A true hero makes a brutal sacrifice that cost him everything and most of his countrymen will never remember his name
America has been built and rebuilt by men who made unthinkable sacrifices.
Some patriots are called on to give up health, fortunes, and sometimes ultimately their lives.
And this true hero made a brutal sacrifice that cost him everything and most of his countrymen will never remember his name.
The little-known midnight rider who saved America
On this day in history, June 26, 1784, Caesar Rodney died at his Delaware plantation at just 56 years old – less than one year before the Treaty of Paris officially ended the Revolutionary War.
Most Americans have never heard his name, but without Caesar Rodney’s heroic midnight ride through a torrential thunderstorm, the Declaration of Independence might never have been signed.
The story began on the night of July 1, 1776, when fellow Delaware delegate Thomas McKean sent an urgent message to Rodney at his Dover location.
Congress was about to vote on independence, and Delaware’s vote hung in the balance.
McKean would vote "yes" for independence, but George Read would vote "no" – canceling each other out and leaving Delaware without a voice in the most important vote in American history.
Caesar Rodney immediately left for Philadelphia, riding through the night in a violent rainstorm, covering 80 miles in what took 18 hours to reach the city just in time.
Historical accounts differ on whether he rode horseback or took a carriage, but he arrived at Independence Hall on July 2nd "muddy, wet, and fatigued but booted and spurred" to cast the deciding vote that brought Delaware into the independence column.
"I arrived in Congress (tho detained by thunder and rain) time enough to give my voice in the matter of independence . . . We have now got through the whole of the declaration and ordered it to be printed so that you will soon have the pleasure of seeing it," Rodney wrote to his brother Thomas after the historic vote.
A lifetime of selfless service that destroyed his health
What most people don’t know is that Caesar Rodney’s sacrifice for American independence began years before his famous ride and continued until his death.
The wealthy plantation owner was already battling painful facial cancer and severe asthma when he answered the call to serve in the Continental Congress.
Instead of seeking expensive medical treatment in Europe, Rodney chose to stay in America and serve his country during its darkest hour.
He spent his own fortune equipping Delaware troops when the state couldn’t provide supplies, earning personal letters of gratitude from General George Washington.
Washington repeatedly praised Rodney’s efforts in official correspondence, and the two men developed a strong working relationship built on mutual respect.
During the eight years of war, Rodney served as a Brigadier General and later Major General in the Delaware Militia, constantly battling both British forces and Loyalist uprisings in his home state.
He was elected President of Delaware in 1778 and served for over three years, managing a state torn apart by civil conflict while the British Navy constantly invaded through Delaware’s rivers.
The ultimate price of patriotism
Caesar Rodney literally gave everything for American independence.
He never married, pouring all his energy into public service instead of building a family.
The continuous stress of wartime leadership, combined with his refusal to seek medical treatment abroad, took a devastating toll on his already fragile health.
By the time peace approached, his weakened health had deteriorated severely and he had likely exhausted his personal wealth in service to the state.
Historical records show that throughout his lengthy career, no credible accusations or scandals ever tarnished his reputation – a remarkable testament to his character during an era of political backstabbing and personal attacks.
John Adams described Rodney’s unusual appearance in his diary from September 1774, writing that "Caesar Rodney is the oddest-looking man in the world; he is tall, thin, and slender as a reed, pale; his face is not bigger than a large apple, yet there is sense and fire, spirit, wit and humor in his countenance."
Even as he faced his own mortality, Rodney remained committed to the principles he fought for.
In his will, he directed that all of his slaves should be freed upon his death or shortly thereafter – putting his actions behind his belief in liberty and freedom for all mankind.
Caesar Rodney died on June 26, 1784, at his Byfield plantation near Dover, Delaware, having given his health, his fortune, and ultimately his life for American independence.
Today, Americans can see Caesar Rodney’s image on the Delaware state quarter, riding through that historic storm to save the Declaration of Independence.
His legacy reminds us that freedom isn’t free – it requires ordinary citizens willing to make extraordinary sacrifices for something greater than themselves.
