Ruffles and Rifles: Portraits of Patriot Women 1765–1783

by Lori Rosenlof Drake

In this collection of historical narratives,  poet Lori Rosenlof Drake pays tribute to the courageous women who participated in the American Revolution. “His stories” have been told many times but “Her Stories” are less well known, so Drake highlights heroic Patriots in petticoats and freedom fighters in men’s clothing who helped create a new nation. The rhymed verses focus on the “female Paul Revere,” the frontierswoman Nancy Hart and the fearless Betty Zane and a few well-known Patriot women like  Abigail Adams, Betsy Ross and Martha Washington. Using pens, spinning wheels, rifles and sheer determination, these heroines come alive on the page as America celebrates its 250^th anniversary.

Early Praise

Ruffles and Rifles is not only a timely poetry chapbook showcasing portraits of patriotic women, but a narrative exploration of the historical importance of women during The American Revolution. These poems have effortless musicality, meter and rhyme, and each poem beautifully tells the stories of  “Girls of Gumption,” “Women of War,” and “Ladies of Legend and Lore,” as they shot rifles, set their ruffles aside, dug their heels in helping to shape the outcome of the war and the emerging nation during a time when women were voiceless. From Abigail Adams to Betsy Ross, these women fearlessly stitched their place in history. Drake gives these women a voice and their songs will continue to sing for years to come.

—CHRISTINA RUOTOLO,  author of Digging Through the Bones

You hold in your hand a remarkably unique revelation telling true stories of women whose conviction, grit, and resolve led to the founding of a country built for freedom and individual liberty in 1776. Lori Drake’s direct, compelling verse reveals many previously unsung stories of revolutionary women, acting at a pivotable point in history against tyranny, giving their descendants a heritage of a free country governed by We, the people.

Drake reveals decisions and actions made by real women, in real times, facing life and death risks. She captures the feminine side of the bold determination and spirit of the American Revolution as she uncovers actions of these brave women. Through her research and talent, they live on in our lives, 250 years later, expanding our recognition of the role of women in the American Revolution.

—GABRIEL VAIL BLAND DAVENPORT,  Benjamin May Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution

Lori Rosenlof Drake’s rhyming poems bring to life both famous and often-overlooked women of the American Revolution. Timid souls, they were not. Drake’s heroines thunder by on horseback, shouting warnings. They load cannons, gun down marauding soldiers, and sneak messages across battlefields. They pen pamphlets and resolutions urging a people toward independence. History lovers of all ages will want this engaging collection of poems, notes and references on their shelves.

—SHEILA TURNAGE, New York Times Bestselling Author

About the Author

A former journalist and educator, Lori Rosenlof Drake is a freelance writer whose debut poetry chapbook, Moonshine Shared with a Mishmash of Musings, will be published in August 2026. Drake’s work has appeared in The Christian Century, San Diego Woman, Mothers Always Write and the Nebraska Alumnus among others. The recipient of several Honorable Mentions in the Writers’ Digest National Competition, her writing has received support through a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council. As the Executive Director of the Farmville Chamber of Commerce in North Carolina, Drake implemented the National Poetry Month celebration in her hometown and led the initiative for three years. Drake lives with her husband in North Carolina. They have six grown children and two grandchildren. lorirosenlofdrake.net

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