A Fighting Lady
①Deborah Sampson was born in 1760. There were many children in her family and they were poor. When Deborah was just a young girl, her father left and went off to sea. Being in poor health, her mother could not care for her children. So she sent them to live with different relatives, hoping these people would take care of her children.
②Young Deborah, less than seven years old, had to work for a farmer. On the farm, she learned to ride and hunt. She did housework as well. Life was difficult, but Deborah worked hard and grew strong. The farmer had ten sons, and Deborah helped to take care of them. In the evening, she had the boys talk about their lessons with her. By this she learned what they learned. She also borrowed their school books to read every night. When she was 18, Deborah became a teacher.
③Soon after she started her new career, the American Revolution began. She wanted to fight for her country, but women could not be soldiers at that time. Deborah had a plan. She was tall for a woman of that time. She made herself a man’s suit and secretly practiced walking and talking like a man. Finally, she joined the army using the name Robert.
④“Robert” was a brave soldier. He fought with courage in every battle, and other soldiers respected him. They never suspected that their fellow soldier was a woman. Once he caught a fever and had to go to the hospital. There a doctor found out that Robert was actually a woman. Deborah then had to leave the army,but she was not punished. Some people say she even met General George Washington before she left.
⑤Later, Deborah married a farmer and had three children. She taught in school and gave lectures about her time in the army till retirement. Deborah died at the age of 66. She was a true American hero.