Dover

Delaware Regiment ("Delaware Blues") Organized

The First Delaware Regiment was organized under Colonel John Haslet with administrative support from Dover, recruiting from Kent and Sussex counties. The regiment became one of Washington's most reliable Continental units, fighting at Long Island, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, and Camden.

Caesar Rodney's Midnight Ride to Philadelphia

Delaware delegate Caesar Rodney rode approximately fifty miles overnight from Dover through a thunderstorm to reach Philadelphia in time for the July 2 independence vote. His arrival broke the Delaware delegation's deadlock — McKean favored independence, Read opposed it — making Delaware's vote unanimous. Without Rodney, the July 2 vote might not have produced the clear majority the Continental Congress needed.

Delaware Adopts State Constitution

Delaware's constitutional convention adopted the first state constitution establishing Delaware as an independent state with Dover as its capital. The document created a bicameral legislature, a President elected by the legislature, and an independent judiciary. George Read was a principal drafter.

Colonel Haslet Killed at Princeton

Colonel John Haslet, commander of the Delaware regiment since its formation, was killed at Princeton on January 3, 1777. His death required Dover's government to organize new officer appointments and recruit additional men for a regiment that had already suffered heavily at Long Island.

Loyalist Unrest Suppressed in Sussex County

Sussex County in southern Delaware harbored one of the most concentrated Loyalist populations in the mid-Atlantic. A planned Loyalist uprising involving hundreds of men was suppressed by Delaware militia operating under Rodney's authority from Dover, illustrating Delaware's deep internal divisions.

Caesar Rodney Elected President of Delaware

The Delaware General Assembly elected Rodney President (Governor) despite his deteriorating health from facial cancer. He organized Delaware's militia, managed supply contributions to the Continental Army, and suppressed Loyalist activity in Sussex County, serving until 1781.

Delaware Ratifies Articles of Confederation

Delaware ratified the Articles of Confederation after a prolonged dispute over western land claims. Delaware — which had no western territory — had insisted that large states surrender their claims to the national government first. Its position ultimately prevailed and became a precedent for the constitutional debates of 1787.

Delaware Regiment Suffers Heavy Losses at Camden

The rebuilt Delaware Continental line suffered devastating losses at Camden, South Carolina. The Delaware regiment was one of the few American units that fought effectively before the army collapsed around them. The losses required another round of recruiting from Dover in the war's final years.

Delaware Sends Delegates to Constitutional Convention

Delaware sent five delegates to the Constitutional Convention — Read, Bedford, Dickinson, Bassett, and Broom — explicitly instructed not to agree to any changes diminishing Delaware's equal vote in the national government. This position contributed to the Connecticut Compromise establishing equal Senate representation.

Delaware Ratifies the U.S. Constitution — First State

Delaware's ratification convention at Battell's Tavern in Dover voted unanimously — 30-0 — to ratify the federal Constitution on December 7, 1787, making Delaware the first state in the Union. The convention assembled December 3 and finished in five days. Speed and unanimity reflected Delaware leaders' calculation that equal Senate representation protected small-state interests better than any alternative.