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Book, "The Female Review: Life of Deborah Sampson the Female Soldier in the War of the Revolution," opened to show its title page

A Closer Look with Trish Norman

This book is called The Female Review. It was written by Herman Mann. It was published in 1797. And it was billed as the true account of Deborah Sampson's life. Mann was hoping that it would ignite his career, and Deborah was hoping that it would help her with her petition in 1797 to Congress for back pay due to her for her service. She became the first woman to actually be awarded a full military pension.So Deborah Sampson was born in 1760, in Plympton, Massachusetts. She was a descendant of those who came over and landed in Plymouth. And she was unfortunately born into poverty. She was essentially sent into foster care. But that foster care also included work, so she would serve families in the community in order to be fed and housed.In 1782, George Washington had posted last call for enlistment. It was the last final push to win the War of the American Revolution. And this amount of money was more than Deborah Sampson had ever seen in her life before. But the only problem was that she was a woman, and only men can serve in the military. And so she decided that she was going to disguise herself as a man. Deborah Sampson served from 1782 to 1783 for a total of 17 months.So Deborah Sampson was injured twice. Once, purportedly in the shoulder. She was hit by a musket ball. Most people would have gone to the surgeon, the military surgeon, to have that ball removed and their wound tended to. But she was so fearful of being discovered that she tended to the wound herself, and actually left the musket ball in place.And then, when she was finally taken ill in 1783 and moved to a Philadelphia hospital, that's when her gender was discovered by the local Philadelphia doctor, who was treating her at the time. And the doctor didn't want to cause a scene and so, he secretly wrote a letter to Deborah's commanders, told them what he had discovered. Due to her impeccable service and all of the things that she did in the 17 months that she had served, her commanding officers honorably discharged her in October of 1783.

Printed black and white portrait of Deborah Sampson surrounded by military and patriotic symbols

Book, The Female Review, open to show two pages of text

Closed volume of "The Female Review," that is bound with leather and fabric and that shows wear and tear

This book, The Female Review, shares the story of Deborah Sampson who dressed in men’s clothing and enlisted in the Continental Army. She served from May 1782 until October 1783, when an injury revealed her biological identity. After being honorably discharged, Sampson spent many years fighting to get backpay and a pension for her service. Hoping to increase the chances of being granted a pension, Sampson worked with editor Herman Mann to publish The Female Review in 1797. While the book helped Sampson get her pension, Mann dramatically overemphasized and often completely fabricated Sampson’s wartime story. The popular book created a level of mystery around Sampson’s real wartime experiences.

This book shares the story of Deborah Sampson who dressed in men’s clothing and enlisted in the Continental Army, serving from May 1782 to October 1783.

The Female Review

War and Independence

Visitors of the Museum of the American Revolution in the Liberty Tree gallery which features a Liberty Tree

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Pride and Protest

Inside the Declaration of Independence gallery featuring a copy of the Declaration of Independence

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A high up view of the War at Sea gallery in the Museum of the American Revolution featuring a sloop

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A New Nation

Inside of the Revolutionary Generation gallery in the Museum of the American Revolution featuring photographs of the revolutionary generation

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Timeline of the American Revolution

The Female Review

Details

A Closer Look with Trish Norman