I swerved from the accustomed flowery path of female delicacy. — Deborah (image via Library of Congress) In 1782, at the height of America's Revolutionary War, 22-year-old Deborah Sampson ran away from home. She bound her breasts, cut her hair and disguised herself as Robert Shurtleff. As "Robert," she joined the Army's fight for American independence. After one skirmish, she even cut a musket ball from her own leg to avoid being discovered by the army doctors and removed from combat.
A Woman to Know: Deborah Sampson
A Woman to Know: Deborah Sampson
A Woman to Know: Deborah Sampson
I swerved from the accustomed flowery path of female delicacy. — Deborah (image via Library of Congress) In 1782, at the height of America's Revolutionary War, 22-year-old Deborah Sampson ran away from home. She bound her breasts, cut her hair and disguised herself as Robert Shurtleff. As "Robert," she joined the Army's fight for American independence. After one skirmish, she even cut a musket ball from her own leg to avoid being discovered by the army doctors and removed from combat.