subs. phr. (American).—The inhabitants of Delaware. The nickname arose thus: Captain Caldwell, an officer of the first Delaware regiment in the American War of Independence, was noted for his love of cock-fighting. Being personally popular, and his regiment becoming famous for their valour, they were soon known as ‘gamecocks’; and as Caldwell maintained that no cock was truly game unless its mother was a blue hen, his regiment, and subsequently Delawareans generally, became known as BLUE HEN’S CHICKEN’S, and Delaware as the BLUE HEN STATE for the same reason. A boaster is also often brought to book by the sarcasm, ‘Your mother was a BLUE HEN no doubt.’
