18th Century Historical Monuments for Delaware

This is a living document. Comments regarding Additions or corrections to the content here are welcome. The state of Delaware has a list of historical marker locations on the Web -- see our historical marker page. The Delaware Chapter of the Society of Colonial Dames also has published a book on historical markers in Delaware.

Within Delaware

Odessa - Roadside marker to Allen McLane, who led a band of rangers attached to "Light Horse Harry" Lee's command. McLane fought in more than fifty battles, was a master of disguise in scouting enemy positions, and delivered Washington's personal message to deGrasse, persuading him to abandon plans to attack Jamaica and sail to the Chesapeake Bay, where his blocking of the British fleet led to the surrender of British Gen. Cornwallis at Yorktown. The Delaware Society SAR participated in the dedication ceremony.

Wilmington - Caesar Rodney Statue in Rodney Square. He is shown riding a horse, although he may have actually ridden in a carriage when he drove all night through a driving rainstorm to reach Philadelphia so as to break the deadlock in the Delaware delegation to the Continental Congress and make a key July 2 vote for independence unanimous. Do you know what date is on the statue? Around 1990 this statue lost its head when the truck carrying it out of state for renovation passed under a bridge that was a bit lower than expected. Both the bridge and the head have been fixed and the statue is back in place.

Dover - Caesar Rodney Memorial in the Presbyterian Church cemetery. Rodney was buried in a family plot which was abandoned. A search in recent times was unsuccessful in locating the remains, so they are not buried in the church cemetery.

Dover - The Delaware Revolutionary War Monument depicting three soldiers "accurately represent[ing] the dress, arms, and accoutrements" of soldiers in Delaware's Continental Regiments stands outside Legislative Hall in Dover. The Delaware Revolutionary War Monument Commission oversaw the creation to the statue by sculptor Ron Tunison and its placement in such a prominent place. Dedicated on July 16, 2008, it honors those soldiers lauded by Colonel Henry Lee of Virginia thus: “The State of Delaware furnished one regiment only; and certainly no regiment in the army surpassed it in soldiership.”  DESSAR was honored to serve as part of the Monument Commission pursuant to 75 Del. Laws chapter 41 (2005).

Dover - A Revolutionary War Soldiers Monument dedicated May 30, 1912 on the site from which the state's contingent to the Continental Army embarked on the southern campaign.  Location - East side of The Green.

 

Outside Delaware

NJ: Princeton: The state placed a tablet in Battlefield Monument Park commemotating the life and death of Col. James Haslett, who took courses at Princeton Theological Seminary and died during the Battle of Princeton. The Delaware Society SAR participated in the dedication ceremony.

NY:Brooklyn - The state of Delaware placed a monument to the Delaware Continentals in the Rose-Greenwood Cemetery, where the Delaware Continentals suffered heavy losses while fighting a rear-guard action alongside the Maryland Continentals, preventing the British forces from overwhelming the retreating American army. The Delaware Society SAR participated in the dedication ceremony.

OH: Fort Recovery - The monument to the St. Clair expedition includes a stone inscribed to (Robert) Kirkwood. He had been homesteading on bounty land in the area and volunteered to lead a company of infantry in St. Clair's ill-fated expedition against an Indian confederation. Kirkwood died when the expedition was over-run by superior forces.

PA: Germantown - The state of Delaware placed a monument to the Delaware Continentals across from the Chew Mansion in 2001. The Delaware Society SAR participated in the dedication ceremony.

NC: Guilford - A marker commemorates the key role that Kirkwood's Company of Delaware Continentals played in winning the battle of Guilford Courthouse.

SC: Camden - A marker was placed here in 1998 to commemorate the forty-eight Delaware Continentals who died in the disastrous first battle of Camden in 1780. The Delaware Society SAR organized the dedication ceremony.

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