Before Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King,former leaders in America, there was Nancy Hart. Nancy Hart is the most acclaimed woman veteran in the Revolutionary War. Her devotion to ridding the colonies of any British people or influences has caused her to be so well known. Myths that occurred in the Broad River valley would not be expected to be led by a women with eight children, but she made it happen.
Southern Girl
No one knows specific details about Nancy Hart, but she is believed to be born in 1735 in North Carolina. Others believe that she was born in Pennsylvania in 1747. During the 1770's, Hart moved to Georgia and lived in the Broad River valley until after the Revolutionary War. Hart knew all about war through her famous family members. Daniel Morgan, commander at the Battle of Cowpens in 1781, was Hart's cousin. Nancy Hart's husband, Benjamin Hart, was related to famous senators such as Thomas Hart Benton and Henry Clay.
People believe that Nancy was most known as "Aunt Nancy". Just by listening to her background and family, you could probably tell that she is a strong woman. She was six feet tall, and just like her backyard, she was a bit rough around the edges. Her red hair matched the scars on her face from smallpox. The most amazing thing about her was that she was cross eyed. When she looked in the mirror, she could tell that her looks on the outside matched her personality. "Aunt Nancy" was a feisty, hot headed woman with a temper. Also matching her appearance was her nicknames. Besides "Aunt Nancy", the Indians called her Watatche. This means war woman. Being the feisty woman she was, she had to have it her way. Some could call it a flipped house, but Nancy knew it as everyday life. Nancy Hart was head of the household. Her household eventually held her, her husband, six boys, and two girls. Being a frontierswoman, she didn't need to read or write. She needed to be able to gather food for her family. Nancy Hart, despite all of her hurdles, was a good shot, a great herbalist, and a skilled hunter.
People believe that Nancy was most known as "Aunt Nancy". Just by listening to her background and family, you could probably tell that she is a strong woman. She was six feet tall, and just like her backyard, she was a bit rough around the edges. Her red hair matched the scars on her face from smallpox. The most amazing thing about her was that she was cross eyed. When she looked in the mirror, she could tell that her looks on the outside matched her personality. "Aunt Nancy" was a feisty, hot headed woman with a temper. Also matching her appearance was her nicknames. Besides "Aunt Nancy", the Indians called her Watatche. This means war woman. Being the feisty woman she was, she had to have it her way. Some could call it a flipped house, but Nancy knew it as everyday life. Nancy Hart was head of the household. Her household eventually held her, her husband, six boys, and two girls. Being a frontierswoman, she didn't need to read or write. She needed to be able to gather food for her family. Nancy Hart, despite all of her hurdles, was a good shot, a great herbalist, and a skilled hunter.
Living on the whig side of life
During the Revolutionary War, there was a lot of controversy between the Whigs and the Tories. Nancy Hart, being the feisty lady she was, made it very clear that she lived on the Whig side of life. As the colonists were recruiting all men to fight the British, Nancy Hart was left alone with her eight children for almost all of the war. Even though most women were working to hold down their forts, this lifestyle wasn't good enough for Mrs. Hart. After showing such rage against the Tories, she became a spy for the patriots, and infiltrated British camps. She was disguised as a simpleminded man, and went into Tory camps and gathered information for the Whig Leader. She also fought in the Battle of Kettle Creek on February 14, 1779.
Nancy Hart was most known for her legendary encounters with the Tory and British troops. One day, Mrs. Hart was making soap like a normal mother, and her daughter pointed out something odd. She had told her mom that there was a person outside the door on their front step peeping in to their house. Mrs. Hart threw the soap that she was making through the hole in the door. She knew that she hit the man when she heard screaming. She had the man taken to the local militia camp.
Being a spy means that you have to report our information to some one. Nancy Hart had just finished talking to the Whig leader, and he left to go away from the Tories. Six Tories showed you on her door step searching for the Whig leader. Mrs. Hart tried to explain to them that she hadn't seen him in at least six months, but none of the Tories bought the story. One of the Tories had gone out of the house and had shot her prize turkey. He demanded her to cook the turkey and serve them. All of the Tories had put their guns in a corner and sat down at her table. While serving the Tories food and wine, Mrs. Hart told her daughter Sukey to "go get water from their well". This actually meant to use a conch shell to warn the Whigs around them that there were Tories in her house. After the men had started to feel the effects of the wine, Nancy wandered over to their weapons. She had picked one of the guns up, and told the men that if they made one move towards her that that would be the last move they would have made. Not taking her seriously, one man went for her. She took one shot at the man who made the first move. Then she shot the gun at the second man to make him move to get him out of the way of defending the first Tory. The other four were hung outside their house. Proof of this legend was found by a workman outside Mrs. Hart's cabin in 1912. The man found four bodies about three feet deep in the soil.
Nancy Hart was most known for her legendary encounters with the Tory and British troops. One day, Mrs. Hart was making soap like a normal mother, and her daughter pointed out something odd. She had told her mom that there was a person outside the door on their front step peeping in to their house. Mrs. Hart threw the soap that she was making through the hole in the door. She knew that she hit the man when she heard screaming. She had the man taken to the local militia camp.
Being a spy means that you have to report our information to some one. Nancy Hart had just finished talking to the Whig leader, and he left to go away from the Tories. Six Tories showed you on her door step searching for the Whig leader. Mrs. Hart tried to explain to them that she hadn't seen him in at least six months, but none of the Tories bought the story. One of the Tories had gone out of the house and had shot her prize turkey. He demanded her to cook the turkey and serve them. All of the Tories had put their guns in a corner and sat down at her table. While serving the Tories food and wine, Mrs. Hart told her daughter Sukey to "go get water from their well". This actually meant to use a conch shell to warn the Whigs around them that there were Tories in her house. After the men had started to feel the effects of the wine, Nancy wandered over to their weapons. She had picked one of the guns up, and told the men that if they made one move towards her that that would be the last move they would have made. Not taking her seriously, one man went for her. She took one shot at the man who made the first move. Then she shot the gun at the second man to make him move to get him out of the way of defending the first Tory. The other four were hung outside their house. Proof of this legend was found by a workman outside Mrs. Hart's cabin in 1912. The man found four bodies about three feet deep in the soil.
after war life
After the war, Nancy Hart continued to live in the Broad River valley which was now in Elbert County. Even after the war, she was a feisty woman. She was often found shouting praise at her Methodist church. She continued to battle the devils just like she did with the Tories. She moved to Brunswick, some say Alabama and South Carolina, which was where her husband passed away. After her husband passed away, she went back to the Broad River valley, only to discover that her cabin had washed away. She had then moved in with her son John. Her son took his family and his mother to Henderson Kentucky, which was where Mrs. Hart died in 1830. Even in 2013, there are still ways that we remember Nancy Hart. There was a civil war group called the Nancy Harts. Georgia State Route is also known as Nancy Hart Highway. Just north of where Nancy Hart lived in known as Hart County, and in one of the county seats is known as Hartwell. Near Elbert and Hart county is Lake Hartwell. No one may realize, but without women or people like Nancy Hart, we could still be under British rule.
