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Women's History Month 2021 - Elizabeth Martin

Started by Mrs. Smith, April 01, 2021, 11:15:17 AM

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Mrs. Smith

Project Appleseed welcomes you to the final installment of our Revolutionary War Heroines series for 2021.  This story runs a bit long, but it's truly worth every word.

Nowhere in the history of the Revolution do we find greater piety and heroism displayed than in the life of Elizabeth Martin. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Marshall, and she was a native of Carolina County, Virginia.  After her marriage to Abram Martin she moved to his settlement bordering on the Indian nation, in what was called District "Ninety-six," in South Carolina. The country at that time was sparsely settled, most of its inhabitants being pioneers from other states. Their proximity to the Indians had caused the adoption of some of the latter's savage habits, and for a time life was very crude indeed. Yet this district was among the foremost in sending to the Revolutionary field its hearty and enterprising troops to oppose the British.

Elizabeth had 9 children, 7 of whom were sons old enough to bear arms.  When the call for volunteers sounded through the land, the mother said "Go boys, fight for your country! Fight till death, if you must, but never let your country be dishonored.  Were I a man I would go with you." 

Another time when several British officers stopped at her house for refreshment, one of them asked how many sons she had.  She answered eight, and to the question where they all were, replied promptly, "7 of them are engaged in the service of their country."  "Really, Madam," observed the officer, sneeringly, "you have enough of them."  "no sir", said Elizabeth proudly, "I wish I had fifty." 

Her oldest son, William M Martin, was a captain of artillery, having served with distinction in the sieges of Savannah and Charleston, was killed at the siege of Augusta.  Not long after his death, a British officer passing by, rode out of his way to gratify his hatred to the Whigs by carrying the fatal news to Mrs. Martin.  He called at the housed and asked Mrs. Martin if she had not a son in the army at Augusta.  She replied in the affirmative.  "Then I saw his brains blown out on the field of battle, "said the officer, who anticipated his triumph in the sight of a parent's agony.  As terrible as the shock was to her and as aggravated as the ruthless cruelty in which the news was delivered to her, she showed no weakness and replied "he could not have died in a nobler cause!"

A parent has no greater treasure on earth than their children, but the cause of Liberty was worthy of a great many of this fledgling nation's most precious gifts. The men, women, and children whose lives were sacrificed in that cause deserve to be remembered and honored.  We owe them that, and more.

Source: The Part Taken by Women in American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.
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