Deborah Sampson’s life was extraordinary. Her military service was extraordinary. Her intelligence, strength and determination were also extraordinary, exemplifying such strong patriotic feelings that she enrolled as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, passing herself off as a man for 17 months! Despite being wounded in battle, Deborah Sampson did that by hiding her identity, even treating gun-shot wounds herself. She has the distinction of being the first woman to receive a military pension and is the Official Heroine of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.