Historical Contextual Documents

This archival document shows that Paul Revere, a man in a powerful position, supported Sampson.

National Archival Document. “Paul Revere’s letter supporting Deborah Gannett's 1805 pension

application. Revere wrote toWilliam Eustis, then a congressman from Massachusetts, attesting to Mrs. Gannett's good character, poor health, and impoverished circumstances. (Courtesy of the Massachusetts Historical Society.)” Stickley, Julia Ward. “The Records of Deborah Sampson Gannett, Woman Soldier if the Revolution.” Prologue: The Journal of the National Archives. 4.4 (1972): 233-241. Print.

The following archival documents are important because her sworn statement presents an enlistment date which corresponds with the date given by Mann’s biography and the rewritten muster papers use a later enlistment date.


What does it mean that Sampson's enlistment date in Mann's inaccurate biography matches the date Sampson swears she enlisted on but this date is different from the one given in the official enlistment papers?

National Archival Document. “Sworn statement describing her military service under oath. Mrs. Gannett swore that she had enlisted in April 1781, had served in Massachusetts and New York, where she had been wounded at Tarrytown, and had been present at the ‘capture of Lord Cornwallis’ at Yorktown.” Stickley, Julia Ward.  “The Records of Deborah Sampson Gannett, Woman Soldier if the Revolution.” Prologue: The Journal of the National Archives.  4.4 (1972): 233-241. Print.

National Archival Document. “Copies of Deborah Gannett's muster certificate and bounty

receipt. These copies of Mrs. Gannett's original enlistment papers give her enlistment date erroneously as May 23, 1782, which would mean that she had not been at Yorktown in 1781 as she had sworn under oath. Captain Thorp's certificate had probably been copied hurriedly in 1791 for Mrs. Gannett's use, as suggested by the notation

explaining Shirtlief's true identity. (Courtesy of the Archives Division, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.) Stickley, Julia Ward. “The Records of Deborah Sampson Gannett, Woman Soldier if the Revolution.” Prologue: The Journal of the National Archives. 4.4 (1972): 233-241. Print.