More Than an Enlisted Soldier's Wife: The Combat Legacy of Anna Maria Lane
- Melissa
- Apr 13
- 6 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
You probably haven't heard of Anna Maria Lane — and honestly, you're not alone. Tucked away in the dusty corners of Revolutionary War history, Anna's story reads like something from a historical novel: a devoted enlisted military wife who swapped skirts for breeches, disguised herself as a man, enlisted in her husband's unit, and fought alongside her husband in battle. Think Deborah Sampson, but with even less publicity.
In certain academic circles and Revolutionary War trivia nights (which, yes, do exist), Anna Maria Lane is known and celebrated—especially because she was one of the very few women in U.S. history to receive a military pension for actual combat service—not for tending wounds or washing and mending uniforms, but for fighting. Wielding a musket—getting injured in battle—the real deal.
Yet, her name barely makes a cameo in broader popular culture and school history books. You won't find her starring in documentaries or trending on history groups. So, calling her the "Forgotten Female Soldier" isn't wrong — It's just a reflection of how history sometimes favors its heroines by confining them to roles like nursing or domesticity. Anna, however, wasn't one for any of those.
Her story survives thanks to government records, a few persistent historians and transcribers, and some well-earned government paperwork noting that she fought "in the garb and with the courage of a soldier." In other words, she showed up, suited up, and didn't wait for permission.
Combatant: Anna's Not-So-Typical Military Wife Story
Anna Maria Lane did what many soldiers' wives did at the time — she followed her husband, John Lane, into the chaos of the Continental Army in 1776–serving in a company commanded by Captain Lucas 4th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Willis in the brigade under General Israel Putnam assigned to the Connecticut line. As a "camp follower" (yes, that was a fundamental role, not as shady as it sounds), she would've been expected to handle the behind-the-scenes work: cooking, nursing, cleaning, maybe patching up uniforms and egos. But Anna had other plans.
Somewhere along the line, she decided being supportive also meant being active and armed. She ditched the apron, disguised herself as an enlisted man, picked up a musket, and joined John on the battlefield. Power couple energy? Absolutely. Was that risky? YES! In August 1777, General George Washington complained bitterly that the camp followers (women and children) hindered troop movement and instructed his officers to prohibit all but essential women from staying with the troops.(General Orders, 27 August 1777)
Anna and John fought in several campaigns: the battles of White Plains, Trenton, Princeton), and Germantown. During the Battle of Germantown in 1777, under General Washington's command, she was shot in the leg. The injury left her with lasting damage, but she didn't seek medical help, likely because it's hard to stay undercover when your doctor realizes you've been faking being a guy. Still, she kept going. When John re-enlisted with the Virginia Light Dragoons — an elite cavalry unit — Anna didn't let her injury stop her. She stuck with him, even when he was wounded at the Siege of Savannah in 1779 and taken prisoner, according to his pension affidavit.
Still, she kept going. When John re-enlisted with the Virginia Light Dragoons — an elite cavalry unit — Anna didn't let her injury stop her. She stuck with him, even when he was wounded at the Siege of Savannah in 1779.
Years later, Anna and John — like many aging enlisted veterans — found themselves broken and in dire circumstances. That's when a man named William H. Cabell petitioned, made a heartfelt plea to the Virginia House of Delegates, and advocated for assistance on behalf of several aging veterans and their families. He also made a special note in his letter about Anna's extraordinary bravery during her service as a common soldier and the severe wound she suffered while fighting. Cabell's letter reads as follows:
"They have been worn out in public service; now without property or money and their age and infirmities rendering them unable to procure, either they must be sent forth to beg or starve, unless the humanity of this Legislature shall interfere — Their names are John Hays, William Hopkins, & John Lane—The wife of the last Anna Maria Lane is also very infirm having been disabled by a severe wound which she received while fighting, as a common soldier, in one of our Revolutionary battles, from which she has never recovered, and perhaps never will recover."
Spoiler: the government listened!
The Virginia legislature granted John a $40 annual pension, which was barely enough even in colonial times. But Anna? She received a whopping $100 a year for life (2 ½ times the amount of her male counterparts) and was praised for her "extraordinary military services performed in the garb, and with the courage of a soldier." Unfortunately, we don't know and may never know what "extraordinary services" she provided, as this was never detailed in the Virginia General Assembly petition for pension in 1808. However, the government's acknowledgment validated Anna's personal sacrifice and highlighted the seldom recorded contributions of military enlisted wives, who defied gender norms to participate in combat actively. Translation: "You dressed like a man, fought like a warrior– We see and reward you."
Anna Maria Lane's story isn't just one of bravery—it's one of breaking molds. She didn't just support her husband from the sidelines; she marched into history with him, rifle in hand. Her legacy reminds us that women have always been in the fight—sometimes, in disguise, and often staying under the radar due to fear and reprisal, but they were always there.
Final Thought: A Comeback 250 Years in the Making
Do I think Anna Maria Lane was out there trying to be a rebel, smash gender norms, and make a grand feminist statement? Honestly — no. I think she was trying to survive a brutal war, stay near her husband, and do whatever it took to make it through one more battle. Ultimately, that might be what makes her story so powerful. An ordinary person is just trying to figure out how to live under unknown circumstances. You do what you have to do.
She was obviously not fighting for headlines or a spot in history books… I do wonder what she would think of her story being told today. Maybe she was fighting because that's what she felt she needed to do for the love of ideals and family, and refused to be left behind… Perhaps she felt that being a soldier was not an option for her. Perhaps, just perhaps, that quiet form of courage holds even greater value.
Now, 250 years later, as America gears up to celebrate its semi-quincentennial (fancy word), Anna's name is starting to surface again. It's a comeback two and a half centuries in the making — and about time, too. Call it cliché, but heroes aren't always in capes or wear shining medals — sometimes, they're in borrowed boots and a worn coat.
~Mel
Sources:
Anna Maria Lane Chapter, NSDAR Swea City, Iowa. “Anna Maria Lane Biography.” Daughters of the American Revolution, https://isdar.org/chapters/annamarialane/Anna_Maria_Lane_biography.html.
“Anna Maria Lane, Commendation and Pension Award from William H. Cabell, 1808,” Document Bank of Virginia, accessed March 10, 2024, https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/255.
“General Orders, 27 August 1777,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-11-02-0067. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 11, 19 August 1777 – 25 October 1777, ed. Philander D. Chase and Edward G. Lengel. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 2001, pp. 73–74.]
Library of Virginia. “Anna Maria Lane, Commendation and Pension Award from William H. Cabell, 1808.” Document Bank of Virginia. Accessed March 10, 2024.
Where are the Women: Examples from the LVA Collections. “Working Out Her Destiny.” Accessed March 10, 2024. https://www.lva.virginia.gov/exhibits/destiny/where_women/tales.htm.
Photo Citation:
William H. Cabell Letter to Speaker of the House of Delegates. January 28, 1808. Manuscript. RG 3, Governor’s Office, Executive Letter Books, William H. Cabell, July 8, 1807–March 9, 1808. Library of Virginia. Accessed March 10, 2024
Receipt for pensions for John Lane and Ann Maria Lane. 6 February 1809. Manuscript.Auditor of Public Accounts (Entry 230), RG 48. State Pension Records. Library of Virginia.
Receipt for pension for Ann Maria Lane. 20 May 1808. Manuscript. Auditor of Public Accounts (Entry 230), RG 48. State Pension Records. Library of Virginia.
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