16. Deborah Sampson, Soldier (1760-1827)
At the age of 21, Sampson dressed in men�s clothing and enlisted to fight in the American
Revolutionary War under the name of her deceased brother. Things went remarkably smoothly until she was wounded in battle: Sampson
was so scared of being found out that she instructed her fellow soldiers to leave her on the field to die, but they refused. She escaped
from the hospital, and removed a bullet from her own thigh. Another hospitalization in 1783 finally revealed her secret, and Sampson
was given an honorary discharge. Although she later married and had children, Sampson did several speaking tours wearing her old military
uniform. She was the first known American to pass as a male in war, but definitely not the last. Up to 400 women are thought to have
fought in the Civil War while dressed as men.
