Prudence Cummings Wright Commands A Female Militia
Prudence Cummings Wright was the commander of a unit of “minutewomen” who guarded a bridge in Massachusetts while their husbands went to fight at Lexington and Concord.
Prudence Cummings Wright
When the Revolutionary War began, Prudence Cummings Wright was part of a divided family.
Though her brothers remained loyal to the Crown, Prudence and her husband, David, supported the Patriots.
When David joined his militia in their adventure toward the Battle of Lexington and Concord, Prudence decided to act...and formed an all-female militia.
Mrs. David Wright’s Guard
Prudence assembled an estimated 30 to 40 women into a unit which would quickly become known as Mrs. David Wright’s Guard.
This group, in turn, elected Wright as commander, with Sarah Hartwell Shattuck as lieutenant.
They dressed in their husbands’ clothing, took up weapons and set off for Jewett’s Bridge which sat on the Nashua River.
Leonard Whiting
Exactly why this unit went to Jewitt’s Bridge is unclear, as is exactly what happened.
Somehow, these women knew a rider would be bringing correspondence across the bridge (with one story saying Prudence herself overheard this from her brother).
They were right, as Leonard Whiting crossed with a message bound for Boston (with another story implying another of Wright’s brothers was with him).
Either way, Whiting was stopped when he realized just how many women (and weapons) he would have to pass through.
He was thoroughly searched and secret letters were found in his boots.
Leonard was carried away by the Guard and handed over to authorities for trial.
Leonard Whiting’s Guard
This was the end of Prudence Wright’s militia service.
She would return home and raise a total of eleven children during and after the war.
Eventually, the women were awarded payment for their service by the town.
However, since women could not be paid for military doings, they were styled as Leonard Whiting’s Guard.
Decades later, when she passed away, Prudence Cumming Wright was buried under a stone that credited her as Captain of the Bridge Guard.
Want to read about more FOUNDING MOTHERS?
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Martha Bratton - Explosions, Death Threats and Huck’s Defeat
The Adventures of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton
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