(bright music) - You may have heard of the expression, two heads are better than one.

During the Revolutionary War, two sister-in-laws discovered that by working together, they could defeat the British Army.

No one was more surprised about their victory than the two sister-in-laws themselves.

- Really, it was the only solution we could come up with.

We were alone on South Carolina's frontier, two women on a farm in the middle of the wilderness.

Our husbands, who were brothers, both away fighting against the British, if only we had been men instead of women.

- If only.

Oh, my sister-in-law and I said that at least a thousand times.

If only.

That's why my plan was so ingenious.

No one would suspect us, or at least we hoped not.

But we knew that even the best laid plans often go sour, and ours hadn't been well laid, but it had been thought of on the spur of the moment.

Oh, good, sister dear.

Now we can flavor our tea.

More tea, sir.

We flavor it with our very own mint from our very own garden.

- I feel I may never leave.

Your kindness will be mentioned to the British commander.

- Oh, sir.

It is our pleasure to serve such an important guest as yourself.

Oh, it's seldom that we have any visitors out here and oh, to think that you would come to our very door this very day.

Oh, sir, it is truly our pleasure.

- Well, I would have never - Suspected - Two women, so kind, so gracious, insisting that I eat and drink.

Oh, there were questions.

- And now, tell us, you must be a very brave man to travel all by yourself.

Now, what direction did you say you were going?

- Yes, there were questions.

Many questions.

But I though these questions were due only to women being curious creatures.

What man would not have thought that?

Had they been men, I would have instantly been on my guard.

But women?

Unheard of.

Well, I am well armed, and if I must say so, I am an expert in that field, so I fear not.

- You, sir, are one to be admired.

Oh, this courier was quick of time.

He was more than happy to tell us how brave he was.

- Well, I must admit I was chosen for my bravery, though I remain modest about it.

- Sir, do you not fear the rebels?

- Those farmers?

(laughing) Not soldiers, but ragtails who hide behind bushes like scared rabbits.

- Please, sir.

Tell us more.

It's rare that we get to meet such a distinguished gentleman as yourself.

- Gentleman, huh, more like a tavern rat.

Why, his fingernails were even dirty.

Yet, he bragged as if he were the king himself.

- This pouch carries victory or defeat.

It contains vital information that must be delivered to the British general.

That is why I was selected.

Few are trusted, but even fewer are asked to perform such a task.

- We couldn't stop him.

We quickly found out that this king's courier was on an important mission with an important paper for an important general about an important battle.

This courier thought he was very important, and he had no fear in telling us just how important he and his task were.

- They seemed so interested, and since they gave me food and drink, I thought it only polite to give them a taste of my adventure.

After all, living on the South Carolina frontier was dull.

Who do they see all day?

Each other, farmers, livestock?

Yes.

They were thrilled to be talking with a man such as myself.

- Perhaps my tongue was a little loose.

Maybe I did speak a little more freely than usual, but then I thought I had nothing to fear from these simple frontier women whose duty it was to prepare a meal for the king's courier.

After all, they were women.

Who would suspect them?

Highly impressed, granted, but of limited intelligence and understanding.

But then again, that's the way women are.

And now my dear ladies, I must excuse myself.

- Let's take an apple for the road.

- Here, here.

Let me place it in your pouch for you.

Here you are, sir.

- I must be there for a nightfall.

- [Grace] Perhaps we could fix you a little sustenance for the road.

- Please, you've done enough.

Thank you.

- Oh, sir, are you sure that you want to continue going east?

Why, of course.

Oh, of course you are.

I don't have a very good head for direction.

It's just that, well, my husband always goes across the pasture, then down the lane, and then across the bridge.

Oh, he says it saves him miles over that dirt road where dust flies up with every step.

- Oh, yes.

Yes, I was thinking of going that way.

Where did you say your husbands were again?

- In town.

They'll be so sorry they missed you.

Why, you might even meet them on your way back.

If you do, please tell them to hurry.

I fear their dinner will be cold before they return.

- I will.

Good day, madams.

- Why did you send him that way?

It will add miles.

- To give us time.

- Time for what?

- If those papers reach the British camp.

- Oh, I know.

It grieves my heart.

Those papers may secure a victory against the rebels and our husbands.

I worry about their safety or even more.

But what can we do?

We're only women.

We can't overpower him.

We're helpless when it comes to strength.

- Not helpless, sister-in-law, dear.

For we can be cunning.

When the fox comes near the coop, we shoot it.

- But the British are not foxes.

Shooting a man is much different from shooting a fox.

Why you even cringe at wringing the neck of a chicken for Sunday dinner.

- You miss my point.

- Then tell me.

You speak in riddles.

- One would think that the fox would have no defense against a gun.

And yet, dear Grace, how often have we seen a fox snatch again right from under our very eyes, even when we had a gun to kill it?

- Granted, the fox is cunning.

- And daring.

He can hide and risk, and it is only at the last moment that his victim understands how truly dangerous the fox really is.

We too can be dangerous, just like the fox.

And like the fox uses his beauty to hide his killer instinct, we can hide who we truly are by dressing in men's clothing.

- Have you lost your senses?

We dare not.

It would be scandalous.

- You're wrong.

We do dare.

To save our husbands, we do dare.

- As a child, I grew near a fox thinking it was a dog, but then it barred its teeth.

- The gun shall be our teeth.

- You seem so sure.

- I am sure that if we get our hands on that information, we can help our husbands.

Oh, you heard that braggert.

The British need that information.

Even he doesn't know what they say, only that the papers are important.

If we can get our hands on those papers, perhaps the British will face defeat.

Oh, Grace, we can do this.

It's really a simple plan.

We waylay the courier.

- We would have time.

The way he's going, we could get to the bridge before him.

- It would be very easy to meet him there, dressed as men.

- Rachel, I do dare.

- So do I.

- And we too shall be like a fox defeating a more powerful foe.

- Then it is settled.

- It is settled.

(upbeat patriotic music) (water gurgling) - Stop.

Do not turn around.

- Do you know who I am?

- Do not give us reason to shoot.

Now, hand us your papers and be quick about it, or else we will be forced to show you what good shots we are.

- Papers.

What papers?

- The papers you carry.

Be quick.

- Be warned.

I am traveling for the king.

- And you be warned.

We have nothing but contempt for your King George.

- You will pay dearly for this disloyalty.

Well, this is nothing less than treason.

- Treason, but how can this be treason?

No, it is not treason.

What we are doing is helping the cause of freedom, which we so richly deserve.

- I assure you that your freedom will soon turn into captivity and death from hanging will soon follow.

- Death is your choice.

- Now, you start walking and don't look back.

Else it will be the last look you ever take.

- I fear he peeked.

- We must be gone.

Come on.

Had his eyes rested on us, though the day was hot, I felt a cold chill of fear.

- We scurried home as quickly as we could, and once home, we could still feel the hammering of anticipation and fear from our actions.

Well, our husband's clothes are all put back in their proper place.

No one will ever know what we wore.

How scandalous.

- Almost everything is put away.

You know, Grace?

I almost hated to take his clothes off.

- Rachel.

- Well, it's true.

Now I know what freedom men have.

No long skirts to hamper their movements.

- Or petticoats twisting around their ankles.

Our husbands would have been shocked to see us in their clothes.

- That's true.

But you know, it was such a wonderful sense of freedom.

The hour is late.

Who goes there?

- Madam, you know me.

I am the courier who visited earlier.

I need to enter.

- Grace be to God, we've been discovered.

He did recognize us when he peeked.

Sir, the hour is late.

- It's almost evening.

- It is never too late for the king's business.

I must insist.

- One moment, sir.

We're not dressed.

- Do not hesitate to obey my order.

Open the door.

- Pray, come in, sir.

- Are your husbands at home?

- Oh, I'm afraid they've been waylaid.

My uncle lives near town.

Perhaps they stopped at the tavern after they finished their business.

If that's so, it will be very late before they're home, possibly even after dark.

- Is this not your husband's hat?

- Oh, of course.

I was cleaning, shaking the dust from his things.

Oh, the dirt will find us even though the door is shut.

And frankly, sir, I was so afraid of your tale of the rebels that just touching his hat made him seem closer to me.

Oh, how silly I am.

- A woman often displays silliness, acting foolish instead of wisely.

Today I have encountered foolishness, though the road to treason can only lead to death.

- Treason.

Speak plainly, sir.

I beg you ,for the words treason and death alarm us.

- Then alarm you, I must.

Well, treason is why I am here today.

Today, there was treason against the king.

- Sir, I fear your words.

- Treason is dangerous, is it not?

For any who travel that road can only die, man or woman.

It does not matter.

The end will be the same.

The hangman's knot.

- Sir.

- After I left here, I was accosted on the road by the bridge.

(sisters exclaiming) I forget what dainty constitutions women have.

Yet I would think the accusation of treason would frighten even the bravest of men.

- What will happen?

- I will not be a defeated man.

That's why I've come back.

- Pray sir.

Whom do you accuse?

- Please don't leave us in suspense.

- Do you know who?

- Yes.

I will never forget the faces.

- Then you do know who committed treason against the king?

- I will recognize these treasonous rebels should our paths ever cross again.

- Then these robbers.

- Loyalists, I assure you.

Two men, crueler faces I've never seen before, but then again, men who threaten to kill are cruel, are they not?

- Then we're safe.

- Safe?

- She means- - Do not explain.

I know how scared a woman can be without a man to protect her, and here you two are alone.

But madam, do not fear.

They only wanted the papers, and I know why.

Spies informed them of my journey.

For they did not ask for my coins, only the papers.

Shortly after I left here, there they were on the road, waiting.

Yes.

Spies informed them.

- Spies?

- No one can be trusted.

Even the innocents may not be innocent.

- Surely you don't suspect that we had- - I tell you this.

Spies hang as highly as the robbers themselves.

There's no difference in what crimes they committed.

Both committed treason against the king, and treason means death by hanging.

- Sir, what are you saying?

Who do you claim as spies?

- Not many knew I was traveling.

Even fewer knew what I was carrying.

- Sir, I still do not understand.

As a gentleman, please tell us why you are here.

- Praise, sir, do tell us.

Surely you cannot expect to find the robbers here in our home.

We do not harbor spies.

We are but helpless women.

- You fed me, offered me food and drink.

You treated me as if I were the king himself.

Indeed, madams, I have no fear from you.

But I tell you, dear ladies, that I am sure that these men must have been planted in the British army or farmers watching my journey, so now I must journey back and report that my mission has failed.

I fear I'm ruined.

- But surely there will be understanding, you said yourself that the rebels are watching the road.

- Success was expected, not failure.

Still, it is not my fault, is it?

I kept silent about the mission.

A tongue that wagged was not mine.

Now, madams, it is my regret that I must ask for a horse.

I know that you have few, and this one may not be returned for the camp is many miles away, but still, it is the king's business, and your loyalty is to the king.

- Oh, of course.

But before you go, you must have something to eat.

Grace, why don't you get him some of our homemade bread and jam.

Here, sit down.

We'll bring you something to eat and drink.

There's nothing that you need to do right away that can't be done a little later.

We'll even refill this for you.

There, Grace.

Now, tell us all about the British camp and the general.

I'm sure you must know many tales, an important gentleman like yourself.

- The courier departed, never knowing that his hosts were also his thieves.

There's a saying, "It's a man's world, and in the 1700s, it was indeed a man's world.

For men ruled while women were expected to stay at home and care for the house and the children.

However, two women dared to be different.

They risked their own lives so that others would live, and in doing so, they proved that women were equal to men.

Grace and Rachel Martin, two of South Carolina's bravest.

- South Carolina women have played an important role throughout history.

I'm Idella Bodie.

I hope you enjoyed the story you just saw of a South Carolina heroine.

If you'd like to find out more about the heroines of South Carolina, you can read "South Carolina Women".

♪ Call on the ♪ children of the hill ♪ ♪ Wake swamp and river ♪ ♪ Coast and ril ♪ ♪ Rouse all thy strength ♪ ♪ And all thy skill ♪ ♪ Carolina ♪ ♪ Carolina ♪ (dramatic music)