edge , ▁where ▁the ▁Mason – D ixon ▁line ▁and ▁the ▁Tw elve - M ile ▁Circle ▁left ▁a ▁fragment ▁of ▁land ▁claimed ▁by ▁both ▁Pennsylvania ▁and ▁Del aware . ▁ ▁American ▁Revolution ▁Del aware ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Th ir teen ▁Col on ies ▁which ▁revol ted ▁against ▁British ▁rule ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution . ▁After ▁the ▁Revolution ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 6 , ▁the ▁three ▁count ies ▁became ▁" The ▁Del aware ▁State ", ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 6 ▁that ▁entity ▁adopted ▁its ▁first ▁constitution , ▁declaring ▁itself ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁" Del aware ▁State ". ▁Its ▁first ▁govern ors ▁went ▁by ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁" Pres ident ". ▁ ▁The ▁Battle ▁of ▁Co och ' s ▁Bridge ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁major ▁military ▁eng agement ▁of ▁the ▁Revolution ▁that ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁Del aware ▁soil . ▁The ▁eng agement ▁began ▁August ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 7 7 7 , ▁about ▁ ▁south ▁of ▁Co och ' s ▁Bridge ▁( located ▁in ▁present - day ▁New ark ). ▁The ▁Americans ▁har ried ▁the ▁lead ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Army . ▁However , ▁the ▁roughly ▁ 7 0 0 ▁colonial s ▁were ▁greatly ▁out mann ed ▁and ▁out g unn ed . ▁Washington ' s ▁troops ▁were ▁slowly ▁driven ▁back . ▁ ▁By ▁September ▁ 3 , ▁the ▁colonial s ▁had ▁dropped ▁back ▁to ▁Co och ' s ▁Bridge . ▁A ▁hand p icked ▁regiment ▁of ▁ 1 0 0 ▁marks men ▁under ▁General ▁William ▁Max well