Sybil Ludington: She Rode Further Than Paul Revere To Warn The British Were Coming!
Sybil Ludington (April 5, 1761 – February 26, 1839), daughter of Colonel Henry Ludington, was a heroine of the American Revolutionary War who, mounted on her horse, Star, became famous for her night ride on April 26, 1777 to alert American colonial forces to the approach of the British. Her action was similar to that performed by Paul Revere, although she rode more than twice the distance of Revere and was only 16 years old at the time of her action. She was an aunt of Harrison Ludington, a Governor of Wisconsin.
Ludington's ride started at 9 p.m. and ended around dawn.[6] She rode 40 miles, more than twice the distance of Paul Revere, into the damp hours of darkness. She rode through Carmel on to Mahopac, thence to Kent Cliffs, from there to Farmers Mills and back home. She used a stick to prod her horse and knock on doors. She managed to defend herself against a highwayman with a long stick. When, soaked with rain and exhausted, she returned home, most of the 400 soldiers were ready to march.
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Why this important figure in America's history has gotten so little recognition is unconscionable. Perhaps the fact that she being a 'she' in a historically male dominant society has much to do with it but I know so little about her so this is speculative at best. A better monument to surround this one needs constructing imho. It should fully detail her feat of patriotism.
(Oopsy utterly forgot about that and of course you are 100% correct)