Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-08-31
CESAR RODNEY AND THE BLUE HEM
CHICKENS"

An article in Scribner's Monthly for September
relates how Mr.. Stephen Pleasonton, then
clerk in the Department of State, at Washing
ton, saved tine Declaration OF Independence
the original document-at the time the Capital
WAS captured and the public buildings burned by
the British, in August, 1914. Briefly, MIR. Pleas
onton, by order OF Mr.. Monroe, then Secretary
Of State, packed up all the valuable papers of
the Department in linen sacks, and had them
hsuled to Leesburg, Va, where they remained
until the Capital was reoccupied by the Govern
ment. At the close of the article there ls the
following paragraph
"Mr Pleassnton was the granddaughter OF
Caesar Rodney, of Delaware, one OF the signers
of the Declaration, and the commander OF Una.
celebrated troop, The Blue Hens Chickens,
which did such service during the Revolution
that when the people Of Delaware wished to
send Mr.. Rodney to the Senate, General WASH
ington wrote him an autograph letter begging
him not to accept the nomination, as he could
do 30 much more efficient service at the head OF
his troop. Mr.. Rodney was wealthy bachelor,
and devoted five large farms to the cause OF the
Revolution. The Rodneys were an old English
family, the first Of the name who came TO this
country, William Rodney having married the
half-sister Of Edward the Sixth, the daughter of
Lady Jane Seymour by her second marriage
These statements partially true, are marred
by some inaccuracies. There never was any par
ticulsr troop" known as the " Blue Hens
Chickens" The name was applied, generally, to
Deawareans in the Revolutionary service, after
it had first been given to the company of Capt
Jonathan Caldwell, part of Col. Hazlet's regi-
ment. The story is that Captain Caldwell took
with him into the service some game fowls, the
progeny of a famous Kent county blue hen, and
that his officers and men, when not otherwise
engaged, amused themselves fighting chckens,a
sport much INDUCED in Revolutionary times, and
which the Southern soldiers were especially fond
of. But Cesar Rodney was in no way connected
with Captain Caldwell's company, nor WAS he in
immediate command of any body Of men to
whom the name OF 50 Blue Hens Chickens par
ticularly belonged, for as we have sad it pre-
sently became generic, and was applied to other
Delaware soldiers, as well as Capt. CAldwell'a
command.
Nor was Cesar Rodney such fighting man at
the ausion above would indicate lie rendered
most valuable assistance in recruiting, organic
ing, and supplying the troops, and was, at sever
eral times Of emergency actually in the field
holding the rank, first OF Brgadier General, ant
then of Major General but his services as
soldier were much less important than
his labors in the Continental Congress, and hi
continued exertions amongst the people of hi
own State in support of the revolutionary cause
manifest error, also, is the allusion to a sea
in "the Senate" There was, of course, III
Senate, until the adoption OF the constitution
in 1883, six years after the war had ended. Rod
ney, in February, 1777, returned from the cam
of Washington's army, where he had been 70
some weeks, to exert his influence amongst hi
people at home, and Washington cordially az
proved this action : and later, he declined til
Office of Judge OF the Supreme Court of Della
ware, with the approval and by the desire of til
Board of War, his services in capacities mtar
and political being too valuable to be absorbe
in the judicial function. Subsequently, he wa
once more elected to Congress, (Dec. IL 1777
but decided that he could do more at home, an
did not take his seat From some one, probabl
the last, of these circumstances, the substanc
Of the allusion above may have originated, ,givin
1t the form of truth but not exactness.