Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-04-16
The Revolutionary soldiers OF Della
ware-Address by Col. ~. Il. whites
Icy.

ware-Address by Col. ". q. Whire-
ley.
At this Centennial period, the preparation OF
Col. Whiteley's address on q The Revolutionary |
Soldiers of Delaware was most appropriate and
timely 1t was delivered our readers re-
member, before the Historical Society of this
State, and subsequently, by invitation of the
recent Legislature in the presence of the MEM
bers of that body, and it has now been printed,
as it eminently deserved to be. 1t presents in
a succinct narrative the best and fullest infor-
nation now attainable in reference to the fight
ing men of this State who joined in the war for
our national independence.
There were, of these soldiers, three regi-
ments, or " battalions," as they were in that
day called, commanded respectively by Col.
John Haslet, (who was killed at Princeton, with
the gallant Mercer, and whose monument. erect
ed by the State, may be in the Presbyter-
ian church-yard at Dover , Col Samuel Patter-
son and COL David Hall and partisan COM
pany," commanded by the celebrated Capt
Allen MeLane One other battalion" under
Col. Henry .Neall was raised late in the war
but, if it saw active service at all, probably par
ucipated i'll no battles. The three regiments
were of three classes, had different terms Of
service, and different organizations. The first
and second were State troops, the third a " Con-
t.nental OF the line Col Haslet's regi-
ment starting off when Independence was de-
clared had so far melted away by the time Of
the battle of Princeton that it was then dis
banded Col Pattersons formed part of what
was called the Flying Camp body of
hurried levies like the " emergency men
raised in 1853, when Lee rushed upon Pennsyl.
vania it was organized about August or Sep
tember, l776, and mustered out at the begin
ming Of December. But the third Z" battal.
ion, which was partially recruited from the
frse, and received nine of ita officers
from 1t, was the veteran
organization which reflected most
lustre on the name of the State and did greatest
service for Independence, Raised i'll the winter
OF 1776-I7, when, after his depressing and de-
moralizing experiences with militia troops,
IN the preceding Summer and Fall, Washington
had at last induced Congress to take vigorous
measures for the organization of what was real
ly national army, this regiment Of Halls
formed the quota of Delaware in the eighty
eight battaliona winch were then called for " to
serve throughout the War That call was ner-
vous, energetic, and earnest. The regiments
that responded were the veterans who won the
fight And among them all, this from Delaware
destined as it was to the sharpest and cruel
list trials of battle, yielded the palm of courage
discipline, and efficiency to more 1t Joined
Washington i'll 'the Jerseys" in the Spring of
l777 fought under him at Braudywine- within
sight Of the homes its heroes were defending
at Germantown, and at Monmouth, and watched
lts eoinfurtless camp-tires with him at Valley
Forge. Later, when Gates-unhappy choice of
Congress was sent to the South to check Corn
wallis and IaIleton, the Delaware Line was or
dered with him, and i'll the Caronas, from
the Spring Of l7S0 until after the
close Of the War, it marched, suffered
and bled At Camden, the scene of Gates's mos +
shameful disaster, in August, 1850, the regi-
ment which had left Delaware in April with
about i've hundred men was annhilated at a
blow. When the militia of Virginia and North
Carolina fed FROM that fatal field leaving the
bruut Of the battle to the little phalanx Of Con-
tuental= from Maryland and Delaware, our men
fought like heroes, stood their ground, and died
When the brief but fierce contest of an hour wa,
ever, they were but one hundred and eighty
eight in ALL Formed then into a company of
A5ht infantry under the senior Captain,
ktrkwood, they fought again at Cowpens,
at Gulford, at Hobhirka Hill, the siege Of Nine
ty-Six, and at Eutaw Springs fghting every
whore with courage that could not he exceeded.
with coolness and skill that always won them
mention after the battle. Scarcely general or
der Of Greene'4 that does not praise them
scarcely account Of battle that does not
mention the heroic part they took So few
they were yet prominent
Intending only to state, in concise manner
the terms which the several organizations
served, aud the theatre of their service. the ca.
reer Of the Continental Battalion has carried III
INTO a fuluess which the inspiration Of the
theme would not permit to be abridged. Such
briefly IL the record of the three regiments.
OF Mcl.ane : company and It's exploits, no sum
mary description could be given Of the fourth
regiment under Col. Neal the allusion already
made comprehends all That seems to be now dis.
coyerable.
These troops were drawn from population
estimated at 81 500 To equal the effort ghicl.
was made when the Continental Battalion eight
hundred strong, marched off i'll l777, we should
now have to raise, and send away at one time
tweuty.seyen hundred men, a result scarcely
achieved even n that day Of patriotic exaltation
when the Mon for which Haset and kirkwood
lad fought wa- N peril Of dissolution.
OF the officers who led these men sometime
l. known but less than grateful posterity, it,
attention now eagerly turned after the lapse OF
hundred prosperous years, to their heroic ser
v,ses wgnia de-re. iIaslct was killed at Prince
ton. Cunning bedford, his Lieutenant Colonel
wounded at White Plains, served on Washing
t5n'sstaf1, helped frame the National Constitution
~, .I.o sg,,,+ r. 1 1I,..
aware his monument rises, serene and simple
to the sight Of tue thousands who pass upon oul
principal street. John Macpherson, appointed
Major Of tho lst Regiment, had been one Of the
first to rush to sarms, and when appointed he
had already fallen with Montgomery, in the at.
tack upon Quebec. In his place was named
Major Thomas MacDonough, who was wounded
al the battle on Long Island, but recovered and