Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-02-18
Delaware Soldiers In she Revouusion.
ADDREss OF COL WHITLEY BKFoR1 THE HIsToRl
CAL sOCIETY-HK RECouNrs THE DEEDS OF oU

ADDRESS OF COL wafTELkT BKFolx THE H1eTORI-
CAL socIETY-HE REcoUNTs THE DEkDs OF OUR
FATHERS IN THE WAR OF INDKPENDENcE.
Col. Vim. G. Whitley delivered an address,
on Thursday, before the Historical Society on
the Revolutionary Soldiers Of Delaware" The
address WAS very able, showing careful research
for historical data, and though occupying one
hour and twenty minutes in its delivery, ELECTED
the closest interest to its close. He introduced
tho subject by \ quotation from Sallust in his
history Of the Jugurthine war in speaking OF
Scipio MAximus and other men Of renown, who
used to ssy that whenever they behsld the
srsss OF o1da .ns 'esy felt their minds
pairing this address was not 80 much to excite q
spirit Of emulation Of the deeds Of our ancestors
as to prevent their deeds from being forgotten.
As . State and ~ individuals We have been
negligent in the preservation Of these historic
facts. The records were kept in manuscript,
the most Of which have been lost, but he had
found four Of the original rolls in the Secretary
Of States Office. This loss Ia to be regretted for
we Of Delaware have great and Just cause to be
proud Of the acts, conduct and heroism Of our
Revolutionary Soldiers.
In less than AAmonth after the declaration Of
Independence, we had eight hundred men in the
field who fought At Brooklyn, White Plains,
Trenton and Princeton, and by April Of 1777 We
had regiment of like numbers who fought ut
III oAAy WiHos ucIuNDUOWuy 0uuLOIu, tWlCo ~
Camden, Cowpens, Ninety. Six and 1t Eutaw
and at this latter they never laid down their arms
though reduced almost to corporals
guard until CORVALLIS surrendered At Yorktown
and Leslie evacuated Charleston. In fact there
Was not battle during the revolution worthy of
the name, except the battles Of Bunker's Hill
and Yorktown, in which one Of Delawares regi-
ments did not participate and III the latter though
Halls regiment itself or rather what was left
Of it, was not present. 1t being At that time with
raised in Maryland and Delaware for Smallwoods
and Kirkwood's regiments, were stopped in
their march to Join their respective regiments
and ordered 10 unite with the army before York
town, and in this way the regiment itself may
be said to have participated also in the seige
and battle Of Yorktown, the decisive battle Of
the war;
Our population at tho outbreak of the revolu-
tion was only 81, 500, and yet by the second year
Of the war We had furnished three regiments,
viz: Col. Hazletts, COL Patterson's and Col.
Halls. The first regiment Col. Hazlett raised,
in fact, before the Declaration of Independence,
and participated in the battle Of Brooklyn in less
than month after it left Dover,
Mr.. Whitley then referred to the feeling in
our State in reference to the war Of the revolu-
tion. While many Of our people were undoubted-
ly friendly and favorable to it, there we're .
great many honestly opposed to All appeal to
arms against the mother country. Some took
this view from conviction that the evils conf
plAlteu VI we're tTlUluRs bOu6 tnAb UuOuBu tn6
wrongs were great England, upon fair repre-
sentation being made to her. would redress
them. Some conscientiously believed their al
legiance to be due to the Government under
which they were born and others, though few
in numbers, were Rctuated by fear and desire
to protect their persons and property. The pee
pie were OF English descent. especially in Kent
| and Sussex; they paid no taxes, especially not
upon their tea, for their tea was made from the
root of the sassafras;. they were an
isolated people, none but few mer-
chants rarely geng to the cities, and they fed
| and clothed themselves mostly from their own
farms. and it was not therefore surprising that
| these people for time did not unite zealously
in the cause Of the colonies, but should require
some argument and personal influence brought
| to bear upon them. The man who was con-
spicuous in doing this was Caesar Rodney, and to
him more than any one else the speaker thought
do we owe the position which our State and peo-
pie took in that important contest In this
he was aided by his colleagues in the Continen.
tai Congress, and ardent Whgs-George Read
and Thos. Mexican. The General Assembly did
not authorize our delegates to vote for 1nde-
pendence, but Rodney proceeded to Dover and
through his influence chiefly the Assembly
passed unanimously, June 14th, 1776, new in
structtons to our deputies to concur with othel
delegates in adopting such measures Is shAll b.
Judged necessary 70 our safety and liberty, and
under this instruction they acted promptly TO
Independence.
20 Inc history OF aAZleLG y Iesttueut. D0
fore the Declaration OF Independence regiment
had been raised by Col. John Hazett and mus.
tered into the States service. 1t was composed
Of eight companies and 800 men. Its officers
were appointed by the Congress from recon
mendations by the Council Of Safety of the
"three lower counties on the Delaware Janu,
AIRY 10th, 1776, the journals Of Congress- show
the following officers elected. Wig John Haz
lett, colonel; Cunning Bedford, Lieut.. Colo
mel and John Mcpherson, Major. But Nc
Ionl I1fN l. al pk1l
been killed Dec, 3lst with Gen. Motgomery
while storming Quebec. The intelligence OF hif
death did not reach the Assembly OF Delaware
until some time in March, and on the 22d OF
March Thomas McDonough WAS elected in hit
place.
In few days after the Declaration was re.
ceived the regiment marched to the head quar-
ters Of the army without tents, and apparently
without provisions, and were brigaded with foul
Pennsylvania and Smalwood's Maryland Regi
ments with Lord Sterling III Brgadler, aud il
the battle OF Brooklyn, which occurred i'll abou
three weeks after, they behaved with the cour
age and armness Of veteran soldiers. The mex
battles in which they we're engaged we're Tren
ton and Princeton, aud here Col. Hazett wa
killed while gallantly leading his regiment int,
action. He was charging on the British line
about sunrise, and WAS instantly killed by rifle
bullet winch penetrated his head He was bori
in Ireland, was educated for the ministry, bu
subsequently studied medicine and practsed il
| DOVeE. l10 WIS MI hTuoHu wing anu u CODuuull
OF Caesar Rodney. the latter esteemlpg him
safe medium through which to reach and arous
the people. After Col. Hazlett's death, tn
regiment, reduced to less than 100 men, wa
never re-organized
Lieut.. Col. Bedford went on Gen. Washing
toms staff, fought in several bstties,was wound
ed at White Plains and after the Peace was AT
torney General. District Judge. &c.
, Major McDonough, after the disbanding O
: the regiment, retired to his home at McDon
; ough and pursued successfully his practice Q
medicine. He WAS the father Of Commodor
Thos McDonough Of Lake Champlsin fame.
Congress called on Maryland and Delawar
for 10000 men. The battalion raised WAS III
der Col Samuel Patterson, who WAS miller 9
Christians village, and was afterwards burie
there. Shortly after this. Congress called fo
eighty-eight battalons, Delsware's quota bein
Q one-sOO men-to serve during the war, and
. new battalion was formed with David Hall fc
: colonel, and this became afterwsrd De
t awares best regiment. April 80. 1850. it wa
Q ordered south and fought under Baron De Kal
, and went through ell the southern battles. A
: Camden they held their ground until they wer
: nearly anDihilsted. Col Hall being wounded
!, and leaving the regiment, was succeeded by Co
3 Krkwood, through whose command the reg
{ ment received its greatest renown.
! The Delaware regiment was conspicuous fe
bayonet exercises in fighting, and Gen. Greene
: under whom they fought in the South, said the
0 exceeded all soldiers be had ever the
, could march all day and dance all night. Whe
0 the war closed, they were At Ashley river an
! marched home, . distance Of 720 miles. Coz
gress returned them vote Of thanks Oct 29tl
Q 1881.
r Col. Whitley closed his address, Of which th
r is very brief extract, by saying they were il
0 deed
: "Chef eraced with scars and prod,gal Of blood,
Stern warriors who for So crs Freedom stood "
r vote Of thanks was rendered Col. Whitley
tho Society.