Sybil Ludington (April 5, 1761 â February 26, 1839) was a heroine of the American Revolutionary War. On April 26, 1777, at age 16, she made an all-night horseback ride to alert militia forces in the towns of Putnam County, New York, and Danbury, Connecticut, of the approach of British forces. Her story was first published in 1880 by local historian Martha Lamb, to whom it was probably told by Ludington’s descendants. Her book has the earliest known reference to Ludington’s ride. Ludington was the daughter of a Westchester County militia colonel who needed to rally the hundreds of local troops under his command and needed time to plan the battle yet to come, so either she volunteered to warn the surrounding towns and rally the troops, or she carried out the task at her father’s direction.
MILITARY HISTORY SOCIETY OF ROCHESTER
ROCHESTERMILITARY.COM
