1776 DELMARVA Welcome and Index

Welcome to 1776 DELMARVA (www.1776delmarva.blogspot.com) This blog attempts to chronicle and make interesting the history of the American Revolution on the Delmarva Peninsula. 2015 -1776 DELMARVA Welcome and Index -1776 DELMARVA book coming out soon! -Ship life Continental navy- Tribute to Captain Lambert Wickes of the Reprisal -Oxford Maryland:Tench Tilghman and Robert Morris -Robert Morris Senior and Robert Morris Junior Oxford MD -Tench Tilghman buried in Oxford Cemetery -Parker Mill Pond Update Feb. 2015 -Rock Hall and Chestertown Maryland: Breeding Ground for Sea Captains in the American Revolution -Colonel William Richardson -Maryland and Delaware Soldiers on February 2, 1781 Crossing the Yadkin River 2014 -Maryland Continental Soldiers at Valley Forge -New Castle -Chincoteague's Blanket Part in Washington Crossing the Delaware -Delaware Continental Army Regiment -St. Paul's Episcopal Church at Hebron, Maryland from 1773 Burned Down July 22, 2014 -Maryland flag at same height as US flag because of... -Wye Mills -Churches of Delmarva During the American Revolutio... -Chestertown Tea Party -HMS Roebuck Visit to Parker Mill Pond Salisbury Ma... -Rockawalkin Presbyterian Church from 1767

1776 DELMARVA book coming out soon!

Coming Soon: The Publication of 1776 DELMARVA Hopefully available by July 4th, 2015 through Xulon Press

Ship life Continental navy- Tribute to Captain Lambert Wickes of the Reprisal

This post is dedicated to Lambert Wickes. Captain Wickes was arguably the best American sea captain of the American Revolution. Yes, I have heard and read about John Paul Jones; however let me make the case for Captain Wickes. Wickes paved the way for Jones but gets little credit. Have you ever seen a painting about Wickes? I haven't seen one either. The reason that there is no picture of Wickes is that he died early in the struggle for America's independence. In late 1776, Wickes was entrusted by Continental Congress to deliver Ben Franklin to France unharmed so that Franklin could attempt to persuade France to help the United States with a treaty as well as financial assistance. On the way over to France in the ship Reliance, Wickes captured four British vessels with Franklin on board. Apparently Wickes did not go for the evade the enemy strategy. After safely delivering Franklin to France Lambert started a huge campaign in which 18 British vessels were captured in 1777. Now do you see where I am coming from about calling Wickes the best sea captain for the United States in the American Revolution. While coming back to the United States in 1778, the Reprisal crashed off of Newfoundland and all hands were lost except for the cook. Even though we have no portrait of Captain Lambert Wickes, he still deserves recognition. Use your imagination to see what life would have been like for the crew of the Reprisal. On top of that, imagine having Ben Franklin on board with all the activity of capturing 4 British vessels. From Yorktown Battlefield Museum Preble Museum United States Naval Academy

Oxford Maryland:Tench Tilghman and Robert Morris

The tomb of Tench Tilghman, George Washington's Aide=de-camp at Oxford, Maryland

Robert Morris Senior and Robert Morris Junior Oxford MD

Robert Morris, Financier of the American Revolution Robert Morris Senior, buried at Hole in the Wall Church

Parker Mill Pond Update Feb. 2015

Parker Mill Pond Tory Staging Area Threat Stopped Before February totally leaves us, here is a remembrance of the Parker Mill Tory Staging Area Proactive Effort on mid-February 1777. John Hancock, President of Continental Congress in Baltimore stated that he had received information of a British invasion of "the Eastern Shore of Maryland." • HMS Roebuck delivered three field pieces (cannon) for the Tories in the area • Captain Dashiell with only about 100 militia in the area, asked for help to counter the assembled Tories who had about 250 in the area. • The Upper and Western Shore of Maryland sent 980 men. • The Eastern Shore of Virginia (Ninth Regiment) sent 2,000 men. • When the Tories saw such numbers against them, they scattered (maybe along Stage Road?). • The leaders were caught and taken to the Cambridge jail and were tried later at the Talbot Courthouse.

Rock Hall and Chestertown Maryland: Breeding Ground for Sea Captains in the American Revolution

What would be the response be if the normal American were asked today, “Where did most of the sailors come from that fought in the American Revolution?” The biggest response would probably be New England. However, one must give hard consideration to the northern part of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, particularly Rock Hall and Chestertown.

An overlooked group of sailors/captains were even related. Samuel, Lambert and Richard Wickes were all brothers that became ship captains. By the time the American Revolution came, Samuel had already retired. He had worked for a young man who came from Oxford, Maryland and moved on to Philadelphia by the name of Robert Morris. Lambert and Richard followed in Samuel’s steps and became fine captains. James, John and Samuel Nicholson were distant cousins of the Wickes brothers. A direct cousin of the Wickes also went into seafaring- Alexander Murray. John Nicholson even became the leader of the Continental Navy. Most people focus on the land battles and hardships of the American Revolution. If any focus comes on the naval part, John Paul Jones sucks up all the air in the room. Wait until you hear what these Rock Hall and Chestertown fellows did.

Richard Wickes served under the command of his brother on the ship Repraisal which sailed from Philadelphia on May 1, 1776. The ship was kept in the Delaware Bay until Lambert and crew broke through on June 28. A ship named "Nancy" which carried almost 400 barrels of needed gunpowder was being pursued by six British man-of-war vessels when Wickes and crew drew the British attention on to them so that the Nancy's cargo would reach the American troops. The "Repraisal" and "Lexington" kept the British occupied so that the Nancy could run ashore and let coastal forces take her gunpowder before the British could blow it up. The British ships Roebuck and Liverpool were noted by Lambert in a letter to his brother Samuel. The youngest Wickes brother, Richard was put in charge of a captured brig. A British ship named Kingfisher attacked the brig that Richard commanded and destroyed it, killing Richard and the other crew on board. Because of the efforts of these ships, 265 barrels of powder, 50 muskets, 3 three pounders, 3 swivels were saved for the Patriot cause.

In July, Lambert Wickes captured four British vessels off our coast: "Friendship," "Peter," the "Neptune," and the "Duchess of Leinster." When Wickes discovered that the Duchess of Leinster was an Irish ship, it was released. Wickes delivered William Bingham to Martinique to act as a commercial agent for the United States on Martinique. This proved quite helpful in 1779 when John Jay with his wife Sally became diverted to Martinique after a fortnight storm. In late October, Wickes became entrusted with carrying Ben Franklin to France. The surprising thing about this trip is that one would suppose that Wickes would attempt to avoid and elude the British. With Franklin aboard, Wickes and the Reprisal captured two British brigantines which were later sold to the French.

Lambert Wickes took the battle to the British. In 1777, Wickes and his crew together with two other ships in Wickes' squadron captured 18 British vessels around England and Ireland. In today's vernacular, Wickes got "inside their head." The British were concerned about these American ships disrupting British trade. Quite a diplomatic dispute arose when Wickes squadron brought their prizes into French ports. Franklin and the other commissioners in France ordered the Reprisal and “Dolphin” to return to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Wickes started that way on September 14th. On October 1st, the Reprisal ran into a storm and sunk near Newfoundland. Only one man escaped.

James Nicholson became the leader of the Continental Navy after Esek Hopkins in 1776. James’ younger brother John served as Captain of the “Hornet.” Faced with large numbers of British ships attacking Philadelphia, John received orders to blow up the Hornet. In doing so, the British captured John and put him in the British Naval Prison in Falmouth, England. John was released in an exchange in 1780 and became Captain of the Continental Frigate “Deane”

Samuel Nicholson started in the Continental Navy as a lieutenant under Captain John Paul Jones on the Bonhomme Richard.

Alexander Murray tried at age 21 in 1776 to become a captain in the Continental Navy. No ships were available so he enlisted in the army. Murray served as a first lieutenant in the First Maryland Regiment and saw action in the Battle of White Plains. In 1777, Murray was allowed to command a privateer vessel (the “Revenge”) which was caught by the British. Murray became a prisoner in New York and was exchanged in 1781. He accepted the command of the Continental Frigate “Trumbull” which lost a fight against the British ships “HMS Isis” and “HMS General Monk.” Once again, Murray became a ‘British prisoner in New York.