British by joining local militia groups or serving as guards. They dressed in men’s clothing and armed themselves with muskets or pitchforks.

Other women were left behind after their husbands left for Britain or joined the British loyalists, and the wives of loyalists were regarded as enemies. Because married women were not considered independent from their husbands and did not have property rights, the leaders of the American Revolution seized the property and personal belongings of women married to loyalists; this included items such as carriages, jewels, clothes, and furniture. Loyalists’ wives were eventually allowed to leave or were expelled by the patriots. When a woman’s husband sided and served with the British, she automatically fell under suspicion of treason. If she wrote to her husband at all, she was considered a traitor. Mobs threatened women who were suspected of helping the British. Women who actually did so certainly risked their lives. In New Jersey, the penalty for treason was death. Nevertheless, the first time a woman was convicted, she only had to pay a fine of three hundred pounds and serve one year in prison. If convicted a second time, she would receive the death penalty, and no reprieve would be granted.

In Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia, some women helped to raise funds for the Continental Army. General Washington worried that giving money to soldiers directly was not a good idea and suggested that the women instead give the funds to the government. The women refused, and Washington then suggested they provide shirts to the soldiers instead of cash. The women agreed and used the money to buy linen to make clothing for the troops.

During the war, approximately 20,000 women served in various capacities with the Continental Army. A few hundred more were enlisted in various local and state units (Gunderson 1996, 164).

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