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17-Year-Old Bride Becomes War Hero, First Woman Killed
12 Nov
Summary
- Jemima Warner followed her husband into the Revolutionary War.
- She carried his rifle and delivered a surrender message to Quebec.
- Jemima died from British grapeshot, becoming an early female casualty.
In the fall of 1775, 17-year-old Jemima Warner joined her husband, James, a Continental Army rifleman, on Benedict Arnold's challenging march through the Maine wilderness toward Quebec. As a camp follower, Jemima was part of a small group of women accompanying the troops. The grueling 350-mile journey was fraught with starvation, harsh elements, and exhaustion.
When James Warner became too weak to continue, Jemima urged him forward, eventually leaving him with her provisions and taking up his rifle. Reaching Quebec, she was unexpectedly tasked with delivering a surrender message to the British commander. She bravely crossed no-man's-land to deliver the missive.
Tragically, Jemima Warner's courage led her to the front lines. On December 11, 1775, she was killed by British grapeshot during the siege of Quebec. Her death marked her as one of the first documented American women to die in combat during the Revolutionary War.
