Ludington, Sybil (1761-1839), was a heroine of the Revolutionary War in America (1775-1783). At the age of 16, she made a courageous ride on horseback to assemble American troops for a fight against the British at Danbury, Connecticut.
Sybil Ludington was born and raised in Putnam County, New York. Her father, Colonel Henry Ludington, commanded a military regiment there. On April 26, 1777, a messenger brought news that the British were attacking nearby Danbury, where the local patriots stored their military supplies. The messenger had arrived exhausted, and so Sybil volunteered to round up her father’s regiment. She rode through the night and covered nearly 40 miles (64 kilometers). The British looted and burned Danbury. However, they later suffered about 200 casualties in a battle that included the troops Sybil had gathered.
