SAMPSON, Deborah [1760-1827] -- American soldier
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a/k/a
SHURTLEFF, RobertWiki: Deborah Sampson
She was the first known (1782) American woman to impersonate a man in order to join the army. Her secret was discovered when she was treated by a doctor for malignant fever (1783). She earlier (1782) had been wounded in battle and removed herself one of two musket balls she had recieved.
Her masquerade revealed,
she was honorably discharged from the army (1783) and eventually granted a pension. 
Chronology |
1778 | Her first attempt to join up fails as she did not report for duty |
1782 | First known American woman to impersonate a man in order to join the army |
1782/07/03 | Wounded in her first battle |
1783/04/01 | She is promoted and serves as waiter to Gen. John Patterson |
1783/07~ | She contracts malignant fever, her masquerade discovered, but not revealed |
1783/09 | Treaty of Paris |
1783/10 | Her doctor reveals her secret to Gen. Washington |
1783/10/25 | Honorably discharged at West Point after a year and a half of service |
1785/04/07 | She marries, eventually bearing three children |
1792-1816 | Financial problems |
1792/01 | She petitions the Massachussetts State Legislature for back pay withheld from her |
1802 | She begins giving lectures about her experiences |
1804 | Her friend, Paul Revere, petitions on her behalf for her to be granted a pension |
1805 | She is granted a pension of $4 per month |
1806/02/22 | She asks, and is granted, from Revere a loan of $10 |
1809 | Her petition to Congress for a larger pension as an invalid soldier is denied |
1816 | Congress reconsiders her request, and grants her $86 per month |
