Weekly Trinity journal., 1861-10-05
The Blue Hens ChicIseus,

Al the commencement of the Revolutionary
war. there resided in Sussex county, Delaware.
gentleman of fortune. urbanty of manners. and
popularity in that and the adjoining counties Of
Maryland, named Caldwell, in the language Of
the county, Kilwel He sportsman. whose
breed of horses and game cocks obtained wide
celebrity and his Judgment of the points of
horse or the make of II fowl none ventured To
dispute. His favorte axiom was the character
of the progeny depends more on the mother than
the father, and hence his reply to all questions
Respecting the breed of game fowl was, b" your
cock ever so game you cannot depend on his
progeny, but must look to the hen. My Obsrrva-
tion has led me to select a blue hen, aud in no
instance have failed to hatch good game cock
from blue hen's egg. In consequence of snch
an opinion expressed by sGOh man. At all mat
ches and cock fights, the first question was as Ia
The color of the hen, and frequently certificate
sworn to before magistrate, accompanied the
fowl. Such questions engaged the time OF the
peaceful men of Delaware, when the news reach
ed them of the battle of Lexington, fought on
the 10Th day of April. 1875, between the Royal
troops aud the militia OF Massachusetts. This
reused the people to arms, aud nowhere was there
more martial spirit displayed than in the State
of Delaware. In very short time a full regi
ment was raised and day appointed tn organize
on Dover Green, On the morning of that ever
memorable day full company from Sussex ooun-
tY was the first to enter the field under the com.
mand of Captain Kilwel Peerng above the
loaded baggage wagon, was coop OF foWls, the
famous blu" hens Chickens Growing Justify.
Having been the first on the ground, Capt. xii
wells company was assigned to the right and
before the regiments took up the line OF march
the boys were already called The game cocks, who
retorling on their comrades called them the
chickens. After their gallant conduct in covering
the retreat on Long Island, the whole army salu-
ted the whole regiment as the "Blue uep's
Chickens"
HISTORY TELLS Us OF THEIR DEEDS.
They were on Long Island and covered the re-
treat they were at Trenton aud Princeton, at
Brandywine Germantown, and Monmouth. in the
north and when the tories in the Caronas had
made their peace with CORVALLIS, and driven the
wings TO the mountains. lower Virginia overrun,
her Governor and Legislature fed to Cart'r's
Mountain. A force was hastily gathered at the
North, under Gen. Gates, aud pushed South to
these were attached the troops of Delaware and
Mary land, forming brigade und"r Baron d"
Kalb. On the fatal field of Camden" Kilwell
iell--there the game cock fought his last round
Lee in his memoir of the Southern war, tells MS !:
"The regiment of Delaware nearly ami
hilated, and Lieutenant-Colonel Vaughan and
Mayor Patten being taken, Its remnant less than
| two companies. were afterwards placed under
the orders of KirkwoOd. senior Captain. Contra
ry to the usual course of events and the general
wish, the Virginians (who broke and fled on the
first fire, and who set the injurious example which
produced the destruction of our army escaped
entirely"
But the spirit of Delaware was not to be cub.
| dued fresh recruits soon Joined, and again we
| find the " Chickens" fighting under Greed at Gil
| tord--and finally presnt at Yorktown on the 10Th
Of October, 1881, when CORVALLIS surrendered,
and the war Of the Revolution closed in triumph
VOLUNTEERS OF DELAWARE
The fire kndled on the 10th of April, 1775 at
! Lexington, blazed in the breasts of your sires.--
Above you have brief record of their deeds.
The fire on Sumter, on the 18th of April 1861
where il took seven thousand of the descend
ants of the tories of the Revolution to overcome
seventy halfstarved defenders of our glorious
fag-has reused you to arms. Soon you will be
in the field, Garry with you the remembrance
of the deeds performed by your fathers.
When you enter Virginia, remember to avenge
Camden, where Virginia's own historian tells
you " They escaped entirely, having fled ON the
first fire."
Let the word be-FORwARD! Until you see
the Stars aud Stripes again floating over Sumter,
and every other fort in the harbor, and every
house in the city of Charleston, let there he no
rest to the soes of your feet! Delaware's honor
ia in your hands, With half her present popula-
tion, she kept her regiment in the field for six
years of the Revolution. Can you doubt their
ability to do SO now
BLUE HENS CHICKENS, TO THE 'FRONT.' F0R-
WARD MARCH
NoTE.-Baron DeKalb fell moraly wounded
at Camden. Kirkwood fell at st. Clair's defeat
by the Indians, in l79l, having thirty. three
times risked his life for his country ,"-Lee's
Memoirs,