America 250 Moments
Deborah Sampson
6/5/2026 | 1mVideo has Closed Captions
Disguised as a man, Sampson joined the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment during the Revolution.
This self-educated teacher disguised herself as a man and joined the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment during the American Revolution.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
America 250 Moments is a local public television program presented by APT
America 250 Moments
Deborah Sampson
6/5/2026 | 1mVideo has Closed Captions
This self-educated teacher disguised herself as a man and joined the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment during the American Revolution.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(lively music) [Narrator] The self-educated teacher disguised herself as a man and joined the 4th Massachusetts Regiment during the American Revolution.
Deborah Sampson was born in Plympton, Massachusetts and worked her way out of indentured servitude to become an educator and weaver.
In 1782, Sampson enlisted under the name Robert Shirtliff and joined a team of light infantry.
During her service, she scouted neutral territory, had one-on-one skirmishes with Tories, helped capture 15 men, and claimed to have dug trenches at the Battle of Yorktown.
From sword wounds to digging out a pistol ball from her left thigh, Sampson wasn't discovered till an epidemic forced her into hospital care.
She received an honorable discharge in 1783 and was one of the first women to receive a military pension for her service.
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America 250 Moments is a local public television program presented by APT