1776 Delmarva

Many people have the misconception that nothing happened on the Delmarva Peninsula during the American Revolution. On the contrary, my friend, every community had to struggle in one way or another during the struggle for independence. The population at the time turned out to be approximately one third patriot, one third Tory and the other third in the middle ground. Soldiers from Delaware, Maryland and Virginia played a huge role in the Continental Army in battles in the North and South.  


Most Marylanders (let alone the rest of the country) do not realize that Maryland has the unique privilege of flying their flag at the same height as the United States’ flag because of the sacrifice of Maryland soldiers at the battle of Brooklyn. Delmarva soldiers fought at Brooklyn, Kip’s Bay, Harlem Heights, Fort Washington, Washington Crossing, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Stony Point and Paulus Hook. That sounds like enough right there but in 1780 they were called upon to march south to the Carolinas and fight eventually at Camden, Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse, the Race to the Dan, Hobrick’s Hill, Ninety Six, Eutaw Springs and Yorktown.


The ten year struggle for independence happened on Delmarva itself. Neighbors fought against and spied on neighbors. In quite a few occasions family members were against each other. Raids came up rivers at night time and either captured patriots or burned their houses. As you read, check out how your area fared during the struggle. Find out about people like Tench Tilghman, John Dickinson, Robert Morris, William Richardson, Robert Kirkwood, Allen McLane, Enoch Anderson, Levin Winder, Alexander Roxburgh, John Gunby, Southey Simpson, John Haslet, Lambert Wickes and others.