Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley

9.3

An American heroine who brought water to soldiers and helped fire a cannon during the Revolutionary War

proper noun

: Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley

During the Battle of Monmouth, Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley famously took over her husband's cannon after he fell from heat exhaustion.

Examples

Many history books tell the story of Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley bringing water to thirsty soldiers in battle.
Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley became famous for her bravery at the Battle of Monmouth, where she helped artillerymen under fire.
Some scholars debate how much of Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley's legend is fact and how much is folklore.
Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley was a true hero!
Did Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley really take over the cannon?
Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley earned her place in American history for courageously carrying water to soldiers at the Battle of Monmouth.
The tale of Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley showcases her remarkable contributions to the American Revolution.

Synonyms

Molly Pitcher

vsMary Ludwig Hays McCauley

1 9.2

A woman who brought water to soldiers and helped fire a cannon at the Battle of Monmouth

focuses on a named woman who also took over a cannon during battle

Surface Forms

Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley main

Morphology

Mary + Ludwig + Hays + McCauley

This item is a full personal name (a proper noun); knowing the constituent names 'Mary', 'Ludwig', 'Hays', and 'McCauley' gives no basis for deriving the biographical meaning (a Revolutionary War heroine). Proper names are arbitrary labels rather than compositional phrases, so the MWE is not predictable from its parts and will be opaque to B1 learners.

Etymology

Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley is the real woman behind a famous story: at the Battle of Monmouth she carried water to thirsty soldiers and then took over her husband's cannon when he fell from the heat. That strong image of her bringing water and firing the gun is why she is remembered as a brave 'heroine' of the American Revolution.