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Deborah Sampson
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Deborah Sampson was born.
She was one of the seven children born to Johnathan and Deborah Bradford Sampson, direct Mayflower descendents. -
Deborah Sampson's father is never seen again.
Before Deborah Sampson's 5th birthday, her father abandoned his family to find fortune at sea and was never heard or seen again. Her mother was later told that he was killed in a shipwreck. -
Deborah Sampson sent to Ms. Fuller
Since her mother couldn't afford to take care of all her children, at the age of 5, Deborah Sampson was sent to her mother's cousin, Ms. Ruth Filler. -
Ruth Filler dies and Deborah is sent to two other people
Three years later, when Deborah was only eight, Ms. Filler died. Deborah was then sent to live with Mrs. Thatcher, the 80 years old widow of Reverand Peter Thatcher. A local minister noticed how hard Deborah worked under Mrs. Thatcher, and arranged her to be sent to Benjamin Thomas to serve in his household. -
Deborah Sampson sold to Beacon Thomas as an indentured servant.
Unfortunately, her mother could not afford to provide for all the children, and at the age of ten, Deborah Sampson was sent to be an indentured servant. -
Deborah Sampson becomes schoolteacher.
After her service as an indentured service ended in 1779, Deborah Sampson became a schoolteacher in Middleborough, Massachusetts. During this time, she considered joining the Continential Army, but she didn't really know how to join, since during her time, women weren't allowed to serve in the army. -
Deborah Sampson makes her decision about joining the Conitinetal Army
In the winter of 1780, Mr. Thomas made a visit to Deborah Sampson to tell her about two of his sons killed in Virginia when they were fighting along with Marquis de Lafayette. Because she had grown close to all of Mr. Thomas' eight children, she felt extremely sad, and therefore commited to joining the army. -
Deborah Sampson decides to try to enlist in the Continental Army
She had taken a room from Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Leonard; towards the end of the year 1781, she decides to try to enlist in the Continential Army. She made herself men clothing, cut off her hair, and wrapped her chest in order to look like a man, then she tested the disguise with her mother. When her mother couldn't recognize her, Deborah Sampson was sure she could sneak into the army. -
Deborah Sampson enlists in the army!!!
On May 20. 1782, at the age of 21, she signed up for duty under the pseudonym Robert Shurtliff. Muster Master Noah Taft, who was the one who enlisted her, gave her 60 pounds (the money during her day) as "Robert Shurtliff" signed. -
"Robert Shurtliff" is sent to George Webb.
At Worchester, Captain Eliphalet Thorp sent Shurtliff and 49 other recruits to Captain George Webb. Sergeant Gamble marched them to West Point, New York, where they were given their uniforms and equipment. Luckily, during her day, there was no such thing as a physical check! -
Shurtliff Shot by the Tories!
During a scouting party, her regiment were on a scouting party to find food for the regiment in Tarrytown when suddenly, they were ambushed by Tories! Shurtliff suffered from a forehead wound from a sabre slash and a musketball penetrated in her upper left front thigh. -
Robert Shurtliff removes the bullet out of her thigh.
"Robert Shurliff" recieved medical care for the forehead wound, but was not advised to check her leg, for "Shurtliff" was afraid that the doctor might find out that her identity might be discovered. When the doctor left, Shurtliff limped out of the hospital, took out her pocketknife, and with iron nerve, she managed to remove the musket from her thigh. The wound on her thigh, as a result, never healed correctly. -
"Robert Shurtliff"! A woman!
She was selected to go to Philadelphia to defend Congress from soldiers who were upset that they had not been paid at the war’s end. During this time (very unfortunate indeed) she grew sick and became unconscious from a head fever. The nurse thought Shurtliff was dead and went to get the doctor, Dr. Barnabus Binney. While Dr. Binny searched for a heartbeat, he felt the wraps under Shurtliff's chest and unwraped them and surprise! Dr. Binny found out that "Robert Shurtliff" is actually a woman -
Dr. Binny carries Sampson home.
Keeping "Robert Shurtliff" 's secret, Dr. Binny carried the unconcious soldier to his house and left her under the care of his wife and a nurse called Mrs. Parker, until Deborah gained consciousness. -
"Robert Shurtliff" is discharged with honor.
Somehow, other people found out that "Robert Shurtliff" was a woman, and soon, because of "his" heroic services, a Honorable Discharge was awarded to "Shurtliff". -
Benjamin Gannet and Deborah Sampson have children.
The couple had three children, Earl, Mary, and Patience Gannet, and adopted a fourth child, Susanna Baker Shepard, an orphan. -
Deborah Sampson marries Benjamin Gannet.
Deborah Sampson decided not to wear women's clothing again until when she met farmer Benjamin Gannet and fell in love with him. They soon engaged and married on April 7, 1785. -
Deborah Sampson's 34 Pounds
Deborah Sampson was awarded 34 pounds, which included her interest accumulated since her discharge in 1783. It was signed by govener of Massachusetts, John Hancock. -
Oh My God! What a Biography!
Herman Mann, an extremely imaginative and hack writer, wrote a far from factual biography of Deborah Sampson titled: " The Female Review; Or, Memoirs of An American Lady." . The book contains countless accounts of falsehood and innacuracies; Mann even accomplished to misspell her last name! -
Deborah Sampson dies
She died in her son's mansion, located in 300 East St., Sharon, Massachusetts
