During its March meeting, Chapter members heard the presentation of Patrick Henry's speech "Give me liberty or give me death" given by Sophie Nash who is in the 5th grade at the Geneva Academy of West Monroe. After the presentation, Ms. Nash drew the name of Wynn Lawrence, who was lucky ticket holder for the $2 bill printed in 1777 by the newly formed United States of America. Ticket holders had donated to help James Huey Chapter raise a total of $525 to help with the costs of the Louisiana Society host the 2027 SAR National Congress being held in New Orleans.
Chapter members also heard Ted Brode present Molly Pitcher is a nickname given to a woman who fought in the Revolutionary War. She is most often identified as Mary Ludwig Hays, who fought in the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778. Another possibility is Margaret Corbin, who helped defend Fort Washington in New York in November 1776.
The deeds in the story of Molly Pitcher are generally attributed to Mary Ludwig Hays, who was married to William Hays, an artilleryman in the Continental Army. She joined him at the Army's winter camp at Valley Forge in 1777, and was present at the Battle of Monmouth, where she served as a water-carrier. Her husband fell and she took his place swabbing and loading the cannon, and was later commended by George Washington.
The story of Margaret Corbin bears similarities to the story of Mary Hays. Margaret Corbin was the wife of John Corbin of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, also an artilleryman in the Continental Army.
On November 16, 1776, John Corbin was one of 2,800 American soldiers who defended Fort Washington in northern Manhattan from 9,000 attacking Hessian troops under British command. Corbin was killed and Margaret took his place at the cannon. She continued to fire it until she was seriously wounded in the arm. In 1779, Margaret Corbin was awarded an annual pension of $50 by the state of Pennsylvania for her heroism in battle. She was the first woman in the United States to receive a military pension. Her nickname was "Captain Molly".