Delaware & the Civil War

Two of the state's most historically significant attractions relating to the Civil War era are the DuPont Co. Hagley Mills facilities on the banks of the Brandywine River that made almost half of the Union's gunpowder and Fort Delaware, a prisoner of war camp located in the center of the Delaware River.

Fort Delaware housed as many as 12,000 Confederate prisoners of war at a time on an island in the Delaware River. The last of the 30,000 POWs was Burton S. Harrison, Jefferson Davis' personal secretary, who was released in January, 1866. This Delaware State Park, which is only open seasonally, usually has a half-dozen to a dozen costumed interpreters showing life in 1864.

Hagley Museum and Library is home to the original du Pont family gunpowder mills that ran for 120 years, including the Civil War. The site was guarded well during the war, having been the supplier of half of the gunpowder used by the Union soldiers. Founded in 1802 these gunpowder mills were the start of the international DuPont Chemical Company we know today.This tour starts at Hagley Museum and Library, home to the the original gunpowder mills used by the du Pont family in 1802 and the start of the international chemical company we know today.

This itinerary is available summers through 2015 and is enhanced throughout mid-2012 at Hagley and on the second weekends of June, July and August through 2015 at Fort Delaware.

Download this
itinerary here.