BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 METHOD:PUBLISH PRODID:-//hacksw/handcal//NONSGML v1.0//EN BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260628T224724Z DTSTART:20260411T103000Z DTEND:20260411T113000Z UID:20260411T103000Z-20260411T113000Z-578@archives.delaware.gov SUMMARY:“A System concise\, easy and efficient”: John Dickinson and th e Defense of the Delaware State\, 1782 DESCRIPTION:In late 1781\, John Dickinson was elected President of the Delaware State. At that time\, the state faced significant threats fr om Royal Navy blockading vessels\, and active and tactically adept Loy alist privateers and Refugee raiders. Dickinson and other American lea ders also faced the possibility of a renewed\, vigorous campaign by Cr own forces in the Mid-Atlantic region. With Continental Army resources stretched thin\, the state’s primary military defense would have to r est upon its militia\, a body in need of reform and rejuvenation. From the outset of his administration\, Dickinson began transforming his c itizen-soldiers into a more effective combat force capable of confront ing these military realities.\n\nThrough a small manual he produced\, Dickinson instituted a system of regularized practices and standardize d drills drawn directly from the 1779 Regulations developed by Baron v on Steuben for the Continental Army. This presentation will discuss th e state of military affairs in Delaware when Dickinson was elected\, a nalyze his manual\, and show the process by which he wanted his men tr ained\, his understanding of the complexity of military affairs\, and the effectiveness of his efforts. It will further demonstrate Dickinso n’s philosophical approach to the concept of “defensive war\,” and his perspective on the military responsibilities of citizenship in the ea rly Republic. John Dickinson is generally not considered a military le ader during the American Revolution\; this presentation will demonstra te that this view requires significant revision.\n\nPresented by Charl es H. Fithian\, Curator of Archaeology (ret.) X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

In late 1781\, John Dickinson was elec ted President of the Delaware State. At that time\, the state faced si gnificant threats from Royal Navy blockading vessels\, and active and tactically adept Loyalist privateers and Refugee raiders. Dickinson an d other American leaders also faced the possibility of a renewed\, vig orous campaign by Crown forces in the Mid-Atlantic region. With Contin ental Army resources stretched thin\, the state’s primary military def ense would have to rest upon its militia\, a body in need of reform an d rejuvenation. From the outset of his administration\, Dickinson bega n transforming his citizen-soldiers into a more effective combat force capable of confronting these military realities.

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Through a sm all manual he produced\, Dickinson instituted a system of regularized practices and standardized drills drawn directly from the 1779 Regulat ions developed by Baron von Steuben for the Continental Army. This pre sentation will discuss the state of military affairs in Delaware when Dickinson was elected\, analyze his manual\, and show the process by w hich he wanted his men trained\, his understanding of the complexity o f military affairs\, and the effectiveness of his efforts. It will fur ther demonstrate Dickinson’s philosophical approach to the concept of “defensive war\,” and his perspective on the military responsibilities of citizenship in the early Republic. John Dickinson is generally not considered a military leader during the American Revolution\; this pr esentation will demonstrate that this view requires significant revisi on.

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Presented by Charles H. Fithian\, Curator of Archaeology ( ret.)

\n URL:https://archives.delaware.gov/events/e2-80-9ca-system-concise-easy -and-efficient-e2-80-9d-john-dickinson-and-the-defense-of-the-delaware -state-1782/?lang=en ATTACH:https://archives.delaware.gov/events/e2-80-9ca-system-concise-e asy-and-efficient-e2-80-9d-john-dickinson-and-the-defense-of-the-delaw are-state-1782/?lang=en ATTACH:https://archives.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/156/2026 /02/a-system-concise-150x150.jpg LOCATION:Delaware Public Archives\, 121 MLK JR BLVD N\, Dover END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR