Milford chronicle., 1959-02-13
Aunt Molly Continues
Her History Chats
(eontinued from page onel

y "
Back in the Revolutionary War
times, there were NO movies, tele-
vision, u. S. O Centers. or any
) other means of entertainment for
the soldiers in theiy off-duty hours
| For amusement soma of the men OF
/ Captain Caldwell's company took
to war with them fighting cocks
from the brood of a Kent County
Blue Hen so that they could have
cock fights which were so popular
at that time"
WAS there really a blue hen p
Yes, indeed, there really was a
blue coIored hen; not as blue as a
blue bird, but blue. To continue the
story; these blue cocks became fam
GUS throughout the regiment. and
the army as well. for their fighting
qualities. The owners of the cocks
fought so courageously that they
were compared to the birds and
called Blue Hens Chickens. The
name remained with them and
| spread to all of the Delaware reg
iments. Later it came to be ap-
piled to all Delawareans. So. even
| if we are not heroes, you and I are
Blue Hens Chickens. Bobby"
IT like that sorry, Aunt Molly,
but please tell me who was the
True Blue Hens Chicken from
Milford?"
'Today's man of interest is Cen
eral Alfred T. A. Torbert, Milford s
son who distinguished himself in
the army and in the diplomatic SER
vice. You know | have already told
you that he lived in the house which
is now the Mulholland Apartments.
This was built for tavern and
later bought by Daniel Currey and
remodelled by him.
ALFRED r. A. Torbert was born
! in Georgetown on July /, 1888, the
son of Jonathan r. and Catherine
A. Milby Torbert He grew up In
Georgetown and attended school
there. Through the intercession of
Judge Wooten, young Alfred re-
| received an appointment to West
Point from Delaware's newly elect
| ed representative TO Congress,
George Read Riddle. He was grad
uated in 1855 after making a cred
| liable. if not brilliant, record.
His army career began with In
! dian service on the Rio Grande at
Fort Mcintosh. From there he was
sent to Florida to deal with the
remnants of the Seminoles. When
trouble with the Mormons broke
out, he was assigned to the Army
i of Albert Sidney Johnson and went
to Salt Lake where he remained
for nearly three years. When this
tour of duty was finished he went
with his regiment to New Mexica.
During his stay in New Mexico he
obtained sixty days leave and went
| to Texas and on to visit his family.
It was the fateful spring of 1851
when our country was so sadly
disunited. On arrival in San An
tonic Tcrbert received the news of
the secession of seven Southern
States. The southern sympathies
of his family and many of his
| friends did not persuade him
against his belief of his duty. After
his death the story was related that
Chancellor Salisbury, also of
Georgetown, asked him at the OUT
break of the Civil War which way
he meant to go. Torbert's reply
was, The United States Govern
ment has given me my education
and | would be pretty disgraceful
pupil If | used it against my coun-
try. 1t was thought by his friends
that there was never any doubt in
his mind as to the right course of
action at that time of decision.
| "On reporting for duty after his
leave of absence, Lieutenant Tor
| bert was sent to New Jersey to or
ganize the state volunteers. This
assignment speaks we'll for bis
ability, for that was big and inl~
portant job for so young a gradu-
ate of West Point. When request
came from General Kearney for D
colonel to command the first New
| Jersey regiment, Torbert was Sc
lected. Governor Olden of New Jer-
sey requested the commission of
| colonel for him and on September
rs, 1851, the commission was is
L u.
regiment and spent the winter
training men and officers to such
a state of efficiency that it was the
pride of the army. 1t was colonel
of the First Regiment of the New
Jersey Brigade that Torbert first
vent into battle in the Civil War.
When General Kearney was killed,
rorbert took command of the whole
New Jersey Brigade. It was dur
ing that command that he was pro-
noted to the rank of Brigadier
General in April of 1854.
His reputation was such that
when General Meade needed an OFF,
Ger for his cavalry, Torbert was
his choice. Accordingly, on May 4,
1864, he was transferred to the first
iivision of cavalry under General
Sheridan. It was in this capacity
hat he distinguished himself In
1attIe at Winchester. General
Sheridan's brother said of General
Torbert, while he was not man
of great original enterprise. no one
would obey orders more faithfully
and General Sheridan has said that
one reason he liked Torbert at the
head of the. cavalry was his literal
fulfillment of instructions On
March 13. 1865, he was elevated to
the rank of Brevet Major-General
for meritorious service during the
war"
what did General Torbert do
when the war was over2"
when the war was ended. Cen
eral Torbert resigned from the ar
my and returned to his native state.
In 1866 he married Miss Mary Cur