Robert Kirkwood and the Highway of the Revolutionary War
By David Cardillo, Digital Initiatives and Preservation
Those familiar with the local area know of Kirkwood Highway (Route 2), a major service and commercial artery of northern Delaware. Its namesake is Captain Robert Kirkwood of Newark, who was a captain in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and served in Delaware and New Jersey.
While containing only seven items, the Robert Kirkwood Documents from the Collection of Helen and Paul Elm contain quality information for those studying material culture. Amidst the materials, you will find military records related to officer appointments, muster rolls, subsistence rolls and clothing supplies.
In the muster sheet below, you can find genealogical information of those under Kirkwood’s command.
Portion of the muster roll of the first company in the second battalion of Col. William’s regiment serving in the southern army of the United States, November 1780.
Another item in the collection shows movement of Kirkwood’s regiment, as the message indicates some sort of detachment (or, temporary assignment to the Navy) aboard the ship James Winright for three months, save for at least one soldier, who was sent to obtain money to pay the soldiers.
Details of the boarding of the James Winright and receipt for cash.
One of the most notable items within the collection is a letter from Kirkwood to his father, which the captain even states details his daily activities in 1777 as if written in a journal rather than an actual letter. The letter is handwritten in cursive on folded paper, so there is also a version transcribed in print included in the file download for easier reading.
Portion of the letter from Kirkwood to his father
The Robert Kirkwood Documents from the Collection of Helen and Paul Elm have been digitized for easier access through the generous support of the Friends of the UD Library. The materials within the collection are freely available through our institutional repository, UDSpace. Researchers interested in the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, local history and material culture may find these resources especially helpful.