Courageous Kate—A Daughter of the American Revolution

During the turbulent times of the American Revolutionary War, a young woman rode out from her Carolina backcountry home to warn Patriot militias of enemies on the move. Kate Moore Barry served as a scout and a spy and is credited with helping Gen. Daniel Morgan defeat the British at the Battle of Cowpens, a turning point in the war for independence. A fictional biography for young adults, Courageous Kate: A Daughter of the American Revolution by Sheila Ingle is the compelling account of a heroine, a horsewoman and a young mother who risked her life to bring freedom to her new country. The author weaves together history, folklore and fiction to create a memorable story about three generations of Scots-Irish settlers who built a life in the wilderness of the South Carolina Upcountry during the 1700s. Illustrated by John Ingle, Courageous Kate tells riveting stories of Kate’s encounters with cruel Tories and of the day she tied her youngest child to a bedpost so she could ride out to alert Patriot militiamen about gunfire at her parent’s nearby home. Published by the Hub City Writers Project of Spartanburg, S.C., the 130-page paperback book includes a glossary and bibliography and sells for $11.95. “In addition to enjoyable reading, the book highlights a truth largely lost in most history books about the vital contribution of average everyday women, children and farmers of the Carolina backcountry in building a nation and then winning its independence,” says George Fields, director of Palmetto Conservation Foundation’s military heritage program.

Sheila Ingle is a graduate of Converse College and an adjunct instructor at USC Upstate, where she teaches both English and education. Courageous Kate is her first book.