Sybil Lundington

Sybil’s Midnight Ride
 
What can we say about Sybil Ludington?  She was a fiercely brave young girl, a lionheart. On the night of April 26, 1777, the British entered Danbury, Connecticut, looting and burning the town. Sybil’s father, Colonel Henry Ludington, was desperate to alert his soldiers, who were on furlough some 40 miles away, of the attack.  Sybil, who was just 16 years old at the time and armed only with her father’s musket, set off on horseback in the rainy darkness to rouse the American militia. She rode all through the night, arriving at daybreak. It is said that during her journey, Sybil even fought off a highway man with her father’s gun.
 
The distance caused the returning American militia to be too late to stop the sacking of Danbury, but they still chased the British down, inflicting casualties.  At the time, Sybil’s ride was praised by many; General George Washington himself personally acknowledged her bravery with his gratitude. Sybil’s father later wrote in his memoir, “There is no extravagance in comparing her ride with that of Paul Revere…Nor was her errand less efficient than his.  By daybreak, thanks to her daring, nearly the whole regiment was mustered...” You see, Sybil’s journey in the darkness was at least twice as long as Paul Revere’s and she was less than half his age.
 
Sybil Ludington was an amazing young American.