Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-09-27

while Knyphausen moved by Cecil Court
House to within eight mile of the Christi
ana and Grant was left with six battalions
to guard the baggage, and keep open COM
municution with The fleet. Gems. Corn
wallis and Knyphausen united their di-
visions on the Sd of September at Pen
cader, being Joined on the 9Th by Gen.
Grant. During this passage Of Howe's army
through Delaware, they were constantly
annoyed by the Delaware and Maryland
militia. under Gen. Rodney, who kept up
q continual skirmish with their guards and
outposts. A sharp engagement took place
at Cooch's Bridge between CORVALLIS and
Gen. Maxwell's Light corps; the latter re-
From the History of Delaware by ].
Thomas Scharf, A. M. LII. d. VOL 1,
page 244. The Americans lust about 40 in
killed aud wounded, the British loss is I'M
known. After this engagement the British
burned Cooch's Mill near Iron Hill, and
committed many other acts of wanton de-
struction. They removed the records of
the Cecil County Court House and burned
the building. "a writer of the period says
"rhe British captured all the records and
public papers of New Castle county, and
every shilling of the public money, together
with the fund belonging to the Trustees of
Newark Academy").
Howe advanced from the heal of Elk to
move on September Sd, while Washington
was still in Wilmington. Howe had 1900
picked men, and Washington Il, 900.
That Gen. Maxwell's force was large
and important one, is shown by an extract
from letter from Washington to Brigadier-
General Rodney dated Head Quarters, Will
mington 31st August, 1777.
"As Gen. Maxwell will want persons well
acquainted with the country to remain with
him, in the capacity of guides, you will
leave him thirty or forty men fit for the
business, out of the battalions that are now
advancing towards the enemy. These should
be select men, who have a thorough knowl.
edge of the. country, intelligent and Of
| known attachment and fidelity to the
| American cause"
B. J. Losing in his history of the Flag
| Cyclopaedla of United States History, Vol.
| /, page 4S2 says that: at is probable that
the National Flag was first unfurled in
battle on the banks of the Brandywine,
| September 18th, 1777." This seems. to be
the opinirn generally accepted by the best
To sum up our contention, we find that
Washington marched through Philadelphia
with 1000 men, where he probably re-
ceived the flags for his army, and passing
through Wilmington. the main body en-
camped near Newport, that Gen. Maxwell
with large force, SO large that it required
thirty to forty guides; was sent on to in
| tercept the British army, that he met then
under CORVALLIS at Cooch's Bridge, wheri
a sharp engagement took place September
Sd, eight days before the battle of Brandy
wine, where the same Gen. Maxwell LEI
the fight. Certainly it is reasonable to be
! lieve that so important division as Max
| wells had flag and that it must frs
have been used at Cooch's Bridge.
The Wilmingtonians in attendanc,
numbered about 160, who went tt
Cooch' s Bridge on special train leav
ing the p, W. & B. railroad station a
| 1916 O'Clock. There were four car
and three were filled before the trail
started Others joined the party a
way stations.