Sybil (or Sibbell) Ludington (April 5, 1761 – February 26, 1839) is recognized as a heroine of the American Revolutionary War; the accuracy of these accounts is questioned by modern scholars. On April 26, 1777, the 16-year-old daughter of a colonel in the Colonial militia, Henry Ludington, is said to have made an all-night horseback ride to rally militia forces in neighboring towns after the burning of Danbury, Connecticut by British forces. Accounts of Ludington's ride are based on a brief mention in 1907 memoirs about her father, published privately by his grandchildren. A 2015 report in The New England Quarterly says there is little evidence backing the story; whether the ride occurred has been questioned since at least 1956. Relatively unknown through the 1870s, Ludington became widely recognized around the time of World War II, after historic roadmarkers were placed in locations she was speculated to have visited on her ride. Memorial statues honor her, and books have been written about her. She was honored on a United States Bicentennial postage stamp that was released on March 25, 1975, which depicts her on a horse. Early life, family and death Ludington was born on April 5, 1761, in Fredericksburg, New York. She was the first of 12 children of Abigail and Henry Ludington, a gristmill owner. According to his relatives, Sybil's father had fought in the French and Indian War, and volunteered to head the local militia during the Revolutionary War. At the age of 23, in 1784 Ludington married Edmond Ogden. They had a son named Henry in 1786. In 1792, the family settled in Catskill, and Ogden died in 1799. In 1811 Ludington moved to Unadilla, New York. Ludington lived in Unadilla until her death on February 26, 1839, at the age of 77. She was buried near her father in the Patterson Presbyterian Cemetery in Patterson, New York. Her tombstone shows a different spelling of her first name. Ludington's ride Modern accounts recognize Ludington as a heroine of the American Revolutionary War. Historical accounts Accounts originating from the Ludington family say Sybil played an important role during the British raid on Danbury. According to the story told decades later, on April 26, 1777, then 16-year-old Sybil Ludington rode from her hometown in Fredericksburg, New York (near Danbury, Connecticut) through Putnam County, New York, to rally approximately 400 militiamen under the command of her father, Colonel Henry