Violent But True Bed Time Stories: Margaret Corbin

In this episode, we examine our first leading female., Margaret Corbin. Margaret (Cochran) Corbin was only a girl when an Indian raid killed her father and saw her mother to captivity. This was how her life started.

After the Indian raid that she had seen when she was younger, it was hard to imagine her life getting more difficult. The outbreak of the Revolutionary War would ensure that it did get more difficult, however, Margaret Corbin was now prepared for the shit life threw at her. When her husband, John Corbin left for the war, Margaret followed in his footsteps. She worked as a camp follower, earning money doing laundry or being a courier (there were all sorts of jobs to make an extra dime). One day in November 1776, she put on a soldiers uniform because she wanted to "get some" too. Her husband apparently had no problem with it, as she helped him load his cannon (would you tell her no).

The Battle of Fort Washington saw over 4,000 Hessian troops face off against the revolutionaries. That'd be one helluva time to start fighting (Hessians were professional soldiers). Margaret saw her husband John shot and killed right in front of her. That pissed her right off. She jumped into action furiously firing the cannon and re-loading it as fast as she could. She gave those Hessians hell, even after being shot in the arm, chest, and jaw, Margaret Corbin remained at her post, firing until she was taken prisoner.

She was eventually returned to the revolutionary hospital and recovered from her wounds. Margaret Corbin would go on to receive a lifetime pension from the Continental Congress, although it would be for only half of what the men received. Ain't that some bullshit. Her body was eventually laid to rest at West Point with full military honors.