About This Place
A monument within Monmouth Battlefield State Park commemorating the contributions of Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley and other women who served during the Battle of Monmouth. The monument stands near the artillery positions where Hays reportedly took her husband's place at a cannon.
Revolutionary Significance
The Molly Pitcher Monument was erected to honor the women who supported the Continental Army at Monmouth. The monument's location near the American artillery positions reflects the traditional account of Mary Hays carrying water to the gun crews and taking her husband's place when he was incapacitated by the heat. The monument serves as a focal point for discussions about women's roles in the Revolution — not only the exceptional acts of individuals like Hays and Margaret Corbin, but the broader contributions of the camp follower community that cooked, laundered, nursed, and maintained the army's daily operations. The monument is a stop on the park's interpretive trail.
Location
Within Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Manalapan, NJ 07726
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Events at This Location
1778
Franco-American Alliance AnnouncedMarquis de Lafayette
1778
Valley Forge Training Tested at MonmouthFriedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton
1778
British March from Philadelphia to New YorkSir Henry Clinton, Charles Cornwallis
1778
New Jersey Militia Harasses British MarchSir Henry Clinton
1778
Continental Army Departs Valley ForgeSir Henry Clinton, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
1778
War Council at HopewellGeorge Washington, Charles Lee, Anthony Wayne
1778
Lee Demands Advance CommandCharles Lee, Marquis de Lafayette, George Washington
1778
1778
Battle of MonmouthGeorge Washington, Charles Lee, Sir Henry Clinton
1778
Molly Pitcher at the CannonMary Ludwig Hays (Molly Pitcher)
1778
Washington Confronts Lee on the BattlefieldGeorge Washington, Charles Lee, Marquis de Lafayette
1778
Heat Casualties at MonmouthMary Ludwig Hays (Molly Pitcher)
1778
Lee's Retreat at MonmouthMarquis de Lafayette, Charles Lee, Anthony Wayne
1778
Artillery Duel at MonmouthGeorge Washington, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
1778
British Grenadier Attacks RepulsedCharles Cornwallis, Anthony Wayne, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
1778
Hamilton's Horse Shot at MonmouthAlexander Hamilton, George Washington
1778
Washington Reforms the American LineGeorge Washington, Anthony Wayne, Alexander Hamilton
1778
British Night Withdrawal After MonmouthSir Henry Clinton, Charles Cornwallis
1778
Court-Martial of Charles LeeCharles Lee, George Washington, Anthony Wayne
1779
Steuben's Blue Book PublishedFriedrich Wilhelm von Steuben