"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace."
- George Washington, First Annual Address to Congress, January 8, 1790
Sybil Ludington
Sybil Ludington, often referred to as "the Female Paul Revere," was born on April 16, 1761 and died in 1839. Sybil is most known for her "midnight ride" during the American Revolution to warn the Americans of the British invading. When British troops and British loyalists attacked a nearby town, Danbury, Connecticut, in 1777, a rider came to the Ludington household to warn them and ask for the local regiment’s help. At the time, the Colonel’s regiment was disbanded for planting season, and all of the men were miles apart at their respective farms. The rider was too tired to continue and Colonel Ludington had to prepare for battle, so he enlisted his barely sixteen-year-old daughter, Sybil, to ride through the night, alerting his men of the danger and urging them to come together to fight back. Ludington rode all night through the dark woods, covering forty miles (a longer distance than Revere rode), and because of her bravery, almost the whole regiment was gathered by daybreak to fight the British.
To watch a movie on Sybil, click here.
To watch a movie on Sybil, click here.
Miss Jenny:
Miss Jenny, on August 15, 1781, delivered a private message from Baron Ottendorf to Sir Henry Clinton. She was born on October 6, 1820. Miss Jenny was a spy for the British. She was spying on the Americans and the French during the Revolutionary War to help intercept private messages. She was a French-speaking Loyalist who infiltrated French camps and passed information along to the British. Acting on intel that the French were moving troops in an impending attack on New York City, Miss Jenny was out and about trying to confirm the information when she was caught by a French guard. The lady held to her story that she was looking for her French-Canadian father, a story which did not appear to go over well, and consequently, Miss Jenny was turned over to none other than George Washington. Further questioning achieved nothing because she stuck to her story despite rigorous questioning. Washington then handed her back over the French, who in a last ditch effort, attempted to make her talk but to no avail.
Lydia Darragh:
"Though we consider thee as a public enemy, we regard thee as a private friend. While we detest the cause thee fights for, we wish well to thy personal interest and safety,” said Lydia Darragh, a Quaker, a pacifist, a mother, and an American spy. Lydia Darragh acted to save the American Army during the Revolutionary War from an attack from the British. British forces had taken control of Philadelphia with their artillery and bayonets, and the British General chose a house opposite the Darrah’s as his base. This chance choice by the British General gave Lydia the option to eavesdrop on the British to find out what they were doing, something which she did without being asked. As Lydia gathered information she passed it on to her eldest son based in the Continental Army. Lydia Darragh died in 1789 at the age of 61.