| 1st
Delaware Regiment
LINEAGE
- Authorized on December
9, 1775 in the Continental Army as the Delaware Regiment.
- Organized
on January 13, 1776 to consist of 8 companies from Kent, Sussex and New Castle Counties.
- Assigned
on February 27, 1776 to the Middle
Department.
- Relieved
on August 5, 1776 from assignment to the Middle
Department and assigned to the Main
Continental Army.
- Assigned
on August 25, 1776 to Stirling's Brigade, an element of the Main
Continental Army.
- Relieved
on September 1, 1776 from assignment to Stirling's Brigade and assigned to Mifflin's
Brigade, an element of the Main
Continental Army.
- Mifflin's
Brigade redesignated on October 8, 1776 as Stirling's Brigade
- Reorganized
on January 1, 1777 to consist of 8 companies.
- Assigned
on May 22, 1777 to the 1st Maryland Brigade, an element of the Main
Continental Army.
- Relieved
on July 22, 1778 from the 1st Maryland Brigade and assigned to the 3rd Virginia Brigade,
an element of the main Continental Army.
- Capt.
Allen McLane's Company assigned on December 16, 1778 from Patton's
Additional Continental Regiment.
- Withdrawn
on July 13, 1779 from the Delaware Regiment
and assigned to Lee's Corps of
Partisan Light Dragoons as the 4th (Dismounted) Troop.
- Reorganized
on May 12, 1779 to consist of 9 companies; concurently , relieved from the 3rd Virginia
Brigadde and assigned to the 2nd Maryland Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army.
- 2nd
Maryland Brigade relieved on April 5, 1780 from the Main Continental Army and assigned to the Southern
Department.
- Reorganized
on September 3, 1780 to consist of two companies.
- Relieved
on January 1, 1781 from the 2nd Maryland Brigade and assigned to the Maryland Brigade,
an element of the Southern Department.
- Expanded
in summer of 1781 to consist of 4 companies by the reorganization of two companies
at Christina Bridge.
- Reorganized
on January 4, 1782 to consist of two companies.
- Furloughed
on January 17, 1783 at Christina Bridge.
- Disbanded
on November 15, 1783.
ENGAGEMENTS
HISTORY
1775
December 9 - Congress resolved that a battalion should be raised from the lower 3
counties of Pennsylvania. These counties are what is now Delaware. Delaware
was not yet a completely separate state and was still part of the colony of Pennsylvania.
The battalion, sometimes called a regiment, was made up of 8 companies.
1776
January 21 - The list of officers was completed. John Haslet was appointed Col.
and Gunning Bedford Lt. Col.
February 27 - The Delaware battalion was assigned
to the Middle Department (covering the mid-Atlantic states).
April
12 - The unit was at nearly full strength. Six companies were stationed in Dover
and two in Lewes. Arms were in short supply. Haslet noted that Capt. Caldwell
was in Lewes with 150 men "completed for the field" but had very few
guns in Dover.
May
- The uniforms were described as the best in the army, with blue coats faced and
lined with red, buckskin breeches, white woolen stockings, and black spatterdashes
(gaiters). The buttons were cast with "D.B." (Delaware Battalion) --
raw pewter for the privates, gilded for the officers. The round, black-jacked
leather hats had a high front peak on which was written in gilt "Liberty
and Independence. Delaware Regiment" It also bore the Delaware crest such
as appeared on the Delaware paper money of 1776.
June
3 - Congress resolved to establish a "flying camp" to defend New Jersey.
It was made up of 10,000 militiamen from Pennsylvania, Delaware (apparently they
anticipated the separation from Pennsylvania), and Maryland to be led by Brig. Gen.
Hugh Mercer of New Jersey. THe term of enlistment was 5 months. Delaware's flying camp
was led by Col. Samuel Patterson, a miller from Christiana Bridge.
June
15 - The Assembly of the Lower Counties (of Pennsylvania) voted to separate itself
from England and also from the rest of Pennsylvania to become the state of Delaware.
This was 3 weeks before the Declaration of Independence was issued by the
Continental Congress.
July
12 - American troops in and around New York City watched as 150 ships arrived
from England to supplement the 130 ships that had arrived several days previously
from Halifax.
August
5 - The Delaware Battalion arrived in Philadelphia with about 200 guns that had
been borrowed from the Kent County militia. By August 8, the men were was fully armed
with English muskets and bayonets. [Ward pp 8, 10]
August
6 - The Delaware Battalion was assigned to the Main Army to join the "Flying
Camp" under Brig. Gen. Hugh Mercer. On August 8 they received orders to proceed
to Amboy, New Jersey.
August
25 - Haslet's Delaware Battalion was assigned to Stirling's Brigade (Main Army,
under William Alexander -- who claimed the title of Lord Stirling) and moved to
New York City.
August
26 - In the Battle of Long Island, Haslet's Delaware Battalion was on the line
next to the Maryland Regiment. A strong British attack put Delaware and Maryland troops in
the crossfire of two British units. Those who escaped fled under grapeshot and
heavy musket fire through the Gowanus Swamp, which required crossing a deep creek.
Some 300 of the 400 men from Maryland died, along with 31 of the 750 Delawareans.
September 1 - The Delaware Battalion was assigned to Mifflin's Brigade (under Gen. Thomas
Mifflin of PA).
October 8 - Mifflin's Brigade was redesignated as Stirling's Brigade.
October 9 - Patterson's Flying Camp Battalion of militia, about 480 strong, arrived in
Amboy, New Jersey. The only battle in which the unit participated was an attack October 14
on a British fort at the east end of Staten Island. This led to skirmish in which
one Delawarean died [Ward p 489].
October
28 - In battle of White Plains NY Haslet's Delaware Battalion fought well.
November
29 - Both of the Delaware units were both in Brunswick, New Jersey briefly. Patterson's
Flying Camp battalion of militia had no tents and their enlistments were to be
completed in two days. The men resisted entreaties to remain in Brunswick to resist
the British advance through New Jersey and instead returned home before the British
forces appeared. That was the end of the Flying Camp.
December
2-7 - Haslet's Regiment remained with Washington and was the rear guard unit during
the retreat from Princeton to Trenton. Washington's 2,200 exhausted men crossed
the Delaware River, just 3 miles ahead of 20,000 British troops.
December
14-18 - Three New Castle County militia companies under Maj. Thomas Duff marched
to Philadelphia. They did not participate in the battle of Trenton, but remained
in service until February 1777. The Light Infantry Company of Dover under Capt.
Thomas Rodney (brother of Casesar Rodney) also marched its 35 men to Philadelphia
and became part of Col. John Cadwalader (of Pennsylvania's Brigade.)
December
12 - The captains returned to Delaware to recruit, while Col. Haslet and the remaining
Delaware troops stayed with Washington. By December 22, there were only 100 men on the
rolls of the Delaware regiment.
December
25 - Haslet's Delaware Regiment was among the last units to cross the Delaware
River for the surprise attack on the Hessian camp at Trenton, New Jersey. The Delawareans
were at the center of the American line (under Stirling), and after several volleys
from American cannon they charged down King and Queen Streets, overwhelming all
opposition. This victory renewed hope for the cause of independence. Cadwalader's
Brigade (with the Dover Light infantry) had crossed the river with the goal of
providing a supporting attack, but withdrew when they couldn't get their two cannon
across.
December
27-January 2, 1777- Cadwalader's Brigade (with the Dover Light infantry) crossed the Delaware
River into New Jersey and were later joined there by Washington's main force (with
Haslet's troops).
1777
January 1 - The Delaware Battalion was renamed the Delaware Continentals and reorganized
into eight companies. This was on paper only, since the unit was then in the field
and had no captains and very few men left.
January 3 - There were only
a half-dozen men in the Delaware Regiment at the battle of Princeton, New Jersey. Washington's
surprise night-time withdrawal and move around Cornwallis' flank was undone by
the unexected appearance of several British regiments coming to reinforce Cornwallis.
In the sharp battle that followed Brig. Gen. Hugh Mercer of New Jersey was killed. Soon
after that Delaware's Col. John Haslet was shot through the head and died instantly.
Cadwalader's Brigade helped stem the British attack and later drove them from
the field. In all, 23 Americans died at Princeton.
January 6 - Rodney's Light Infantry were asked to be Washington's guard during winter
camp at Morristown, New Jersey, but their enlistments were up and on January 14, they left
for home. March
- Lt. Col. David Hall was promoted to Colonel to lead the Delaware Regiment. Some
312 soldiers of the new Delaware Regiment marched into camp at Morristown.
May
11 - Samuel Patterson was now a colonel of the New Castle County militia regiment,
encamped at Naamans Creek. By July, he and two other colonels, Thomas Duff and
Richard Cantwell, had raised 1,075 men for duty, although ammunition was in scarce
supply, with only about four rounds per man.
May
22 - The Delaware Regiment assigned to 1st Maryland Brigade (Main Continental Army) under
Brig. Gen. William Smallwood. After an attack to ravage Staten Island they marched south
to oppose the British invasion of Delaware.
August
25 - British troops landed at Elkton Maryland, and marched into Delaware. They camped
near Newark, Delaware.
September 3 - British and U.S. troops skimished in the vicinity of Cooch's Bridge (over
Christiana Creek) north of Glasgow, Delaware.
September
11 - At the battle of the Brandywine (near the Delaware- Pennsylvania border)
the Delaware Continentals were with General Stirling's reserve units at the rear
when a surprise flanking attack by the British threw them into the thick of battle.
They fought well and managed an orderly retreat under fire.
October 4 - At the Battle of Germantown, the Delaware Regiment's attack went
well at first, but then they ran short of ammunition and scattered when their
deep advance on a narrow front left them surrounded by the enemy. The Delaware
Regiment suffered heavy losses. Col. Hall was severely wounded and did not fight
again. 1778
Jun 28 - The Delaware Regiment participated in the battle of Monmouth New Jersey.
Jul 22 - The Delaware Regiment was assigned to 3rd Virginia Brigade (Main Continental Army).
Capt. Allen McLane's company was assigned to the 2nd Partisan Corps from Deember 16, 1778-
January 13, 1779. 1779
May 12 - The Delaware Regiment was reorganized into nine companies and assigned
to the 2nd Maryland Brigade (Main Continental Army) under Col. William Gist and Maj. Gen. Johann
de Kalb.
1780
April 5 - The 2nd Maryland Brigade was assigned to the Southern Army. The Delaware
Regiment marched south led by Lt. Col. Vaughan, with only about 300 men.
August 16 - At the Battle of Camden, the Delaware Regiment suffered heavy
losses. All officers above captain were captured and 48 men died. Maj. Gen de Kalb
also died. After this time the unit had no colonel and ceased to function as a
regiment.
September 3 - The Delaware Regiment was reorganized into two companies under captains Robert
Kirkwood and Peter Jaquett. 1781
January 1 - The two Delaware companies were assigned to the Maryland Brigade (Southern
Army).
January 17 - The two Delaware companies participated in the Battle of
Cowpens.
March
15 - The two Delaware companies participated in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
April
25 - The two Delaware companies participated in the Battle of Hobkirk's Hill (in
Camden, South Carolina).
Summer
- Two additional Delaware companies were formed at Christiana Bridge, Delaware.
September
8 - The two Delaware companies in the south participated in the Battle of Eutaw
Springs 1782
January 4 - The four Delaware companies were reorganized into two companies.
1783
January 17 - The four Delaware companies were furloughed at Christiana Bridge, Delaware.
November 15 - The four Delaware companies were disbanded.
Lineage
taken from "The Continental Army" by Robert K Wright |
