Behind the Lines: Female Followers of the Continental Forces Presented by Samantha Allison

Join us on June 10th at 7:30 PM via Zoom as we mark the semiquincentennial with a fresh perspective on the American Revolutionary War, one that centers the often-overlooked women who supported the Continental Army camp.  Who were these women and why did they follow the army?

Historian Samantha Allison's presentation illuminates the vital role of female camp followers: the women who marched alongside military units, performing the essential labor that sustained the army's daily operations.  The presentation also explores how military authorities navigated the presence of female followers. Officers sought to balance the practical necessity of support services with the demands of discipline and logistics, revealing a complex relationship between these women and the army.

Drawing on military records and pension applications, Allison situated female camp followers within the broader structure of the Continental Army, showing how their contributions were woven into the very fabric of military administration during the Revolutionary War.

Free Registration.

Presenter Bio:
Samantha Allison is a historian and historical consultant specializing in early American history, with a focus on military life, material culture, and the experiences of civilians and followers of the Continental forces. She is known for her engaging storytelling across a range of media.  Currently, Allison serves as Civilian Programs Coordinator at Washington Crossing Historic Park.

Her screen credits include serving as historical advisor for the independent film The Loyalist (2019), on-camera historian for two episodes of the PBS series Treasures of New Jersey, and contributor to the new Valley Forge Visitor Center film produced for the National Park Service. Most recently, she contributed research and appeared on screen in Ken Burns' The American Revolution (2025), focusing on the daily labor of camp followers.

Through her scholarship and her media work, Allison is dedicated to illuminating the lived experiences of ordinary people-especially women-whose essential labor shaped the course of American history.

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Thank you to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation of Natural Resources for financial support of the 2026 Heritage Lectures.