Anne Bailey (née Hennis; 1742 – November 22, 1825) was a British-born American story teller and frontier scout who served in the fights of the American Revolutionary War and the Northwest Indian War. She is known as the Heroine of the Kanawha Valley.
Anne Hennis was born in Liverpool, England, in 1742. She was formally educated and learned to read and write. In 1761, she emigrated to America, probably as an indentured servant. She married Richard Trotter, a Shenandoah Valley settler and survivor of General Edward Braddock's disastrous expedition of 1755. They had one son, William.
Trotter was killed at the Battle of Point Pleasant on October 10, 1774. Anne was devastated by his death and vowed to avenge him. She took up rifle and tomahawk, and became a frontier scout, messenger, spy, and Indian fighter. She was known for her bravery and her willingness to take risks.
During the Revolutionary War, Bailey served as a scout and courier for the Continental Army. She was involved in the campaigns against Shawnee Native Americans, who gave her the nickname "Mad Anne." She was also known as the "White Squaw of Kanawha."
In 1785, Bailey married John Bailey, a frontiersman and ranger. The couple was posted to Fort Lee. Bailey continued her service for the U.S. military by patrolling the frontier against Native Americans and acting as a messenger between Fort Lee and frontier posts.
After John Bailey's death in 1802, Anne lived in the wilderness for over 20 years. She died in Gallipolis, Ohio, in 1825.
Anne Bailey was a remarkable woman who lived a life of adventure and danger. She was a pioneer in the field of women's rights, and her story is an inspiration to all who know it.