struggles the pioneer fathers of our nation had in
their frontier life. To them we owe a debt of
gratitude not only for what we have and are, but
also for the deeds of heroism they have bequeathed
us as a part of our national heritage._

[Illustration: MOLLY PITCHER SALUTES WASHINGTON

(_See following page_)]

THE STORY OF MOLLY PITCHER

BY FRANK R. STOCKTON

The battle of Monmouth, N. J., was fought June 29,
1778. It was the first battle the Americans had
with the British after the terrible winter at
Valley Forge. It would have been a signal victory
for Washington's troops had General Charles Lee
obeyed Washington's orders. Notwithstanding Lee's
acts, the American troops held their ground till
nightfall, when the British quietly retreated.

At the battle of Monmouth, a young Irishwoman,
wife of an artilleryman, played a very notable part
in the working of the American cannon on that eventful
day in June.

Molly was born with the soul of a soldier, and although 5
she did not belong to the army she much preferred going
to war to staying at home and attending to domestic affairs.
She was in the habit of following her husband on his various
marches, and on the day of the Monmouth battle she was
with him on the field. 10

The day was very hot. The rays of the sun came down
with such force that many of the soldiers were taken sick
and some died; and the constant discharges of musketry
and artillery did not make the air any cooler. Molly devoted
herself to keeping her husband as comfortable as 15
possible, and she made frequent trips to a spring not far
away to bring him water; and on this account he was one
of the freshest and coolest artillerymen on the ground.
In fact, there was no man belonging to the battery who was
able to manage one of these great guns better than Pitcher. 20
Returning from one of her trips to the spring, Molly
had almost reached the place where her husband was
stationed when a bullet from the enemy struck the poor
man and stretched him dead, so that Molly had no sooner
caught sight of her husband than she saw him fall. She 5
ran to the gun, but scarcely had reached it before she heard
one of the officers order the c