Revolutionary War Mass Grave Commemoration in Wilmington – DE

The City of Wilmington, in partnership with the Major Peter Jaquett Chapter of the Delaware Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, will hold a ceremony commemorating the Revolutionary War soldiers buried in an unmarked mass grave at Brandywine Cemetery.

The burial site contains the remains of 28 identified American Patriots and 5 British officers, making it the only known Revolutionary War mass grave for which the names of those interred have been documented. Among them are 15 soldiers of the First Rhode Island Regiment who died in a Wilmington military hospital in 1782 while returning home following the victory at Yorktown.

The ceremony is expected to bring together elected officials, historians, hereditary organizations, military representatives, reenactors from the First Delaware and First Rhode Island Regiments, representatives of the British government, and members of the public. Invitations have also been extended to officials and organizations from Delaware and Rhode Island, as well as the United States Army Band.

Delaware historian Bill Knightly’s research helped identify the Rhode Island soldiers and document the history of the burial site. His work has also expanded understanding of other soldiers who died of disease in the Wilmington area following the Yorktown campaign, including members of Lauzun’s Legion who were buried at the former Coffee Run Catholic Cemetery.

W3R-DE advocated for the commemoration while serving on the City of Wilmington’s 2026 celebration planning committee. The September ceremony will ensure that the soldiers buried at Brandywine Cemetery are publicly recognized by name and remembered for their service and sacrifice during the American Revolution.