PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Deborah Sampson wanted to fight the British for American independence—but there was a problem. Only men were allowed to be soldiers. Her solution?Trousers, a jacket, and a haircut. She dressed up as a man and called herself Robert Shurtleff.
No one looked twice when Sampson joined the Continental Army in 1782. She became part of the elite Light Infantry Troops and was sent to New York to scout the area. Sampson and her fellow troops took on the dangerous task of tracking down and capturing colonists who were still loyal to the British.
After a year and a half of secrecy, Sampson got sick, passed out, and was rushed to a hospital. The doctors found out she was a woman. She had to leave the army, but later, the new American government officially stated it saw “no other similar example of female heroism, fidelity and courage” in the Revolution.
Born to free Black parents, William Flora fought for the American Revolution by joining Virginia’s local militia. Although little is known about his early life, he would make his mark on history at the Battle of Great Bridge.
On December 9, 1775, British troops moved to cross a bridge in Great Bridge, Virginia. They planned to surprise the Continental Army on the other side, but William Flora saw them. He bravely held his
musket in the air and fired eight shots to alert the Continental Army.
While other soldiers guarding the bridge sprinted to safety, Flora remained. He was the last to cross the bridge, and one account even states he helped pull up loose wooden boards on the bridge to prevent the British from crossing. His continued fire bought the Continental Army time to organize its defense and eventually win the day.