| Without question, one of the most unique
and important artifacts in the collection of the Historical
Society of Delaware is the Dansey Flag. Acquired in 1927, this
rare relic of the American Revolution survives to tell a variety
of stories about Delaware, its people, and about the important
role that organizations like ours play in our community.
On October 1, we will open a very special
exhibition featuring the Dansey Flag and four distinct stories
that can be told through this one object. The flag is named for
Captain William Dansey of the British Army who captured it from
the Delaware Militia a few days before the Battle of the
Brandywine in September of 1777. Dansey took the flag home to
England as a war trophy, where it stayed until 1927 when the
Historical Society of Delaware bought it from the Dansey family
and brought it back to Delaware. Since that time, the flag has
been one of the most requested items in our collection and has
been reproduced in numerous publications. When the flag returned
to Delaware it went on display for an extended period of time
(about 50 years). However, given the fragile nature of the flag,
it has been off display now for almost 20 years. Thanks to
generous contributions from the Colonial Dames in Delaware, the
Sons of the Colonial Wars, and the Delaware Heritage Commission,
the flag has recently undergone conservation treatment and is
ready for public display once again.
The exhibition will tell four stories
related to the flag—that of the Delaware Militia who originally
owned the flag, of William Dansey and what happened to the flag in
England, of the Historical Society of Delaware’s successful effort
to bring the flag home again, and that of the conservation and
care of such an important historical artifact. This
exhibition and a special school program on the American Revolution
have been generously supported by a grant from the Delaware
Humanities Forum, a state program of the National Endowment for
the Humanities. It is being presented in conjunction with the
statewide celebration marking the Washington-Rochambeau
Revolutionary Route in Delaware.
Delaware History
Museum
504 Market Street - Wilmington, Delaware 19801
(302) 656-0637
Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. |
