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Deborah Sampson was born in Plympton, MA and was one of six children.
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Her mother had to give away her children to family and friends because she couldn't provide for them. She eventually became an indentured servant.
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Deborah became a school teacher in Middleboro MA.
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She enlisted in the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army in Bellingham, MA as a man under the name "Robert Shurtleff".
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Deborah Sampson was wounded in battle but removed the bullet herself, so it wouldn't be found out that she was a woman.*
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Deborah Sampson became sick with yellow fever and the doctor discovered she was a woman but, kept her secret until later when she was honorably discharged by General Patterson as a woman.
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She was honorably discharged from the army on October 23,1783 and it was at this time that General Paterson discovered the secret that she was a woman, by a note from the doctor that cared for her during Yellow Fever.
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She earned a living by traveling the US in her army uniform and lecturing about her Revolutionary War experiences.*
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She was the first woman to receive military back pay and a pension.*
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Deborah died at the age of 67 and was buried in Sharon, MA.
