USA > Delaware > History of Delaware : 1609-1888 > Part 58
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1 The revised returns showed that stewart and Harney were both killed.
239
DELAWARE DURING THE REVOLUTION.
Major Macdonough ' carried the regiment through the remainder of the engagement, after which it was disbanded. The next military organization with which we have to deal is that of the militia for service in the " Flying Camp," which was made up in the autumn of 1776 to protect the shores of the Delaware and Chesapeake Bay- while Washington was occupied in the defense of New Jersey. It was proposed that ten thousand men should be enrolled for this purpose, to serve ouly until the end of the year, and the call from Con- gress was received by the Delaware Convention in September. On the 26th of that month President Read informed President Hancock that a force of four hundred and eighty men, including officers. had been raised. " The want of arms," continued Mr Read, " and the great extent of our frontiers on the river and bay of Delaware must apologize for the smallness of this aid-it is the widow's mite."
This little battalion was placed under the com- mand of Colonel Samuel Patterson." The other officers were George Latimer, lieutenant-colonel, and Captains William Moody, Joseph Caldwell, Thomas Kean, James Dunn, Thomas Skillington, Matt. Manlove, John Woodgate and Nathaniel Mitchell. It was very difficult to obtain men to enter this command. John Clark, sheriff of New Castle County, met with the utmost discourage- ment in his effort to enroll a company. A paper has been preserved in which he set down the an- swers of sixteen men whom he approached on the subject, and is very pertinent in this connection :"
Names. Slator Clay, Richard Janvier, John Powell. David Morton,
Ausirers.
Will not march. Will not march.
Ready and willing to march.
George Real, Thomas Cooch, Jr.,
Same.
Robert Wilry,
I'm damned if I march.
Edward Sweeny,
Family in distress.
James Wilson,
Hired one in his place.
Julin Booth, Jr.,
Substitute in Continental Army. Will not march.
Daniel Smith,
Son in his face.
James Faith,
Will not march.
William Hazlett,
I never will march.
Thomas Nodes,
I'm damned if I march.
1 Major Thomas Macdonough was a physician at the village now called by his name in St. George's Hundred, New Castle County. After the battle of Princeton he tetired to private litr and the pro tre of his profession. He was the father of Commalore Thomas Mcdonough, who in the War of Is12 deleated the British Dret at the battle id Lithe Champdain.
2 Patterson was a brigadier general in the state militit and lived near Christiana, where he owned and operated the largest gust mill in the colony. He was a rich man and a sound patriot for on December. 173, he addressed to the Delaware dele gates in Congress this letter, which is given literally : "As our representatives in Congress, fre - ne dite vague information, I heard that gold was hard to be bad in the city . f Philadelphia. To answer valuable papers, I am, and was always, willing to contribute my small mite to the times ; I naw will inham You, if you want, you can have one thousand pounds in cold : and will for exchange take the Congress lails as now by that authority oncutat- ing. If of service to the contain cause, send for it and the exchange, na above. I should be glad muy offers wete of any service to the grand cause. Your answer shall be punctually obeyed by your most humble Burvant."
The upshot in this instance was that out of six- ty-three men only theuty-two proffered themselves ready and willing to search. Colonel Patterson's letters to George Read are a little more than a prolonged great about his troops. When he got tiem to Philadelphia they found that the Pennsyl- vanians had been paid a suall bounty to enlist. and nearly three hundred of the four hundred and eighty mathnel and refused to do duty unless they were equally favored.' Patterson was a man of nerve and derermination, amd he brought them to terms by summoning the Continental infantry to disarm and arrest them. This was in the second week of September, 1776, and the Dela- wareans were to be sent over into New Jersey. "F at last," says Patterson, writing on September 19th, " got them down to the wharf, fixed bayonets at the head of it and sent them off. Captain Woodgate's arms not being done, I kept his com- pany to go with me, but this morning I learned, to my astonishment, that his whole company, save cleven men, had deserted during the night." He added : " I shall give you a small opinion on battalion affairs. If ever you order one other, never sacrifice liberty to licentiousness, by leaving the officers to be chosen as mine were. Had 1 known the men in general, I would not have went with them. Some few excessive good ; others, per- haps, another day may be brave, not at present. In my opinion, they had better have staid at home."
The command went to New Brunswick and then on to Amboy, and by October, Patterson had instilled a little discipline into them. In his letter of October 4th he appears in better humor, ex- cept with the Kent and Sussex men. ITe had then four hundred and sixty-one men, and wrote about them : " If ever I come campaigning again, I should never be for bringing up the men from below. They are not fit for fatigue, have no constitutions and ure always dissatisfied. Almost fifty or sixty of them every day sick and untit for duty, and fond of desertion, as you have seen at Philadelphia."s .
This severe judgment he mollified a good deal by adding in a postscript that " Since they left Philadelphia the Battalion is sorry for their mis- behavior. It was owing to a rascal telling them they were fools to go without their bounty."
A portion of the Delaware division of the Fly- ing Camp wa- ordered back to Philadelphia pre- ceding Washington's movement on Trenton, and formol a part of General Putnam's command, which was diweted to co-operate on December 25th with Washington in the blow that was ex-
" Mr. Whit ley's address, p. 20.
+ The Delaware men were eventually pund a bounty of six dollars each by art of the Legislature, February 19, 15:7.
5 Pttrisou was unjust in his whole's ile denunciations of the Kent and Sussex soldiers. Husket and Hall had many of them to their to piments, and they proved their gallantry oo many a hard-tought battle-beld.
:
Joseph Tatlow,
Same.
S.ume.
240
HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
pected to sweep the British from the Jerseys. The effort was a partial failure, because, white Wash- ington surevedel in crossing the river at Trenton and defeated Rahl, Putnam and Cadwallader were so obstructed by the ice in the streamn he- tween Bristol and Philadelphia that their inten- tion was nullified. Thomas Rodney had come up from Delaware and, after joining the troops as a volunteer at Philadelphia, was promoted to a sort of informal command, and was with them in this movement. Afterwards, when they were at Allen- town, twelve miles from Princeton, on December 30th, he wrote his brother Casar the narrative of this incident of the campaign : 1
"On the 2'th inst., in the evening, we received orders to be at Sha- mony (Nesbaimy ) Ferry as soon as possible We were there according to orders in two hours and met the riflemen, who wer . the first froth Bristol ; we were ordered from thence to Punk's Ferry on the Delinale, ail the whole army of about suo men followed as soon as the artillery got up. The three companies of Phibolendita intantiy ant mine were formed into a body under the command of Capt. Hence (myself second in command) which were embarked immediately to cover the landing of the other troops. We landed with great difficulty through the ice and formed on the ferry shore, about 2 m) yapls from the river. It was as severe a night as I ever saw, and after two battahons were landed the storm increased so much, and the river was so full of ice, that it was impossible to get the artillery over, for we had to walk 10 yards on the ice to get on shore. Gen. Cadwaluler, therefore, ordered the whole to retreat again, and we had to stund, at least, six hours under arms-first, to cover the landing and till all the rest had retreated again ; and by this time the storm of wind, han ami rain and show with the ice was so bad that some of the infantry could not get bu k till next day. This design was to have surprised the enemy at Blick Horse and Mount Holly at the site that Washington surfuised them at Treuton, and had we succeeded in getting over we should have hoished all our troubles. . . . The next night I received orders Dr iw it Bristol before day ; we were there accurihngly, and about 9 o'clock be- gan to embark one mile above Bristol, and about a o'clock in the after- noon got all our troops and artillery over, consisting of about Soup nien. and began our march to Burlington, the infantis, flanked by the little- men, making the advanced guard We got there abont 9 o'clock aud towok possession of the town, but font the enemy had made precipitate retreat the day before, bail as the weather was, m a great pathic. The whole infantry and ridemen were then ordered to set out that might and make a forced march to Bordentown (which way about It miles), whi h they did aud took possession of the town about 9 o'clock with a laige quantity of the enemy's stores, which they fall not time to carry of. We stayed there until the army came up : and the general, finding the enemy were but a few miles aheul, or fried the infantry tu proered to a town called Crosswick's, tom miles from Bordentown, and they were followed by one of the Philadelphia and one of the New England bat- talions. We got there abwait & welk, and at about W rafter we were all in our quarters) were informed that the enemy's Izgaze was about 16 miles from us under a guard of 300 men. Some of the militia colours applied to the infantry to make a forerd march that might and overhaul them. We had then been on duty four night and day, making forred marches, without six hours' sleep in the whole titue ; whereupon the i- fantry officers of all the companies unanimously declared it was madness to attempt, for that it would knock up all ont brave men. not wir of whom had yet gave out, but every one will suppose were much fatigued. They sent off a party who were fresh, but they knocked up letore . hey got up with thetn and came back atul met us at this town next moth- ing. They surrounded a house where there was att fortes ; took three of them ; one got off ; and one who ran and would not stop was shot dead. They gave him waiting, first by calling and then shut two bullets over his head, but he still persisted ; and the next two shut ; une bullet went through his arm and one through his heart. The enemy have fled before us in the greatest pink that ever was known ; we heard this moment that they have fled tram Princeton and that they were hard pressel by Washington. Never Were men in Matcher spirits than our whole army is ; none are sick and all are determinan1 to extirpate them from the Jersey, Inuit I believe the enemy's fear's will do it before we get up with the m. The He-sans, from the Gen ral to tha Common soldier, cure and imprecate the war and swear that they were sent here to be slaughtered ; that they never will leave New York agun until they sail for Europe. Jersey will be the most Wlersh colony on the continent ; the very Quakets declare for Loking up iflas You cannot imagine the distress of this country They have stopped everybody almost without distinction, even of all their clothes, and have
! eat and aluneed men, women and chil hen in the most cruel cocoon ever heard of. We have taken a number of pittsoffers in om mun Hestene and British, to the number of about twenty. It rem- och through the listing of Providence, that we shall retake Jetset .... without the loss of a main, rirent ota Gemural Washington Ist . Trenton. The enemy you to be leming their way to Ambos with all speed, but I beques we shall come up with the Princeton ligga yet and also get a share of then large stres at Brunswick I hque, if I live, to see the conquest of Jersey and set of bothe again in two weeks. some of my men have complained a little, but not to say sick ; they are all now well here."
The Flying Camp was mustered out at the ap- pointed time. Meanwhile, the first Legislature elected under the new Constitution met at New Castle, Monday, October 28, 1776. The members of the Council for the several counties were as fol- lows, with the votes they had received: New Castle-George Read, 250 votes ; Nicholas Van- dyke, 246 votes; Richard Cantwell, 244 votes. Kent-Thomas Collins, 645 votes ; James Syke-, 642 votes ; Richard Bassett, 639 votes. Sussex- John Wiltbank, 542 votes; William Polk, 541 votes ; Daniel Dingee, 541 votes.
George Read was chosen Speaker, Slator Clay clerk, and Robert Booth doorkeeper. Messrs. Sykes and Vandyke were appointed to act with Messrs. Mckean, Cook and Robinson, of the House of Assembly, as a committee to devise a great seal of the State, and, on November 21, brought in a report for a design of silver three inches in diameter, " and that there be engraven Britannia on the right side thereof and on the left, opposite to her, Liberty (in the usual shape-) with a label proceeding from Britannia to Liberty in these words : ' Go to America,' and that there be engraven on the top the shape of a book having these words therein, 'The Bill of Rights,' and at the bottom another book having these words therein, 'The system of Government,' and that there shall be an inscription round the same near the edge thereof, ' The Great Seal of the Delaware State,' with the figures 1776." Mesers. Sykes and MeKean were selected to have the seal made, but on January, 16, 1777, they reported that they could procure no engraver to perform the work, and two days later the matter was settled by the adoption of a devive embracing a sheaf of wheat, an ear of Indian corn and an ox in a shield with a river dividing the wheat and corn from the ox ; the supporters to be an American soldier under arms on the right and a husbandman with a hoe in his hand on the left ; that a ship be the erest and that the State inscription be placed round the edge. Pending the completion of this design, the seal of New Castle County was to be used as the great seal of the State.
U'p to this time the plan of raising troops had been experimental and ignorant. Congress had learned that a genuine army could only be formed by long-term enlistments, and, therefore, on Sep- tember 26th, it had resolved on the creation of eighty-eight battalions, or regiments, by which
1 " American Archives," vol. iii. 5th series, pp. 1486-1499.
1
241
DELAWARE DURING THE REVOLUTION.
Delaware's quota was one battalion of eight hun- dred men, to serve daring the war. The induce- ments held oat were the small bounty of twenty dollars, in Continental money, to privates and non- commissioned officers, and one hundred acres of land to those who served throughout the war, or to their heirs if they were killed. It was also provided that, though the officers should be com- missioned by Congress, their appointments were to be left to the several States, and cach State niuist furnish arms, accoutrements and clothing. The resolutions of Congress were read in the Delaware Legislature October 30th, and a committee, embracing Mes-rs. Sykes, Vandyke, and Col- lins for the Council, and Robinson, Ridgely and MeKean for the House, was appointed to con- fer upon the question. It was debated from No- vember 2d until the 5th, when it was agreed that the battalion be raised ; that a commissioner be appointed by each branch of the Legislature to visit the camps of Haslet's and Patterson's regi- ments and ascertain what number of officers and men would take service in the new command, preference in selecting the commissioned officers to be given to Haslet's officers, and the vacant places remaining to be tendered to the officers under Patterson. The commissioners were instructed to consult with General Washington regarding ap- pointments and promotions, and could issue no commission without his approbation. The Coun- cil appointed as commissioner Thomas Collins, and the House chose Samuel West, who at once set off' on their mission.
On November 6, 1776, the Council eoncurred with the House on the proposition to eleet dele- gates to Congress, but declined to participate in the election of a Couneil of Safety unless the Legis- lature should adjourn before electing the President and Privy Council. On the next day the House replied that it did propose to so adjourn, where- upon the Council agreedI to the scheme as a whole, and, on the 10th, the election resulted in the choice of George Read. John Dickinson and John Evans as members of Congress aud the following Council of Safety, which had full power of action during the recess of the Legislature.
New Castle County-James Latimer, John Me- Kinly, Abraham Robinson, John Lea, Nicholas Vandyke.
Kent County-Caesar Rodney, James Sykes, Thomas Collins, John Baning, Richard Bassett. Sussex County-David Hall, Jacob Moore, Jolin Wiltbank, John Rodney, James Rench.
On November 9th the Legislature adjourned to January 6, 1777, after appropriating for the ex- penses of the session a little more than eighty-two pounds. When it re-assembled no business was done until January 15th, when the resolution setting apart February 27th as a day of fasting
and prayer was passed, and it was resolved to strictly enforce the prohibition against the expor- tation of bacon, salt beef, salt park, soap, tallow and candles1 Messrs. Vandyke, Sykes, Cant- well and Wiltbank were appointed a committee to frame a bill for a better militia establishment than then existed, and it was ordered that two chains of fire-rafts be built for the defense of the Delaware, and that a large quantity of provisions, arms, powder and lead be bought for the use of the mil- itia and the Continental troops in service within the State. It was, however, very difficult to find cloth- ing for the troops, for one of the resolutions of this series directed the Speaker to inform the President of Congress " that the persons employed in Penn- sylvania under the Congress to bay elothing for the army have purchased almost all of the articles of that kind which were to be had in this State, and therefore it is hoped that they will be pleased to give some direction for the speedy elothing of the Delaware Battalion, as a single company of them will not be able to march without new clothes."
The election of a President and other officers of the government was approaching, and as the Constitution presented no mode of taking the bal- lot, committees of the House and Council spent two weeks in elaborating a system. It provided that when the House and Council met in joint convention each member might propose a candidate for the Presideney, and all the names should be written out and left on the table for the consider- ation of members. After they had slept a night the joint convention would re-assemble the next day and proceed with the ballot. To elect a Presi - dent required a majority of the votes of the mem- bers present, and in case of a tie, the deciding vote was to be east by the Speaker of the Council. On the day of the election of President the nomina- tions of the judges and the delegates in Congress would be made, and their election would take place on some future day. On February 12th, John MeKinly was chosen President by 19 votes out of the 23 east, and the nominations for julges and Congressmen were made. Further elections were deferred to the 21st, when the joint conven- tion again met and all the offices were filled by the choice of these gentlemen.
Justices of the Supreme Court,-Richard Me- Williams, Cesar Rodney, James Sykes.
Judge of Admiralty,-Nicholas Vandyke .?
1 Daniel Dingee was, at his own request, temporarily excused from at. tendance upon thissession, because of the suspicionscast upon him by the te-titanny of Jaenb Bo,Ri.tt, the se inin capture ] by the Britis'i frigate " Roebuck, " who in his ath licit, areply mation . 1. state 1 thit on- the Tories who came on hotel the sup after the fight with the Ameri- can buts give the name of Mr. Dagen. A connutop of the d'maril investigated the affer ant revital that Mr. Diriged's mune hal bien faleily na . 1, whoroup i he was fully a; quitted and req testel to resumo his seat in the Council.
" Messis. Williams and R Aney declined to avent the oficer and Mr. Sy kes preferred to beomne clerk of the Kent County Court, and Cofsd-
16
242
HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
Justices of the Courts of Common Pleas and Orphans' Court : New Castle County,-John Jones, James Latimer, John Thompson. Abraham Robin. son. Kent County, -- Thomas Tilton, John Clark, Richard Smith, Thomas White. Sussex County, John Wiltbank, Wm. Polk, John Laws. Isaac Smith.
Military Treasurers, -Samuel Patterson, New Castle ; John Baning, Kent ; John Rodney. Sussex.
Commissioner of the Continental Loan Office, Samuel Patterson.
Nicholas Vandyke and James Sykes were dole- gates to Congress in place of Dickinson and Evans.
Fiscal legislation was one of the matteis prom. inent at this session, and on February 22. 1777, an act was passed to issue fifteen thousand pounds in bills of credit of the State " to be let out on loan, "and for striking the further sum of ten thousand pounds, to be used in the defense of the State, and providing a sinking fund. The act conferred upon the bills the compulsory legal-tender quality and provided the death penalty for counterfeiting the names of
No. 148206
RECTE
FACI
IS
Thirty Dollars. THE Bearer is cu- titled to receive Thirty Spani/5 milled DOL LARS, or an equal C S . Sum in Gold or Silver. j'according to a Refo- Iutien of CONGRESS of the 14th January, 1779.
20 Dollars.
Ounos
FAC-SIMILE OF CONTINENTAL CURRENCY.
the official signers. On the same day a measure was passed making the Continental currency i -- ued by authority of Congress a legal-tender, and pun- ishing with death any counterfeiting of the eur- rency, or of the Continental Loan Office certiti- cates, or of the tickets of the public lott ry. The Council elected as Privy Counsellors, Thomas Macdonough and George Latimer, and the Legis- lature adjourned to June 6th, but on May 1st was convoked in special session by President MeKinly. John Jones and Samuel S. Sloss were seated as members for Sussex in place of Polk and Wiltbank.
quently, on June 5th, Wmv. Killen, John Trans and John Cook ware elect. ed justices of the Supreme Court. Nu hlas Vandyke declined the Adnur- elty judgeship, und on June 5th Casar Rodney was chosen to till the position.
who had been appointed Jadzes of Court. and John Baning took the seat of Mr. Sykes for Kent, who had also give upon the bench. An act was passed making Dover the meeting-place of the future regular esions of the Legislature, and Thegames were taken for completing the battalion of troops for the army.
On June 7th the Legislature adjourned until October, and during that long recess Delaware was the theatre of' stirring events. The battalion of regulars was recruited, organized and placed under the command of Col. David Hall. He had in it many of the veterans of Haslet's command, who had left the latter in the autumn of 1776 to join Hall, who could offer the strongest attractions to men who had decided to fight the war out to the end. Of Ilaslet's officers, Captain David Hall became colonel ot this new regiment ; Captain Charles Pope, its lieutenant-colonel; Captain Joseph Vaughan, its major; Lieutenant John Fatten, a captain ; Lieutenant Robert Kirkwood, a captain ; Lieutenant Anderson, a lieutenant ; Ensign Peter Jaequett, a captain, Lieutenant Lear- month, a captain ; and Lieutenant James Moore, a captain. Thus nine officers from Haslet's regiment obtained ap- pointments in Colonel David Hall's new regiment. These officers doubtless car- ried off' a great many of their men. No wonder, therefore, that on the 3d of November, and on the 22d of Decem- ber Haslet made such a poor show in his return of both officers and men.1 He himself had evidently become disgusted and chagrined; there was found in his pocket when he was killed an order per- mitting him to return home to recruit for his regiment.
It was Hall's regiment that made the perpetual fame of the Delaware soldiers in the Revolution. The first company to join it was Captain John Patten's, which was mustered in Nov. 30th, but Kirk- wood's followed in the next day. Then followed much delay in filling the ranks, and the command was not ready to march until the following spring. Muster-rolls of Patton's and Kirk wood's companies at the time of enlistment are extant, but there is no roster of the regiment except that which is dated in February, 1750. Patten's included these names : ?
Captain, John Putten : Lientenant, William McKennan ; Enwien, Elijah Shillington ; First Sergeant, William Maxwell ; Second Ser- grant, Architbild MeBrul -; Fust Corporal, flury Rowan; Second Corporal, David Young; Thud Corporal, Dennis Demp-ey ; Privates, thirty-two.
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