OCR Text |
Show The Blue Hen Chicken' r r - t. ' . .1 T ' " ' r '"'V'-v-.- ' '- ' V: :' ', '" " i r--y . yv--- ' ; ' A Delaware tradition . brought about the adoption in 1939 of a "Blue Hen Chicken" as the state bird. It was during the early days of the Revolutionary war that the men of Capt. Jonathan Caldwell's company, recruited In Kent county, took with them game chickens noted for their fighting ability, said to be of the brood of a famous blue hen. Captain Caldwell's company was attached to a regiment that fought at Long Island, White Plains, Trenton Tren-ton and Princeton. When not fighting fight-ing the enemy, the soldiers amused themselves by pitting these Blue Hen Chickens. When in battle, the Delaware men fought as valorously as these fighting cocks and became known as "Blue Hen's Chickens." During the Civil war a company of militia organized in Kent county and adopted for themselves the name "Blue Hen's Chickens." |