The Nevada journal., 1861-10-18
THE BLUE HENS CuIcrnrNs.

THE BLUE HENS CuICrxENs.
AT the commencement of the Revolution
ary war, there resided in Sussex county,
Delaware, gentleman of fortune, urbanity
oi manners, and popularity, in that and the
adjoining counties of Maryland, named
C.'avell, in the language of the county,
hjwell. He was sportsman, whose breed
VI orses and game cocks obtained wide
&c 5rityi and his judgment of the points
Of O horse or the make of a fowl none VEN
turea to disrste. His favorite axiom was
the character of the progeny depends more
"a he mother than on the fatuer, and heace
his reply to all questions respecting the
breed of game fowls was, he your cock ever
so game, you cannot depend on his progeny,
but must look to the hen. Ny observation
has led me to select blue hen, and in no
instance have failed TO hatch a good game
cock from blue hens egg In consequence
of such an opinion expressed by such II
man, at all matches aad cock fights, II e
first question was as to 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 reached
them Of the battle of Lexington, fought on
the 18th day of April, 1875, between the
Royal troops and the militia Of Massachu-
setts. This reused the people to arms and
nowhere was there more martial spirit dis
played than in the State of Delaware. In a
very short time full regiment was raised
and day appointed to organize on Dover
Green. On the morning Of that ever men,
orable day, full company from Sussex
county was the FIRST to enter the field, under
The command OF Captain Kilwell. Pecring
above the loaded baggage wagon, was
coop Of fowls, the famous blue hens chick
ems, growing Justify.
Having been the first on the ground, Capt.
Kilwe!fs company was assigned to the right,
and before the re giment took up the line Of
march the boys were already called the game
cocks, who, retorting on their comrades,
called them the chickens. After ther gallant
conduct in covering the retreat on Long
Island the whole army saluted the whole
regiment as the "Bue Hens Chckeus."
HISTORY TELLS Us OF THEIR DEEDS.
They were on Long Island and covered
the retreat; they were at Trenton and
Princeton, at Brandywne, Germantown,
and Monmouth, in the north; and when the
tories in the Carolinas had made their
peace with Corvallis, and driven the
wings to the mountains, lower Virginia
overrun, her Governor aud Legislature fed
to Carter's Mountain. A force was hastily
gathered at the North, under Gen. Gates,
and pushed South; to these were attached
the troops Of Delaware and Maryland, form
ing brigade under Baron Dc Kalb. On
the nfata field of Camden" Kiwell fell
there the game cock Tough. his last round.
Lee in his memoir of the Southern war,
tells us:
nThe regiment OF Delaware was nearly
annihilated, andLieuteuant- -ColonelVaughn
bUQ hNlOl NNANu bNAhS ANhNtj 10 AN'Hh'hh
less than two companies. we've afterwards
placed under the orders of Kirkwood, sen-
ior Captain. Contrary to The usual course
of events and the general wish, the Virgin
ians (who broke and fed on the first fire,
and who set the injurious example which
produced the destruction of our army es-
capped entirely
But the spirit OF Delaware was not to be
subdued; fresh recruits soon joined and
again we find the "Chickens" fighting un-
der Green at Gilford-and finally present al
Yorktown on the l9tl of October, 1871,
when Cornwallis surrendered, and the war
of the Revolution closed in triumph.
VOLUNTEERS OF DELAWARE
The fire kindled on the 10th of April,
l775, at Lexington, blazed in the breasts
of your sires. Above you have brief rec
ord of their deeds.
The fire on Sumter, on the 18th OF April,
ls6l-where it took seven thousand OF the
desceu iants of the tories of the Revolution
to overcome seventy half-starvei defenders
OF our glorious hag-aas reused you 10
arms. Soon you will be in the field. Car
rs with you the remembrance OF the deeds
performed by your fathers.
When you enter Virginia remember to
avenge Camden, where yirgiuias own his
torian tells you "7'hsy escaped entirely, hay
ing fed on the first fire.
Lei the word be-FogwARDl Until you
see the Stars and Stripes again floating
ever Sumter, aud every other fort in the
harbor, and every house in the city OF
Charleston, let there be no rest to the soles
cf your feetl Delaware's honor is IN your
hands. With half her present population,
she kept her regiment in the field fer six
years Of the Revelation. Can you doubt
their ability to do so nowf
BpuE HESs CHICKENS, TO THE FRoSrl-
FORWARD! MARCH,
ro1t ,,or+atJv wounded