Dawn Santos, age 13, of Barre, Vt., for her question:

WHO WAS MOLLY PITCHER?

Molly Pitcher was a heroine of the Battle of Monmouth in the Revolutionary War. Her real name was Mary Ludwig and she was born near Trenton, N.J. At an early age she moved to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and later married a young barber who lived in her village.

Like many other soldiers' wives, Molly joined her husband in camp when he enlisted as a gunner in the First Pennsylvania Artillery in 1775. Molly made herself useful in camp by cooking, washing and doing other work.

The Battle of Monmouth occurred on Sunday, June 28, 1778. It turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year. The great heat and the efforts and excitement of the battle made the soldiers very thirsty.

Molly had followed the troops to battle and she busied herself carrying water from a nearby spring in a pitcher to the thirsty soldiers. From this episode she got her nickname of Molly Pitcher.

Her husband fell from a heat stroke while firing his gun. Molly promptly took his place and fought the rest of the battle.

After the war, Molly and her husband returned to Carlisle. After her husband died, the Pennsylvania state legislature awarded Molly Pitcher a yearly pension of $40.