October 13
MOLLY PITCHER DAY
A young woman, nicknamed Molly, by her husband, William Hays, was born on this day in 1754 near Trenton, New Jersey. Her birth name was Mary Ludwig.
During the American Revolution, and specifically at the Battle of Monmouth, Molly was helping out as a water carrier. She gained a new nickname, Molly Pitcher.
Her husband, William, was wounded during the battle. At that point, Molly dropped the water pitcher and picked up her husband’s job of loading and firing a cannon. General George Washington appointed her a noncommissioned officer; and Mary Ludwig Hays garnered a new nickname, Sergeant Molly.
Sgt. Molly Pitcher added yet another name to her already long moniker. She married George McCauley after William Hays died, her full name then read: Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley.
The name, Molly Pitcher, became a synonym for a heroine. Her nickname was given to another famous woman, Harriet Tubman, rescuer and heroine of abolitionist times.
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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