USA > Delaware > Historical and biographical encyclopaedia of Delaware. V 1 > Part 11
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. J'AI CO. VOLM NỘIDA, DEL
BELMONT HALL, NEAR SMYRNA, DEL. BUILT 1773 BY GOV THOMAS COLLINS
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
men, the regiment was disbanded. It is sup- | We find Rodney with Washington at Trenton posed that to Captain Jonathan Caldwell's and Princeton, as a Brigadier General, active and efficient under all circumstances. Mr. McKean had been elected Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, although he still was speaker of the House of Assembly, in Delaware. Company, in Haslet's regiment, we owe the name of the "Blue Hen's Chickens." The tra- dition is that his soldiers took with them to camp game chickens, the brood of a blue hen, celebrated in Kent for their fighting qualities, In January 1777, the Legislature elected Geo. Read, John Dickinson, and John Evans as delegates to Congress. Messrs. Dickinson and Evans declined the high trust, and on February 22nd, Nicholas VanDyke and James Sykes were elected to fill the vacancies. and that the officers and men when not fighting the enemy amused themselves fighting chick- ens. Hence Delaware soldiers, and finally Delaware people came to be known as "Blue Hen's Chickens," which continues to this day.
When Rodney was recalled from Congress he intended to retire to his home in Kent county for rest. He had long been suffering from a cancer, which began on his nose, and spread over one side of his face, from which he died in 1782. It was very painful, and he wore a green cloth or patch to hide it. Besides, although he uttered no word of complaint, he must have keenly felt the stab of his removal from Congress But the voice of his friends and the woes of his country fired his patriotic heart and he found no time for rest. Colonel Haslet wrote him, "I acknowledge the justice of your reasoning, and the ingratitude of the people as well as the malignity of their pres- ent leaders. I know you have already sacri ficed a large share of private property to the evil and unthankful," but "how can you lay out a part of it to more noble purposes than in serving your country, guarding her rights and privileges, and forcing men to be happy against their will." Mr. Rodney remained a member of the Council of Safety, and of the Committee of Inspection. He had been made a Brigadier General in 1775, and was now ac- tive in organizing the militia for the "Flying Camp," purchasing clothing and army equip- ments and hastening them to the field.
The regiments of Haslet and Patterson were State troops enlisted for short terms of service. They served with, but were never incorpora . ted into, the Continental Army. On Septem- ber 16th, 1776, Congress made a requisition on the Colonies for eighty-eight battalions of eight hundred men each. Of these, Dela- ware was appointed to furnish one battalion. to be incorporated into the Continental army, under the control of Congress, and to serve during the war. This regiment was mustered in November 30th, 1776, with David Hall as Colonel, and became the justly celebrated "Delaware Line," and the flower of the Rev- olutionary army. This regiment absorbed many of the choicest officers and men of the first two regiments, and explained,in part, why Haslet's regiment was so small when it dis- banded. It joined Washington in the spring of 1777, in New Jersey, and during that summer participated in the battles of Brandywine, Ger- mantown and Monmouth. The other officers of this battalion; Charles Pope, Lieut. Col., Joseph Vaughn, Major, George Purvis, Adju- tant, Edward Roche, Paymaster, Reuben Gil- der, surgeon, John Platt, surgeon's mate: Cap- tains, John Patten, Robert Kirkwood, John Learmonth, Peter Jaquett, John Wilson, John Corse, John Rhodes and George Purvis.
This "Flying Camp" was the second regi- General gloom pervaded the country at this period. By the frequent defeat of our army, and the successes of the enemy, the affairs of America seemed desperate. New Jersey had been overrun by the British, and appeared subjugated, while thousands of neutrals, par- ticularly in the Middle States, had joined the Royalists. The Tories were jubilant and the Whigs correspondingly depressed. Recruit- ment furnished by Delaware, and was com- manded by Col. Samuel Patterson. This reg- iment was stationed at Amboy, New Jersey, and at first made but a poor reputation. Some of its officers and men were brave and patri- otic, but cowardice, insubordination and nu- merous desertions, stained its earlier record. It was enlisted during the summer of 1776, and its term of service expired December Ist. ing was at an end, and the only hope was However,it greatly redeemed its reputation by its bravery in the battle of Staten Island.
drawn from the victories of Washington at Trenton and Princeton.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
The Legislature at Dover, judging from their indifference in failing to provide for their soldiers in the field, contained a sufficient num- ber of Tories to block Legislation, while the Laws of the General Assembly commanded too little support and obedience among a con- siderable portion of the people.
Lord Howe now determined to attack Phil- adelphia and sailed with a large fleet from New York to the head of the Chesapeake bay, where his army disembarked, August 25th, 1777. As soon as Washington received intel- ligence of the arrival of Howe's army in the Chesapeake, he marched his army through Philadelphia, to encourage his friends and in- timidate the disaffected by its numbers and martial appearance. He halted for a short time at Brandywine, and thence moved to Wilmington and encamped on the hills around the city. He had his headquarters in the "Happy Return " Hotel, on Market street, near Third, where he and Lafayette often slept in their travels through Wilmington. This old revolutionary landmark was occupied many years by Mr. John Moore as a clothing store, and was replaced by his new building in 1879.
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Meantime, Howe was marching his army to give him battle. With one division he marched on the 27th of August from the place of debarkation to Elk, now called Elkton. On the 28th, his vanguard occupied Gray's Hill two miles east of it, while Knyphausen moved by Cecil Court House to within eight miles of the Christiana, and Grant was left with six battalions to guard the baggage and keep open communication with the fleet. Gen- erals Cornwallis and Knyphausen united their divisions on the 3d of September at Pencader, being joined on the 8th by General Grant. During this passage of Howe's army through Delaware, they were constantly annoyed by the Delaware and Maryland Militia, under General Rodney, which kept up a continual skirmish with their guards, and out-posts. A sharp engagement took place at Cooch's Bridge, between Cornwallis and General Max- well's light corps, the latter retreating across White Clay creek.
On the 5th of September the American army was posted behind White Clay creek, with its right on Newport, with its left on Hockesson; Rodney having previously been
ordered to annoy the enemy's rear, and the Pennsylvania militia to co-operate with the American Army in front.
General Howe tried, by a feigned attack in front, to mask his movement to turn the American right. This movement, if success- ful, would have enclosed Washington in a narrow strip of territory, where he would have been forced either to fight at a disadvantage, or allow Howe to pass on and occupy Philadel- phia without a battle. He, therefore, with- drew in the night to the high grounds above Chadd's Ford, where, on September 11th, the memorable battle of the Brandywine was fought. The American army was defeated with a loss of 900 killed, wounded, and taken prisoners, while the British lost about 500. This was doubtless due largely to the im- mensely superior force of the British, the want of vigilance of General Sullivan, and a heavy fog which concealed the movements of the enemy.
On the 13th of September, 1777, Wilmington was occupied by a detachment of the British army. The Tories pointed out the residences of the leading Whigs and patriots, who were made prisoners. Dr. McKinley, the President of the State, was captured, and kept a prisoner till after his term of office expired.
George Read, vice President was, at the time, in his seat in Congress. In the absence of the President and Vice President, the duties of the Chief Magistracy devolved, by the Con- stitution, on the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. McKean. This office he administered with great vigor till the arrival of George Read, nearly two months afterward. He kept the militia in fighting order and one half of it constantly on duty. He strengthened the military posts. With the approbation of the Privy Council, and to strengthen the Whig party for the coming elections, he appointed Cæsar Rodney Major General, and Messrs. Dagworthy, Dickinson and Patterson, Brigadiers, and borrowed 3,000 pounds for military expenses. He arrested deserters and Tories, and exerted all the powers of his office to encourage the friends of Independ- ence in that dark hour.
In the battle of Germantown, which took place soon after that of Brandywine, Colonel Hall was severely wounded. In that battle the British were also victorious and took pos-
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session of Philadelphia, while Washington with his army proceeded to. Valley Forge, where he spent the Winter.
CHAPTER XIX.
The dark hour-Insurrections quelled- Bounties for Soldiers-The Articles of Con- federation-Rodney Elected President-Dela- ware nearly lost to the American cause-The battle of Monmouth-Washington Victorious- Treaties with Foreign Powers-Their efforts to Circumscribe the Union fail-High prices -Vessels and Supplies for the Army-On the verge of Famine-The Campaign in the South - The Delaware Regiment in South Carolina- Their unparalleled bravery-Major Vaughn taken prisoner at Camden-Robert Kirkwood takes command-His Immortal Braves-Sur- render af. Cornwallis-Capt. McLane's Com- pany-Cheney Clow-Peace at last.
HE Winter of 1778 was one of the dark- est periods of the Revolution. New York, Philadelphia, and Wilmington were in possession of the enemy. In- surrections had repeatedly occurred in Kent and Sussex, where the disaffected to Congress were numerous. With the British armed ves- sels in the Delaware Bay and River, the Royalists were in close and constant communi- cation and concealed and aided emissaries from these vessels, who instigated many to re- bellion, while payment in hard money for cattle, grain and vegetables was an almost irresistible temptation to illicit traffic.
The ardent and active Whigs were ex- posed to great peril. The State was infested with spies who furnished lists of prominent patriots to the British, many of whom were seized and taken to their loathsome prison ships.
The elections for members of the Legisla- ture, in the Autumn of 1777, were unfortunate for the patriots. In Sussex the election was broken up by the militia, doubtless to prevent a Tory victory. The members elected from the other counties, refused to vote either men or money for the army, and Vice President Read did not have the executive force to compel obedience to the laws.
In Sussex the civil authority was declared, in December, 1777, to be totally ineffectual, and this defiant and open insurrection led Congress to order the Board of War to reduce this portion of the State of Delaware to obe- dience.
In January Washington ordered General . Smallwood into Delaware with a detachment of Maryland troops, to make a requisition upon the State for militia to reinforce him. Mr. Read immediately issued orders for the march- ing of General Patterson's Brigade, consisting of thirty-one hundred of the militia of New Castle county, to join General Smallwood at Wilmington ; yet so great was the spirit of in- subordination that very few obeyed. Another order followed soon after, including the militia of Kent, which still obtained but a small force.
Active measures were now taken to subdue the rebellious spirit in Sussex, and at the special election held soon after, the patriots were cheered by a Whig victory, and the Legislature.with a strong majority, stood with her sister States, once more, for a vigorous prosecution of the war.
Mr. Mckean, although Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, was again elected by Delaware as one of her representatives in Congress, which position he held till after the war, and in July, 1781, was made president of that body, which was a fitting tribute to his distinguished abilities and his untiring devotion to the "glorious and virtuous" cause of Indepen- dence.
Congress, in February, 1778, sent ten thou- sand dollars to Delaware, to be used exclu- sively as bounties to volunteers, which, with the efforts put forth, had the effect of adding a considerable number to the Delaware Battal- ion. The Legislature had refused to resort to the summary process of drafting, although Read, Rodney and even Washington had re- quested it and Congress had ordered it. Also most of the States had adopted it.
The articles of confederation had been adopt- ed by Congress and submitted to the States for ratification. The Statesmen of Delaware, during the winter of 1778, were occupied with having engrafted upon this important instru- ment such limitations as would prevent any one or two States from acquiring a preponder- ating and dangerous influence in the Union, through their vast, and as yet, unbounded ex-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
tent of territory ; and such guarantees as would [ people in the world, to take its stand in the insure the perpetual equal standing of such great family of nations. Hence an attempt was made by Spain and France in a proposed treaty to restrict the United States to the Allegheny mountains as their western limit. All the leading men of Delaware united their influence with Congress to defeat this perilous scheme, which was finally abandoned States as Delaware and Rhode Island, which possessed small and limited territory. In this our Representatives were finally successful, and on those terms the State ratified the Arti- cles of Confederation, in February, 1779. This position of equality in the family of States, Delaware has ever proudly maintained.
In April, 1778, Cæsar Rodney was elected President of Delaware for one year and re- elected for four successive years. The office though honorable was exceedingly arduous. The Legislature though well disposed was tardy where energy and promptness were demanded. Constant insurrections took place. The British, or the royalists in league with them, made frequent descents all along the ex- tensive shore of the state, and troops could not be collected in time to repel them. Scarce- ly a day passed but some patriot Whig, near the Bay, was carried off and his house plundered. Men were dragged from their beds at night, and outrages without number and of the most atrocious character were commit- ted, till few were bold enough openly to iden- tify themselves with the patriot cause, and Congress was appealed to in vain to furnish troops for their protection, for it had not the troops to send.
The first battle of the year 1778 was fought at Monmouth, June 28th, in which Washing- ton was victorious, and in which over three hundred of the enemy were killed The Del- aware soldiers participated in that action, and displayed great bravery.
The persistence with which the American patriots prosecuted the war, the strength gained by their union under the articles of Confeder- ation, and their determination never to lay down their arms till England acknowledged their Independence, secured them the respect of France, Holland, Russia and Spain, and trea- ties of friendship were secured with those powers, in which the nationality of the United States was acknowledged. It is true that their jealousy of England and a desire to see her crippled by the loss of her American Colo- nies was a leading motive ; still they had many misgivings as to the propriety of permit- ting a powerful Republic, with its broad and just principles of freedom, producing already the most prosperous, happy and intelligent
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During the year 1779 the Legislature of this State seems to have had a prepondera- ting Whig majority which supported the war measures of Congress, kept the Delaware Battalion full, and succeeded in suppressing to a large extent the spirit of disloyalty. For- tunately the State wasnot invaded by either of the contending armies. Our representatives in the Continental Congress that year were Thomas McKean, John Dickinson and Nicho- las Van Dyke.
Aside from these events the greatest ca- lamity of the time was the wonderful depre- ciation of the continental paper money. Every effort was made by the Government to make this paper money equal to gold and silver by making it a legal tender for all debts, but it rapidly depreciated till its purchasing value was not more than five or six cents to the dollar. For example, sole-leather was ten shil- lings a pound, calf skins ninety shillings each, flour $300 dollars a barrel, Vattel's Law of Nations sold for $400 dollars, jean or "habit Cloth" sixty dollars a yard, indifferent writing paper £75 a ream. Exchange between Phila- delphia and London was fourteen to fifteen hundred per cent. while bills on France could be purchased at nine hundred.
Delaware not only furnished soldiers for the army, equipping and supporting them, but the needed vessels for the Merchant Marine, and Navy. These vessels were built at Wil- mington, and in ship-yards on almost every creek which penetrates her coast. Lea's flour mills on the Brandywine, built in 1762 and enlarged in 1770, were, during the Revolution, the largest in the United States, and furnished thousands of barrels of good wheat flour and ground corn for the army. When Howe ap- proached Wilmington, Washiington removed the runners, or upper stones, to Chester County, Pennsylvania, lest they should fall into the enemy's hands ; so valuable were they to the army and people. They were returned after the British left Philadelphia.
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New Jersey, was subjected to the greatest privations, which were borne with admirable patience. They were half clothed, ill fed and at tinies on the verge of famine; the commis- his army in this condition, Washington could not avail himself of the favorable opportunity afforded by the rivers and inlets of the ocean being bridged with ice, to attack New York.
The patriot army had been generally suc- cessful in the campaign of 1779, and greatly encouraged by the devotion to our cause of LaFayette, and the assistance he had obtained for us from France ; but in the Spring of 1780 they were appalled to find that the British were determined to remove the theatre of war to the Southern States.
In pursuance of this change, Charleston, S. C., was attacked by Sir Henry Clinton, and surrendered on the 12th of May The conse- quence of its loss was the apparent submission of that State to the royal authority. The soldiers of Delaware and Maryland had been chosen to operate in the South, and left for their destination under command of Major Vaughn ; Colonel Hall not having recovered from the wounds received at the battle of Germantown, and Lieut. Colonel Charles Pope being absent on a furlough, hence neither of them went south with the regiment
With the forces from the Southern States, they were placed under the command of Gen. Gales, the "hero of Saratoga". He proved a rash and injudicious officer. Their first battle was fought at Camden, S. C., and although the issue was disastrous to the Americans, the Delaware and Maryland troops won imperish- able renown. This battle was a mistake, and was fought by Gates against the advice of his officers. Armand's corps and the militia as soon as they saw the flashes of the enemy's guns threw down their loaded weapons, some basely retreating and others running into the enemy's ranks, without so much as firing a gun. The whole brunt of the battle was left to be fought by the Continentals. These consisted of the Delaware, two Mary- land, and one North Carolina regiments, and, says Whitely, "they stood as men never stood before or since." With Armand's corps and three thousand militia tearing through their
The Winter of 1780 was intensely cold and 'ranks, with Britain's best soldiers pressing the American army, quartered at Morristown, them, "they held their ground, charging and repelling charges, broken more than once, and borne down by superior numbers, but rallying again and fighting bravely to the end." In vain did Otho Williams cry to his men, "Take
saries being without money or credit. With to the trees, mon, choose your trees, men, and give them an Indian charge!" In vain did the gigantic De Kalb cry, "give them the bayonet, men, give them the bayonet!" What the bayonets of the enemy's foot could not do the charge of Tarleton's cavalry did; they broke before it, and the remnants of the Delaware and Maryland regiments retreated. In this battle the Delaware regiment was nearly an- nihilated. It went into the fight five hundred . strong,and came out with twenty-three officers and one hundred and forty-five rank and file. Forty-seven had been taken prisoners, leaving a dead-roll of two hundred and sixty-five in one hour's fight. DeKalb was killed, but well might he, as he expired, breathe benedictions on his faithful brave divisions.
Vaughn, who had been promoted and made Lieut. Colonel, and commanded the regiment, was taken prisoner; so, also, was Major Patten. The command now devolved on Robert Kirk- wood as Senior Captain. At Charlotte and Hillsboro he collected what remained of the regiment, and three companies of Light In- fantry being formed out of the different corps, Kirkwood was assigned to the command of one of them, composed of the remnants of the Delaware and Second Maryland regiments. They were in all the battles under General Green (who had succeeded Gates in com- mand) from that time till the surrender of Charleston. They were at Cowpens with Morgan, and that battle was made a vic- tory by Kirkwood. Not only did his troop "give them the bayonet, but Seymour says "Tarleton endeavored to outflank us on the right, to prevent which Captain Kirkwood wheeled his company to the right and at- tacked their left flank so vigorously that they were soon repulsed." Kirkwood was from Con- cord, Sussex county, and his fame, which be- came national, dates from that battle.
The Delawares were with Green in the bat- tle of Guilford and in his famous retreat before Lord Cornwallis, which was managed by Gen. Green with such genius as to turn the current of adverse fortune, and contributed so greatly
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to the speedy and felicitous issue of the war. | They were assigned the most responsible posi- tion in the battle of Hobkirk's Hill, sometimes called "the Second battle of Camden," and re- ceived the thanks of the General in published orders for their gallant behaviour. They also participated in the siege of Ninety Six, and the battle of Eutaw Springs, which virtually closed the war.
History is loud in the praises of Kirkwood, and his men ; they "were reckoned the most efficient in the Continental army," and re- ceived the thanks of Congress for their "un- paralled bravery and heroism."
Captain Allen McLane, father of the late Hon. Louis McLane, enlisted a partisan com- pany early in the war, throughout which they served bravely and faithfully. He was com- missioned, January 13, 1777, and was in most if not all the battles in the Northern Depart- m'ent, and in the battle of Yorktown.
With the surrender of Cornwallis at York- town, October 19th, 1781, and the defeat of the British at King's Mountain by Washington, the same month, the contest of arms was ended, although the treaty of peace was not signed till November 30th, 1782.
The delegates from Delaware, in Congress in that year were Cæsar Rodney of Delaware, and Thomas Mckean, Philemon Dickinson and Samuel Wharton, citizens of Pennsyl- vania. The bitter hostility existing between the Whigs and Tories was shown by the arrest, trial and execution of Cheny Clow. Clow was a leader of the Tories of Kent and Sussex coun- tius and resided in a strong log house known as "Clow's Fort," situated in the forest about twelve miles south west from Dover. He was accused of treason in 1782 and arrested by the sheriff, John Clayton, and his posse, after having made a heroic defense. During the attack a man named Moore was shot and instantly expired. At his trial Clow exhibited his commission as a captain in the British army and demanded to be treated as a prisoner of war. He was tried for high treason by a jury before Judges Killen and Finney, but being acquitted at this trial, was immediately indicted for the killing of Moore ; and although it was not proved that Clow killed him, such was the public clamor against him that he was found guilty and executed, greatly to the regret of many after the political rancor had subsided.
The close of the long and bloody struggle terminating so happily for America, was hailed with delight by all the people of Delaware. Independence was secured. the fear of foreign interference was gone. Delaware had suc- cessfully maintained her position of equal powers and standing in the Union, and the people, with one accord, became devoted to her fortunes under her Republican Institutions.
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