8. Like the ROSS legend, the MOLLY PITCHER story did not become popular until many decades after the war. But, the tail of a woman operating a cannon after her husband had fallen matches the real exploits of two women: MARY LUDWIG HAYS at the Battle of Monmouth and MARGARET CORBIN at the Battle of Fort Washington. Corbin was badly wounded and became the first woman to earn a US military pension.
9. SAMUEL ADAMS wasn't a very good brewer (he ran the family business into the ground), but he was a first-class revolutionary. One of the first colonists pushing for independence, he wrote hundreds of letters to newspapers promoting the cause. To make the "cause" look stronger, he signed his letters with many different names to make it seem he had more supporters (but also likely to evade British efforts to catch him).
10. Probably the best military commander on the American side was none other than old BENEDICT ARNOLD. His attacks in upstate New York and Canada protected New England early in the war (and that area had the most Patriots committed to independence) and, if for nothing else, the shocking American victory at Saratoga which turned the tide of the war after France decided to come to our aid. At it, he suffered a horrible leg wound. "OK, so Arnold later committed treason. Nobody's perfect."
Again, Messrs. Jacob and Benzkofer, Great Job. Looking Forward to Your Next Effort. --Cooter
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