Patriots

Patrick Henry, orator & Founding Father gave the speech that convinced the Virginia House to commit troops to the Revolution. It ended with, "Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains or slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

Silversmith, engraver & member of the "Sons of Liberty", Paul Revere helped organize the intelligence network & alarm system set in place to observe British activity in the early days before the war. On April 18, 1775 Revere & fellow patriot William Dawes set out on the ride made famous in a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to warn the citizens of Middlesex County that the British were on their way to Lexington. Revere did not shout, "The British are coming!" as most believe. His mission required utmost secrecy. Instead he would knock on doors & announce, "The Regulars are coming out!"

Nathan Hale ~ Martyr of the American Revolution, hanged as a spy at the age of 21 in the city of New York on September 22, 1776. When asked to make his dying speech & confession he said, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

The story of Molly Pitcher has been told & retold so many times that some historians doubt that she was an actual person at all. Rather, she was a representation of all the women "camp followers" who assisted on the battlefield, most notably, bringing water to thirsty soldiers, hence the name "Pitcher". One actual person believed to be the source of the moniker was Mary Ludwig Hayes, wife of colonial soldier William Hayes. Mary followed her husband to Valley Forge assisting the troops with laundry, first aid, etc. When the army left Valley Forge, Mary followed. During the battle of Monmouth, William collapsed & Mary continued to swab & load her husband's cannon. A British cannonball flew between her legs to which Mary said, "Well, that could have been worse." Whether Molly Pitcher was an actual person or not, she serves as a necessary reminder of all the women who scrificed for their country both on & off the battlefield.

James Armistead was an African American slave who volunteered to fight in the American Revolution. He was assigned to serve with Lafayette who appointed him as a spy to infiltrate the camp of Benedict Arnold who by then had already defected to the British. Posing as a runaway slave, Armistead was so effective that he was given access to both Arnold & Corwallis, convincing them of his willingness to spy on the Americans. Under this arrangement, Armistead was able to move freely between British & American camps. The intelligence he obtained was vital to the American victory at Yorktown.