Sally St. Claire, Soldier and Trailblazer

Sally St. Claire by Micaela


Sally St. Claire is a woman who fought strongly in the Revolutionary War and
died a loyal death.

Not much is known about the childhood of St. Claire, the only things known are
about her adulthood and how she wound up in the war. Some women did this because they loved
their husbands and others did it to protect their country, or to prove that they can and will fight in
wars. St. Claire was very confident of herself, proving her confidence by joining the war which
was illegal back then. Also, she was very good at keeping secrets because no one knew that she
was a women until her death.

The war was very hard for St. Claire, but she got through it. It was difficult
because she had to pretend she was a person she was not, which is never easy. St. Claire had to
cut her hair, dress in men's clothes so she could join the army to fight with her husband. It was
hard to go to the bathroom in private and the real challenge was when she became injured and
doctors had to examine her. The only part that was easy was that she slept in uniform and rarely
bathed, so, she would not be exposed to other men in the same room.

Unfortunately St. Claire did not live after the Revolutionary War. Her husband
died before she did, but they both died the same day in The Battle of the Savannah in 1778 which
is also known as the British Capture of Savannah. Fought on December 29th between local
American Patriot Militia and the Continental Army. The American Patriot Militia was made of
American Patriots that fought as an irregular army of nonprofessional soldiers. The Continental
Army was established by a resolution of the Continental Congress passed on June 14th, 1755.
St. Claire died in battle, shortly after her husband died from a bullet wound. When her husband
died, she fired the cannon that he was using until she was also shot. The soldiers were very
surprised when they found out she was a women because of how extraordinary she was in the
war. She was very good at keeping her secrets, because everyone found out that she was a female
when she passed away.

Although little is known of St. Claire, the little bit of information that is available
is amazing, it definitely proves that women should have been able to fight from the start