Margaret Corbin (November 12, 1751 – January 16, 1800) was a woman who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Events 764 - Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an, the capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, for fifteen days Year 1751 ( MDCCLI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year -of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar until Friday, but 12 days ahead since Saturday. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" On November 16, 1776 she and her husband, John Corbin, both from Philadelphia, along with some 600 American soldiers, were defending Fort Washington in northern Manhattan from 4,000 attacking Hessian troops under British command. Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 1776 ( MDCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Fort Washington was a fortified position near the north end of Manhattan Island (now part of New York City) and was located at the highest point on the island Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York John and Margaret crewed one of two cannons the defenders possessed. After her husband was killed, Margaret took over firing his cannon until she was seriously wounded. Three years later, she became the first woman in the United States to receive pension from Congress.

Margaret Corbin was born in West Pennsylvania on November 12, 1751 in what is now Franklin County. Franklin County is a County located in South Central Pennsylvania. Her father was Robert Cochran, a Scottish-Irish pioneer. In 1756, when she was five years old, Margaret’s parents were attacked by Native Americans. Her mother was kidnapped and her father was killed. At the time, Margaret and her brother John were not at home, and so escaped the raid. Margaret lived with her uncle for the rest of her childhood.

In 1772, at the age of 21, Margaret married a Virginia farmer named John Corbin.

Contents 1 American Revolutionary War 2 After War Years 3 Footnotes 4 External links

American Revolutionary War

When the war began, John enlisted in the First Company of Pennsylvania Artillery as a matross, someone who worked with loading and firing the canons. As was common at the time for wives of soldiers, Margaret became a camp follower, accompanying John during his enlistment. A camp follower is a Person who follows Military camps in order to sell goods or services that the Military does not supply She joined many other women in cooking, washing, and caring for the wounded soldiers.

On November 16, 1776, Fort Washington, where John's company was stationed, was attacked by the British. John, an artilleryman, was in charge of firing a small cannon atop a ridge, today known as Fort Tryon. FortTryonjbjpg|thumb|Fort Tryon]] Fort Tryon Park is a public park located in the Inwood section of the New York City borough of Manhattan During an assault by the Hessians, John was killed, leaving his cannon unmanned. Margaret had been with her husband on the battlefield the entire time, and, after witnessing his death, she immediately took his place at the cannon. She fired away until her arm, chest, and jaw were hit by enemy fire. The British ultimately won the Battle of Fort Washington, resulting in the surrender of Margaret and her comrades. Background Fort Washington was a fort located at the northernmost tip and highest elevation of what is now the borough of Manhattan in New York City As the equivalent of a wounded soldier, Margaret was released by the British on parole.

After the battle, Margaret went to Philadelphia, completely disabled from her wound, which would never fully heal. Life was difficult because of her injury, and in 1779 she received aid from the government. On June 29, the Executive Council of Pennsylvania granted her $30 to cover her present needs, and passed her case on to Congress’s Board of War. On July 6, 1779, the Board, sympathetic to Margaret’s injuries and impressed with her service and bravery, granted her half the monthly pay of a soldier in the Continental army and a new set of clothes or its equivalent in cash. With this act, Congress made Margaret the first woman in the United States to receive pension from Congress.

After Congress’s decision, Margaret was included on military rolls until the end of the war. She was enrolled in the Corps of Invalids, created by Congress for wounded soldiers. In 1781, the Corps of Invalids became part of the garrison at West Point, New York. She was discharged from the Continental Army in 1783.

After War Years

After being discharged, Margaret remained near West Point, known to officials and acquaintances as “Captain Molly”. She depended on the government and West Point officials for financial support. She died in Highland Falls, New York ,on January 16, 1800, at the age of forty-nine. In 1926, the Daughters of the American Revolution had Margaret’s remains reburied in the West Point military cemetery, becoming the only Revolutionary War soldier to be buried there. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR is a lineage -based membership organization of women dedicated to promoting Historic preservation, Education

While living in the soldier's camp and after, Margaret was poor, rude, drank, swore, and smoked. She was equal to and respected the male soldiers. Her story is often confused and intertwined with that of Molly Pitcher. Though Margaret Corbin is certain to have lived and fired the cannon, much of the Molly Pitcher story is myth.

A tablet commemorating her heroism was erected in 1909 in Fort Tryon Park, near the scene of her service, and the entrance to the park is named Margaret Corbin Circle in her honor. FortTryonjbjpg|thumb|Fort Tryon]] Fort Tryon Park is a public park located in the Inwood section of the New York City borough of Manhattan ^[1] A large art-deco mural depicting the battle scene decorates the lobby of nearby 720 Fort Washington Avenue. Art Deco was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939 affecting the decorative arts such as Architecture, Interior design, and Industrial Fort Washington Avenue is a major north-south street in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. She is interred in West Point Cemetery. West Point Cemetery is an historic Cemetery on the grounds of the United States Military Academy in West Point New York. ^[2]

Footnotes

External links

• Biography of Margaret Corbin
• Profile for Margaret Corbin, Find-A-Grave

Find A Grave is a Website allowing its users to access maintain and expand an online Database of Burial records

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