This text was obtained via automated optical character recognition.
It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.

---

Bicentennial News
By Joe Pilet
' Jr -r
. / v
Colonel Nellie H. Hill}. Chief of the Array Nurse Corps Career Activities Office, writes "some women actually served as soldiers during that period (Revolutionary War) of strife.
In explaining the historical role of women in the war, Colonel Hill said sometimes soldier's wives took up the soldier's duties in the midst of battle. Molly Corbin is v an example of one who manned cannons during a battle in 1776, continuing to fight until she was seriously wbunded. ^
Deborah Gannett posed as a man and enrolled in the army under the name of Robert Shurtleff. She was wounded twice in. battling the Tories and was given an honorable' discharge after serving with her company at Port Tioonderoga in action against Indians.
Army records show many women served in obscure positions with the Army, and Col. Hill said: "There were also women who had salaried positions with the Continental Army." General George Washington requested funds to employ army nurses in a ratio of one nurse to each ten patients. > Cn July 27, 1775 the
Continental Congress not only authorized medical support but ^
t
added matrons to supervise. Duties included oaring for the sick, food preparation and domestic duties. Women employees of the army received :$2.00, per month. The salary was later increased ton April 7, 1777 to $8.00 per month.for nurses and $15 per month for matrons.