Her name was Deborah Gannett. On May 21, 1782, she disguised herself as a man and enlisted in the Continental army as a soldier under the name Robert Shurtleff.
She was a very good soldier, fought in many battles, and was wounded twice. When a British musket ball was buried in her leg, an officer told her to lie still until the doctor could get to her.
She was so afraid that the doctor would see she was a woman, that she took her knife and removed the musket ball herself. Before the doctor could find her, she went back to the battle.
She fought with her regiment for sixteen months until she came down with a fever.It was then the doctors discovered that “Robert Shurtleff’ was really a young woman.
After she recovered from her illness, she was sent home with many honors for being such a fine soldier.
