Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-02-13
REVOLUTIONARY Vac INoIDBsT.
sad Death OF an English officer
and the brave show OF Delaware
HAldiePs.

sad Death OF an English officer
and the brave show OF Delaware
soldiers.
During his recent visit TO this city to
orgsuize Delaware Society Of the Sons
OF Revolution, William o. Mcdowell,
the vice. president OF the national organi-
zltion, related an interesting bit of hiB-
tory concerning some Delaware troops Of
the Revolutionary war which has prob
ably never been printed before. The in
ciient occurred inat after tho battle OF
Princeton, when the Continental army,
after long march following that famous
battle, eRmped o. little village 10 the
interior of New jersey called Plucksnin.
They carried with them, among a number
of prisoners, Lord Lesley, son of the Earl
of Leyen, Scottish noblemnn, who he'd
been seriously wounded at the battle Of
Princeton.
DIR. Benjamin Bush OF Philadelphia
was then gurgeon-generRl OF the Ameri-
can army and when ha heard who Lesley
was, he asked and received permission
from General Washington 10 attend the
wounded officer. 1t seems that when
DR.. Rush was q young medical student in
Scotland, just on the threshold OF his
career, he became acquainted with Lady
Leyen, Lord Lesley's mother, and the
noble lsay had taken very friendly in
terest in the young Amsrioan'R welfare.
She made his stay in Soctisnd during tho
prosecution OF Lila studies such a pleasant
one, gave him motherly advice and il
other ways bafriendsd linn, that DR..
Eush almost felt as though his education
and success in life werH greatly due TO
her kindly help at time when he most
| needed aid.
Although the young officer received all
thGt medical skill could then afford, ne
auacumNea to his injuries and was buried
with military honors in little cemetery
in the Now Jersey village where he died.
tume 81 his fellow officers, who were
prisanerr, attended his fuuerGi, 81 did
| elso { detail Of troops from she Cont.
| nsntnl army. The latter looked more
| like 8 moo thsn an army. Their clothes
| were in rags, many we're bara.fouted and
the priyetious which they had endured
! had sadly deriraEted their ranks. Under
! these circumstances, this Delaware com
pany, commanded by Captain Thomas
I Rodney, q brother OF Cspt y A. Rodney,
! WAS found to be tha Dest dressed aud
most soldiegly LOOKING squad among the
| Continental troops, Hid Ii Y were TIERS
i AllsA bstcNtItl u ~ lJ3 4LililtHFy hbhV g
1t tie yonng English 0tlieers funersl,
/ Ee was buried With the full llonors Of
was and Dir. Anet placed plain monu-
ment on the grave IN memory Q. the Kind
attentions winch he had raceiYpi from
the yonaR mania mathss.
| Lord Lesley was only about ~ yeara
old at the time of his death. Years AZ
tarwaro, ais family sought 10 lad his
burial place, wh9n they found thus she
rhysgee Of time had slIuost obtitesaipd
ths inscription on the monument. The
family ordSted sn exact duplicate Of the
original stone ard it now marks tie grave
OF tae brave young officer in the little
CouGtfy village. the fao,H regarding MS
death and burial were fouu in diary
kept by Capsaln Thomas kodney, which
AndEeW ID. Meiiick Of Piaipield, N. j.,
who il New jerseys Revolutionary his.
.oyian, rrcpounnss the must valuable
aYaros OF intotmaiion Of those troahloua
times that Re lad fonnd during His re,
searches. Tla diary is now part OF he
valuable collection Of tine Delaware HIS,
torical S9ciety.