Who was the first american woman soldier?

Question

Who was the first american woman soldier?

Answer 1

I would argue Deborah Sampson as the first woman to enlist., but not necessarily the first woman soldier, as she did so in 1778 (the same year as Molly Pitcher/Mary Hays' actions at the Battle of Monmouth).  In 1776, Margaret Corbin (who was not enlisted, but was a follower of her husband's camp), took up the same cannon that her husband was killed at and proceeded to fire on enemy soldiers until she herself was gravely (though not mortally) wounded and subsequently captured, and then released.

Since Corbin's wounds effectively left her with the use of one arm and some rather disfiguring facial wounds (she was injured in the jaw, shoulder, and chest), she could not support herself, and her husband was dead (which was almost exclusively the primary source of household income in Colonial America) she needed a source of income. After a few years of wrangling in the courts, she was granted a pension from Congress, making her the first woman to receive this. However, after this decision (in 1779) she was kept on the military's pay roster (qualifying her as a soldier) and she was not discharged until the war ended in 1783.

Answer 2

Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man to fight in the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War. There was another one I had heard of, but I can't remember the name and can't find it.

Edit: I can't believe I couldn't think of Molly Pitcher (answer below mine). I'm embarrassed. I'm not sure who was actually first, but Molly Pitcher is more famous.

Answer 3

Molly Pitcher took her husbands place when he was killed at the Battle of Monmouth.