Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-11-23
BATTLE OF GUlLFORD COURT HOUSE.
Proposition to Commemorate Cap
tain Kirkwood's Bravery.

yItes This State to Erect a Monument on
the Colonial Battle Field Which Contrib
buted to Corvallis Surrender at York
town.
An important meeting of the Historic
cal Society was held last Monday. In
the absence of the president, Judge
Wales, Chief Justice Lore was in the
chair. Other members present were
Colonel w. A. La Motto, II. b. Nones,
u. S. N, John J. Gallagher, Bishop |
Coleman, Mayor Shortlidge, DR.. John
P. Wales, H. r. Bringhurst, 9. p.
johnson, George w. Bush, L. 9. Wander
grift, Joseph L. Atkins, member OF
the Washington bar. James l.. De You,
Ii. +. Dure, f. II. Hoffecker, City
Solicitor George A. Elliott, II. b.
Thompson, Thomas +. Bayard, Jr.,
Robert Adair and Leonard E. Wales, Jr.
On behalf of Judge Wales, who was
unable to be present, Mr.. Vandegritt
presented q letter from Senator Higgins,
enclosing communication from Judge
d. Schenck OF Greensboro, N. O., re-
latlng to the part taken by Delaware
soldiers in the revolutionary conflict
and at the battle of Guilford Court
House.
LII his letter to Judge Wales, Senator
Higgins described his meeting with
Judge Schenck, who is active in all
matters pertaining to Revolutionary
history in the Carolinas. He is presi-
dent of the Guilford Battle Ground
| Company, whose mission is to place
marks and monuments on that historic
| field, where the respective colonial regl-
ments fought. Senator Higgins ascer-
| tanned from the Carolinian the positions
held by the Delaware troops under Cap
tain Kirkwood. The result of Senator
Higgins visit is his belief that the State
of Delaware should erect a monument
on the Gulford Court House battle field
to commemorate the patriotism and
valor OF Kirkwood and his Delaware
troops.
The Senator presented relic from
Judge Schenck, in the form of a button
from the uniform of one of Kirkwood's
brave men who fell on that day. Ger
tain pamphlets were also presented to
the society including reports of the
Guilford Battle Ground Company, the
| Charlotte Observer's report of the un-
yelling of the monument to the reyo-
lutionary soldiers on July 4th, 1898,
COPY of the Greensburg Record of Mo-
|
entitled "Kirkwood's Delaware Com
pany'' an extract from an unpublished
article on the battle Of Guilford Court
House.
Senator Higgins letter to Judge
Wales closed as follows:
l would make two suggestions to the
Historical Society," First-rhat they con
slider the subject of the Legislature ant
, people of Delaware erecting a monument
i. at the battle ground of Guilford Cour
House. to the memory Of Captain Kirk
wood and his troops. Second-Ihat I'M
/ | Hon. d. Schenck be elected an honorary
member of the society.
' l address this letter to you, not only a
e the president of the Historical Society o
Delaware but with all the more pleasur
as you are the grandson of Major Patton
who was second in command and VIII
: took such leading part in the heroi
: action of this Delaware regiment at tn
| battle of Camden.
Q JUDGE soHENcK's LETTER.
: GREENSBORO, N. c., Nov. 10, 1S9S.-.Ho,
+ .Anthony Higgins, wilmington, Dea-DEA
u many kind expressions in regard to th
/. Guilford battle ground during your recer
short visit to that sacred spot, and so niue
;, delighted with your voluntary assurant
= that the brave Delaware troops undo
g Captain Kirkwood, who were SO col
IS spicuous in this bloody struggle for libert
and to whose Spartan courage and fort
:, tude we are indebted for so many blessing
civil and religious, which we are now dali
IL enjoying, should have monument ereete
To their memory, where they barred the
bosom to the foe, that am constraint
y and encouraged to put myself in co
y respondence with you to aid in any way
A, .sxll ,,I 10 nj
v pose.
~ My history "North Carolina, 17so-sl
y was written, as its preface shows, vii
particular regard to the part enacted
. North Carolina troops, and is not, ther
l. fore as full and complete as to the troo
d, from other States as it would otherwi
ar have been, but my researches into the hi
wallis through the Carolinas in l7SO-sl h
impressed me with the exalted charact
IA, of the troops from Delaware.
y, The Delaware regiment was almost q
~ initiated at Camden through the
ie efficiency and unworthy conduct OF &c
Is eral Gates. Captain Kirkwood and abo
a. ninety of his followers escaped, but the
y, became to Greene what the "Old Guar,
oe was to Napoleon or the Grecian phalai
~ was to Alexander. Upon their stern al
"a, unyielding courage Greene always turn
gu in the hours of danger for hope and {
w liverance and never did he appeal in val
Oh At Cowpens, Hobkirks Hill and Eutt
Springs the enemy, which lay in front
their muskets and bayonets, were I
silent witnesses of their proves and d
ce cipline. Well and honorably and app
er- priately did they acquire and hold the ii
er of the blue Hens Chickens
TO This subject is so pleasing to me tina
il | could write small volume about thu
81 noble Revolutionary heroes; but the sps
- = Il aaf ma 70 nj
ts my desire any further In regard to th
tut general history. Twill contihe myself
his Che battle of Guilford Court House, Mar
en- 18th, 1881.
Joseph NJ. Morehead. one of the dir
tors Of our company, has for six mont
previous to this been studying the bat
nc with particular reference to the part boz
~, Us by the Delaware troops and has thro
ne much light upon the subject.
on He AYERS that Kirkwood and Lynch,
0ss the American right, withstood the. ov
ng. whelming numbers of the enemy lon
in than Campbell did on the left, and Il
am the "crippling" of Webster's magnific,
sh. brigade Of British regulars and the
:" livery of them into the hands of the ii
MARYLAND Regiment, who were thereby
abled to charge and rout them, was due
Kirkwood.
ert He has traced the track of the Delaw
lay troops by graves and bullets and butt
the left on the field, until these natural I
of dences of truth have made good mar
a their positions.
rha On their extreme right IN 1887 | fol-
~: ny the remains of three soldiers, the bone;
tne whom were exposed in gully in an
ook field. | carefully removed these sac
bones and over them now, in the Ba
Ground Park, is lovely little monum
With a base of blue marble and q die
]ue white Cthe gift Of Vermont marble C
~ pany). and surmounted by shaft of r
NV marble from the highest peak of the n