When I began writing the Yankee Doodle Spies Blog sop many years ago, one of the first patriots I wanted to profile was one from Delaware. An immigrant preacher who left his home in Ireland for a better life and fought in two wars, one for and one against Britain, this underrated first patriot is John Haslet.
A Londonderry Man
Born around 1727 in Dungiven, near Londonderry, Ireland, this son of a tenant farmer grew up to be a religious man and, when required, a fiery leader. As a young man, he traveled to Glasgow, Scotland, and studied Divinity. He completed his studies in 1749, sailed home, and soon married. His bride was Shirley Stirling, daughter of a preacher. John was ordained a Presbyterian Minister in 1752 and, later that year, preached his first sermon to his new congregation at Ballykelly. Around that time, the Haslets had their first child, Mary (or Polly).
Tragedy and Immigration
The year 1757 was one of tragedy and transformation for Haslet. Shirley lost their second child and died giving birth. Shortly after, Haslet decided to emigrate. In a not-uncommon practice at the time, he left young Polly in the care of his brother and sailed for America and a new life in a place called Delaware. The young widower quickly remarried there, taking Jemima Molleston as his second wife.
Against the French and Indians
Haslet joined the Pennsylvania militia. His University of Glasgow degree and experience speaking and inspiring his congregations marked him a leader, and he attained the rank of captain in short order. The French and Indian War raged when Haslet reached America. The campaign to drive the French from the frontier took Haslet and his militia company to western Pennsylvania, where they fought in the 1758 Battle of Fort Duquesne.
Country Doctor
The war ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Haslet returned with his company to Delaware. He and Jemima settled in Milford, where he established a medical practice and purchased a property called "Longfield." John and Jemima would have four children. In addition, his daughter Polly immigrated to Delaware in 1765. An ideal life as a country doctor and farmer lay ahead.
From Friction to Fighting
But the political friction following the war would sizzle into armed resistance, and Haslet was drawn into it, later becoming a proponent for independence from Britain. The Continental Congress appointed him a Colonel and commander of the Delaware Regiment (sometimes called the Delaware Blues), one of the largest (800 men) and the best uniformed and equipped regiment of the Continental Army. Their blue jackets with white waistcoats and breeches set the standard for all the Continental Line regiments.
Valor on Long Island
John Haslet's regiment marched to New York and into the defense works on Long Island in the late summer of 1776. General George Washington had occupied the city, but the British armada under Lord Howe sailed south and descended on Staten Island before invading Long Island at Brooklyn's Gravesend.
When the British surrounded the Americans, Haslet's regiment and First Maryland held firm against the onslaught. At the high point of the slugfest, Lord Stirling, an American General, and Scottish peer named William Alexander took command of the two regiments and led them in a series of gallant charges against British General Cornwallis's regulars.
Absorbing volley after volley from the red-coated ranks, the two regiments were torn to shreds. But their discipline and sacrifice allowed the remainder of the American army to flee to the safety of the defense works near Brooklyn Heights. This action is a critical event in my novel, The Patriot Spy. Ironically, Haslet and the Maryland commander, Colonel John Smallwood, were on court martial duty in New York City and only returned as the battle ended.
Retreat, Fight, and Retreat
Haslet and his regiment served gallantly throughout the following months as the Continentals were driven from New York City. During the retreat, Haslet and his men trounced a corps of Loyalists at Mamaroneck.
At White Plains on 28 October, Haslet and Smallwood stood gallantly with their regiments on Chatterton Hill. When the militia they were sent to reinforce broke and ran, the two Continental regiments stood their ground until enemy numbers and firepower forced a withdrawal. But the stand on Chatterton Hill robbed General Howe of a complete victory, and the Americans would live to fight another day.
War on the Run
General Washington's army was on the run for the next two months. Fort Washington fell, and his men abandoned Fort Lee as they beat feet across New Jersey towards the Delaware and Pennsylvania, where Washington hoped to regroup and make a stand. Haslet and his men fought many small battles - skirmishing during a "fighting retreat" that reduced the Delaware Regiment to no more than 100 "effectives" – men capable of fighting by the time they crossed the Delaware River to join the main army.
Trenton
Knowing he needed to strike in days, Washington launched his famous Christmas surprise attack, crossing over the ice-clogged Delaware River on the night of 25 December 1776. The army trudged the nine miles under a black and cold sky to their objective: the over one thousand-string Hessian garrison at Trenton. Although barely two companies strong, Haslet and his men were in the van. After a bitter but short exchange of musket and artillery fire, the garrison surrendered, giving Washington one of the great victories of the war. Before Haslet had time to refit, enlistments were expiring, as was the case throughout the army.
Assunpink Creek
Days later, the army was back at Trenton, defending a low ridgeline behind a creek south of Trenton and waiting for the British counterstrike of more than 5,000 fresh redcoats under an angry General Cornwallis. A late afternoon firefight on 2 January 1777 caused Cornwallis to stand down and strike with all his force the following day. But Washington stole a march and sent his army on an 18-mile night march around the British to attack their supply base at Princeton.
Destiny at Princeton
The dawn of 3 January broke bright but cold with snow covering fields and roads. Colonel Haslet's regiment was now a handful of officers. Months of fighting coupled with expired enlistments had melted his regiment away. But Haslet's experience and capable leadership were vital, so Washington named him second in command to General Hugh Mercer, his best commander.
Mercer's division was the vanguard and marching through William Clarke's orchard when two crack regiments of British regulars unleashed a horrific series of volleys in which Mercer's horse was shot from under him. Mercer sprung to his feet and drew his saber as the wave of red closed on him. When he refused to be taken prisoner, they clubbed him and then bayonetted him while he lay helpless in the snow. He died of his wounds.
The Field of Honor
Seeing Mercer go down, Haslet took command of the remnants. But just moments later, a curtain of lead filled the air, and a musket ball struck him in the head. The remaining troops began to waver, but General Washington rode into their midst and rallied them. Then, combined with reinforcements, they drove the British from the field and took Princeton. The gallant John Haslet died on the field of honor like his commander, Hugh Mercer.
Washington's Loss, America's Loss
The history books mark Princeton as a victory. But the loss of Mercer and Haslet robbed Washington of two of his most able lieutenants, whose talents the commander-in-chief would sorely miss over the next five years of war. Mercer is duly honored, but Haslet, being second in command and from a small state, rarely gets much mention. I number John Haslet among the many unsung greats whose early death deprived the Continental Army and the future United States of leadership, integrity, and love of country.
Delaware's Son
The son of Delaware was buried outside his home state and laid to rest in the First Presbyterian Church's graveyard. Not until an Act of the Delaware Assembly was passed in 1841 were his remains transferred to the Presbyterian Cemetery in Dover, Delaware. But it took until 2001 for his state to honor him with his own monument at Princeton.
