Goals: History

Preservation | Commemoration | Interpretation | Resources

Preservation of Records and Sites 

• DESSAR members played major roles in the Delaware legislature's 1995 decision to construct a modern building for the new Delaware Public Archives (completed in 2001).

• Henry Peden (a member of the Maryland Society SAR), compiled and published Revolutionary Patriots of Delaware, 1775-1783, which provides both patriotic service and genealogical information about 5,000 Delawareans who fought for or otherwise supported the cause of liberty.

• DESSAR members participated in transcribing and publishing Delaware 1782 Tax Assessments and Census Lists (Delaware Genealogical Society, Wilmington DE, 1994).

• DESSAR members are helping the state publish transcriptions of 1,400 Revolutionary War documents discovered since Delaware Archives Military was published in 1910.

• DESSAR members played major roles in securing for the state of Delaware the development rights for the only Revolutionary War battlefield in Delaware -- Cooch's Bridge
  See The Gift of Cooch's Bridge.

• DESSAR members participate in many local historical and genealogical societies, such as the Pencader Area Heritage Association and the Delaware Genealogical Society

Commemoration of Patriots and Historic Events 

• We remember the British incursion to Lexington and Concord -- and the resulting bloodshed that escalated the conflict into a revolution -- with our Annual Meeting (usually on the Saturday closest to April 19).
• We celebrate Independence Day (July 4) with speakers at ceremonies in each county in Delaware (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex).
• We commemorate the hardships of the Revolution by participating in Delaware Day at Valley Forge (usually the third Sunday in September)
• We celebrate Delaware's Ratification of the U.S. Constitution with a formal dinner (usually on the Saturday closest to December 7). This tradition goes back over a hundred years to our founding.

Since 1999 the Delaware Society has promoted research, marking, use, and designation of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R) as a National Historic Trail. This was the part of France's support during our Revolution that had the most widespread impact on the United States.
W3R-US Home Page
One unit of this army -- Lauzun's Legion (about 600 soldiers) -- was assigned to guard the Delaware River area and camped in Wilmington for five months in 1782-3. Top

Interpretation for the Public 

Delaware Leaders and Documents 1775-1783 has information on prominent state patriots and documents of that era.

Members of the Delaware Society have contributed to "The Real Story of the American Revolution" several pages on Delaware Military Units, which discusses the Delaware Continentals, the Delaware militia, and re-enactment groups based on Delaware units.

The only military engagement in Delaware between regular U.S. and British troops was a delaying action by 1,000 Continentals and Delaware militia as 18,000 British troops under Gen. Howe expanded their perimeter near Elkton MD and sought a way to get around 11,000 Continentals under Gen. Washington. This was the Battle of Cooch's Bridge (fought near Newark DE) on 3 September 1777. Top

Resources on the History of Delaware in 1775-1783 

Historical Society of Delaware has a changing series of exhibits, with related information.

Fighting Blue Hens was the nickname of Delaware's Continental Regiment. Why? This University of Delaware page has the answer.

Valley Forge National Park describes the park and the significant events that occurred there.

Top