North Carolina Brigade Sketch

Armed Continental Army soldiers dressed in mismatched uniforms and hats escort a horse-pulled wagon carrying passengers and equipment. Two women are visible in the wagon, one of whom is cradling an infant. Swiss-born artist and naturalist Pierre Eugène Du Simitière drew this sketch in 1777, labeling it: “An exact representation of a waggon belonging to the north carolina brigade of continental troops which passed thro Philadelphia.” While historical documents mentioning the women and children who accompanied the Continental Army are abundant, this is one of only two known contemporary depictions of such women.