Delaware Regiment of the American Revolution: September 2023

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

REVOLUTIONARY WAR DAYS at Nevada City, CA a SUCCESS!

Reenactors from Northern California, Nevada, San Diego, Los Angeles and Portland gathered in Pioneer Park in Nevada City for living history Saturday and Sunday morning, 16-17 Sep 2023, for Constitution Day, followed by a parade Sunday afternoon. Good sized crowds attended the event, featuring music by the California Consolidated Drum Band (fife and drum), military demonstrations by the Delaware Regiment, the 33rd Regiment of Foot, New Jersey Loyalist, Nevada SAR military, and American militia, a military camp commissary, and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). The group was awarded Best Marching Band Unit in the parade.

Delaware Regiment Information

Purpose: We reenact the Delaware Regiment in the American Revolution to educate the public and ourselves about American History, and to show that history can be fun and inspiring. We supplement existing California Revolutionary War units, by representing the Continental Army in public and private events, and including Civilian, French and Eastern Indian impressions in our Unit. We are most definitely family oriented.

Focus: The focus of the Unit is on Delaware Continental soldiers, but important and essential components also include Civilian Camp Followers & Tradespeople, French military, and Eastern Indians. Female soldiers will be allowed, as long as reasonable concealment of feminine identity is possible.

Membership: The Delaware Regiment (DR) is a member of BAR. Contact John Hess through this blog regarding joining DR. We are recruiting!!!

Delaware Regiment History

The Delaware Regiment was approved by the Continental Congress in 1776 and commanded by Colonel John Haslet. With the death of Col. Haslet at the battle of Princeton in 1777, David Hall was made Colonel and commander of the Regiment, followed by Kirkwood in 1780. The Regiment has a long battle record, and participated in long marches up and down the Eastern coast. Engagements included Long Island, White Plains, Mamaronek, Trenton, Brandywine, German town, Monmouth, Camden, Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse, Hobkirk’s Hill, Ninety-Six, Eutaw Springs, and Yorktown. The Delaware earned unstinted praise for steadfastness and valor. Captain Enoch Anderson tells us “Let it be observed here, once and for all, the Delaware Regiment was never broken, no, not in the hottest fire!” General Henry Lee declared, “No Regiment in the Army surpasses it in soldiership!” Their enemies knew the Delawares as “The Regiment Sterling”. Contemporary chronicles acclaimed the Delaware Regiment as the most efficient in the Continental Army.

Thoughts on History

"A nation that forgets its past can function no better than an individual with amnesia." - David McCullough

"History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. History is who we are and why we are the way we are." - David McCullough

"You can't be a full participant in our democracy if you don't know our history.” - David McCullough

"How can we know who we are and where we are going if we don't know anything about where we have come from and what we have been through, the courage shown, the costs paid, to be where we are?” - David McCullough

Delaware Regiment at NY

Wednesday, September 27, 2023