USPS 250th Anniversary of American Revolution - Deborah Sampson

USPS on 10 April 2026 issued a First Day Cover stamp honouring Deborah Sampson (1760–1827), a Massachusetts woman who disguised herself as a man under the name Robert Shurtleff to serve in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. She was of the historical figures include in the series marking the United States 250th anniversary

In 1782, Deborah Sampson joined the 4th Massachusetts Regiment after an earlier attempt. She served in the Light Infantry Company, scouting neutral territory, leading raids, and participating in combat. She served in uniform for about 17 months, fought in skirmishes. She sustained a sword gash to the head and a bullet wound in her left thigh, famously extracting the pistol ball herself rather than risk discovery. Her identity was discovered in the summer of 1783 in Philadelphia when she fell ill with a high fever and was treated by a doctor, leading to her honourable discharge in October 1783. 

She married Benjamin Gannett in 1785 and raised four children in Sharon, Massachusetts. With the help of figures like Paul Revere, she successfully petitioned for back pay and later became the only woman to earn a full military pension for service in the Revolution. 

She toured New England and New York in military regalia to share her story, becoming one of America's first female public lecturers.