header image

photo of marker

KC-A9:

The Light Infantry Company of Dover, a part of the 1st Battalion of Kent County, mustered in on 2 April 1776. Each militia volunteer was uniformly armed, equipped, and wore a standard military coat of green faced with red lapels, cuffs, and collar. From 14 December 1776 to 14 January 1777, Captain Thomas Rodney, youngest brother to Declaration of Independence signer Caesar Rodney, and his light infantry company responded to General George Washington’s Call to Arms for militia during the darkest days of the American Revolution. Members of the company who volunteered for this perilous mission marched from Dover, crossed the Delaware River into New Jersey, and as part of Brigadier General John Cadwalader’s Pennsylvania Brigade, played key military roles in Washington’s decisive victories against British and Hessian forces at the Second Battle of Trenton, and the Battle of Princeton. For distinguished service, Washington appointed the Light Infantry Company of Dover “to be his own guard.” This memorial is dedicated in remembrance of these patriots who served “in the Defense and Protection of American Liberty.”

Capt. Thomas Rodney

Lt. Mark McCall

Ens. Simon W. Wilson

Sgt. Jonathan McKnatt

Sgt. George Rowan

Cpl. John Dawson

Cpl. Elijah Pennington

John Bullen

Mark Coudratt

James Craige

John Crockett

John Davis

Whittington Draper

Edward Dyer

Peter B. Fury

Stephen Horn

Jonathan Lowber

William Maxwell

James McClyment

Robert McGermant

Peter Meredith

James Millis

Martinus Sipple

Major Taylor

Thomas Taylor

Nehemiah Tilton

Benjamin Warren

John Warren

Richard White

Thomas White

Mus. Boice Emmery

Mus. Phillip Wheeler

Installed in 2008.

Sponsors:

The State of Delaware Historical Markers Program, 2008


Click here to view the photo gallery on Flickr

Resources Related to Dover:

Click to view resources about the town

Location:

411 Legislative Avenue, Dover, DE 19901


Links to more resources: