Show american heroines by LOUISE M COMSTOCK captain molly corbin corban ARIOUS are the ways by which V VARIOUS women have served their country during daring times of 0 war but one who actually shed her blood on the field of 0 battle was wag margaret corbin the captain mollie whose remains were recently moved from the J P morgan estate at highland falls and re burled buried with military pomp in a spot ot of honor at west point margaret corbin was undoubtedly the first woman so to distinguish hei herself on an american battlefield during november ot of 1776 colonel robert bober magaw with 2000 revolt revolutionary t lona ry troops troop was defending fort washington against the onslaught of the combined british forces under general flowe by november 10 the greater portion of the american stronghold had been taken only the northern outpost remained that section called fort tyron a few fragmentary ruins of which may still be seen at one hundred and ninety fifth street in new york city against this the british sent their hessian mercenaries commanded by knyphausen british batteries from an opposite hill opened fire digging into the earthworms earthworks earth works about the fort and protecting the hessian essian II soldiers as they streamed up the hill to the attack manning one of the two cannon with which fort tyron answered this attack was a young virginian john corbin and beside him stood his wife margaret who had followed him to war and shared share with him its perils for three hours she stood there helping him watching comrades sink to death about them find and the hessians creep closer and closer then suddenly john corbin fell with a bullet through his breast ills gun was silent cut but only for a minute for there soon appeared on the ramparts a strange figure a stalwart young woman in homespun riot not margaret corbin now but captain mollie corbin leaning over her dead husband to load bis big cannon and return the en fire weary minutes later she also was wounded the cannon was silent once more and fort tyron was taken the british carried the wounded woman across the hudson under a flag of truce gave her hospital treatment and released her under the stipulation that she should not again take up arms for america in the war when the war was over she was pensioned on a soldiers half pay and the value of a suit of clothes a year and until her death at the age of forty nine she was supported by the military establishment in a private home near west point lydia darrah by faith lydia A darrah nevertheless put her count rys cause above her love of pence peace in december of 1777 the city of philadelphia was in the hands of the british and general howe occupied headquarters on second street directly across from the neat white home of william and lydia darrah Dar rali ers both and persons of sonic some prominence in the city one night a british officer ascended the front steps of the darrah house lioi iso gained admittance and informed its flustered 0 owners biers that tile the general chose to hot hold a secret council somewhat later inter in one of their back ch chambers ambers the family was given careful instructions they wore were to retire at an early hour the mistress of the house it was promised bould he be in formed when flip lie conference was over so that she might put out the alie lights find and lock the doors for the night the Par barralis ralis retired according to i instructions the british officers nr riven rived made their way to the designated chamber and locked the door the council was on then rose lydia and with heating beating heart hut but brave de termination made her way barefooted to the door of the meeting room with her ear to the keyhole she learned that the british were planning for the morrow a surprise attack lick on ell wash ing tons unsuspecting troops at white marsh with this information site she retired and when iben the council was over could be ash awakened ened only by repeated knocks at her door find finally answered in a very sleepy voice indeed early the next morning mistress darrah must it have ave a pass frown from C oen n eral cral howe so that she might ride thrones the british b lines wind go to frankfort for flour tills this gained she hastened very conspicuously laden with an empty flour sack to frankfort here however she discarded her stick sack ond and hastened onward until slip met an outpost of the patriot army and gave warning barning of the impending fit attach tack then slie site returned to frank fort had bad her flour swick sack filled rind and made her way home the british attack at white marsh was it a failure general blowes allima were at a 8 loss to know how general washington had learned their careful nit and secret plans in to he so BO well prep prepared wired against their coming in vain they questioned other meni hera or of the harrill Har ho household only lydia adla their suspicions we know inov you were ivere asleep they lold fold her we hall had to kivela three times before we could even awaken you 0 1132 Vf atra newspaper aico |