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Noah Meyer

Professor Manly

WF 100-61

18 October 2022

Sybil Ludington

“Sybil Ludington.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 1 July 1999,

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sybil-Ludington.

“Sybil Ludington: The 16-Year-Old Revolutionary Hero Who Rode Twice as Far as Paul Revere.”

Www.amightygirl.com, A Mighty Girl Staff, 4 Apr. 2022, https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?

p=24115.

“The British are Buring Danbury” was what she yelled that night. She rode through the night

with only one goal, gather her father's men and warn the civilians that the British were coming.

Despite only having her horse and a stick her heroic actions shaped the battle of Ridgefield and

the rest of the war. The one thing left was who this girl was that lived in the shadows of the

famous Paul Revere.

Sybil Ludington, born on April 5th, 1761, in Fredericksburg (Now known as Ludingtonville) is

historically known for her ride during the Revolutionary war helped her father regroup his men

and fight off the British troops that were making their way toward New York, Sybil Ludington,

the daughter of New York militia officer Henry Ludington and oldest of 12 siblings, is known to
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be a hero of the revolutionary war for her heroic actions on the night of April 26, 1777. Sybil

Ludington later died on February 26th, 1839, in Unadilla NY. What Sybil Ludington did was

astonishing for someone her age. That night she went out on her horse and regrouped all 400

of her father’s men who had disbanded for the season and warn the others that the British

were making their way toward them. At the time Sybil was only 16 years old and she and her

horse Star set out that night with a task too tall for many people. People only refer to Paul

Revere who did the same thing as Sybil, but Sybil not only was she younger, but she also rode

40 miles that night which was double what Paul Revere rode. Sybil Ludington lived in New York,

more specifically the location now known as Ludingtonville where she lived during the war. At

the time the British had taken control of Danbury, Connecticut, and had started burning the

town except for the supply depot. The British then started making their way toward Ridgefield,

Connecticut. Sybil knew that there was not much time before the British would reach her

hometown, so she knew she needed to help her father. The night of her ride Sybil traveled

through Putnam County which sent her from her home in Kent to the village of Carmel,

Mahopac, Mahopac Falls, Kent Cliffs, Farmers Mills, and lastly Stormville before she was able to

return home the following day. Sybil Ludington went on her heroic ride that night because she

knew that her father did not have another way to get his men together. During this time

Henry’s men had separated for the season and did not communicate with each other all that

much. Since the British were making their way toward Sybil and her father, she knew that she

had to do something to help her father fight off the British. Even though Henry’s men did not

arrive in time to defend Danbury they were able to join forces with the Continental Army at the

battle of Ridgefield the very next day with her clothes dripping from the rain the night before.
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They were able to hold off the British and send them back to Long Island South. After the British

raid, this spiked support, and 3,000 residents decided to join the reserve for the Connecticut

army after the British were gone. Sybil went out the night of April 26, 1777. She gathered her

father's men and they were able to help the Continental Army fight of the British in the battle of

Ridgefield on April 27, 1777. The most amazing part about Sybil Ludington’s adventure was how

she was able to do it. Most people say it is unclear if she volunteered or was told to go out that

night, but most people have said that she willingly went out that night. Sybil knew that her

father needed all the help he could get and that is what she delivered. Sybil had to ride through

pitch darkness, heavy rain, and the thick woods trying to alert everyone of the incoming British.

All Sybil had was her voice yelling “The British are burning Danbury!” and a stick to bang on the

shutters of people's houses to alert them that the British would be here at any moment.

Despite the 40 miles she had to go that night she was able to get back home the next day in

hopes that her father’s men were ready to fight and send the British back. Sybil’s willingness

and courage to ride through the rain and the woods really put together how she executed her

ride that night and describe how she was able to help her father.