The regiment never recruited the Indian component, and changes in British operations led to the transformation of the white elements into normal infantry. A third type of militia duty was in providing guards for supply depots located in Lancaster, Lebanon and Reading and at various prisoner of war camps. During this assault one regiment, possibly the 6th Pennsylvania attacked the pickets at Mount Airy. PHMC. General financial confusion and the collapse of wartime currencies made prompt payment impossible, but eventually, under an act of April 1, 1784, Pennsylvania compensated such payment for their active service and settled accounts with certain other public creditors by passing to them interesting bearing During 1777, the regiment participated in the Philadelphia Campaign and fought at the Battles of Brandywine (11 Sept.) and Germantown (4 Oct.). For this reason, a particular private might be listed in a different battalion in 1781 than he was in 1778 but this does not necessarily mean that he was transferred between units or changed residence. Relieved in January 1777 from Stirling's Brigade. Later that evening, one of Marions scouts reconnoitered the camp and rode off to warn his brigadier. Concurrent with the establishment of county militias was the creation of five companies of Rangers. The two dismounted troops armed and equipped as light infantry provided a defensive element to protect the camp from enemy surprise attack, and also provided a base of fire around which the mounted elements could maneuver. Exercise Fine. The only unit capable, Lees Legion, had been recalled to the north to support Greene. Pennsylvania Line Regiments and other Pennsylvania Units. The Raid at Cabanatuan, Philippines, 75th Ranger Regiment The Legacy Continues. The Regiment was authorized on August 23, 1776 in the Continental Army as the Northampton and Northumberland Defense Battalion and assigned to the. For line troops, neither the type of service rendered nor the term of enlistment was uniform. Strafford County, The militia did provide a significant defensive force patrolling the south side of the Schuylkill River and engaged in occasional clashes with British outposts and scouting parties including heavy skirmishes at Whitemarsh on December 7. With knowledge of the land, James and his men were able to secure the bridge before the arrival of Watsons dragoons. To make amends for such depreciation, each of these men who in 1781 yet remained in line service was awarded a substantial sum inDepreciation Pay Certificates, which were both interest bearing and negotiable, like bonds of the present day. In June the men refused to report at camp for duty as they thought they were still on parole and had not been properly exchanged. The Regiment was authorized on December 9, 1775 in the Continental Army as the 4th Pennsylvania Battalion. Marions response was to once again reiterate his position that he was only responding in kind to British transgressions. This arrangement represents more of a means of organizing manpower from specific geographical localities rather than reflecting the activity of acting military units that were drawn from this manpower pool. The Pennsylvania Council of Safety prescribes that there will be ten companies, "eight of them armed with muskets and the other two with riffles." 23, No. "Pennsylvania Rifle: Revolutionary Weapon in a Conventional War." Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 103 (July 1979), pp. Revolutionary War Records Overview The Military Association, 1775-1777 At the beginning of 1775, Pennsylvania, founded under Quaker auspices, differed from other American colonies in being totally devoid of military organization. At the Battle of Monmouth, on June 28, 1778, it was one of the three Pennsylvania regiments in the force which Aaron Burr led in a late-afternoon assault on the flank of a British counterattacking column. Most of the service rendered by members of the Pennsylvania Militia fell into one of three categories. Robert Rogers of New Hampshire organized a corps of New England woodsmen as full-time Provincials directly under British military auspices and paid out of British funds. To fight the enemy bravely with a prospect of victory is nothing; but to fight with intrepidity under the constant impression of defeat, and inspire irregular troops to do it, is a talent peculiar to yourself. When spring came, the regiment was again actively engaged in patrols and skirmishes with British forays from New York. The sharpshooters were placed at the abutment where they had the clearest shot at the far end of the bridge while the remaining musketeers secured their flanks. These volunteer companies made up the The 7th Pennsylvania was part of the force that attacked the blockhouse under Wayne at Bergen Heights on july 21, 1780. Begin Main Content Area Bedford County Revolutionary War Militia. They also helped garrison Fort Pitt, Fort Henry, and a number of smaller posts. Gen. Anthony Wayne and Washington south in August where they fought at Brandywine on September 11, 1777. The 11th Pennsylvania fought again at Germantown on October 4, 1777. Largely due to its Quaker roots, Pennsylvania did not initially (like neighboring colonies) form a standing militia. USA. On Sept. 1, 1780, Tye's brigade raided the Colts Neck home of Capt. Seventy men, thirty of whom were sharpshooters, were dispatched to ride ahead to secure and hold the Lower Bridge under Major James. Colonel Stewart called his regiment the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Regiment in his weekly return of October 27, and it was so designated and officially added to the Continental Line by a resolution of the Continental Congress dated November 12, 1777. RootsWeb is funded and supported by Morgans Corps of Rangers was coming to fruition. Formed in 1780 as a result of the brutality of British General Cornwallis severe measures, this unit was commanded by Brigadier General Francis Marion, considered by many to be one of the boldest and most dashing figures of the American Revolution. An attack against Morgan and his crack shots by a British force of 1,100 men would result in a brilliant double envelopment that has been called by historians the American Cannae. The British defeat was total with over 110 soldiers killed and 830 captured. The 1st Partisan Corps under the Frenchman "Colonel Armand" (the marquis de la Rouerie) and the 2d under Lee both drew assignments in Major General Nathanael Greene's Southern Department. Thousands of militiamen returned from tours of active duty unpaid, bearing only a slip signed by a commanding officer. On January 1, 1777, the survivors of the 5th Battalion, along with exchanged prisoners and new recruits, were reorganized into the 6th Pennsylvania. Conway's Brigade continued at attack and eventually drove "the enemy a mile and a half below Chew's house" before being forced to retire. They were instead the numbers of the battalions from which the men came! It was assigned on February 27, 1776 to the, Remainder of Regiment reorganized and re-designated 1 January 1, 1777 as the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment, an element of the, Relieved on July 22, 1778 from the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade and assigned to the 2nd Pennsylvania Brigade, an element of the. The Rangers were engaged in numerous violent raids that characterized the northern frontier of the American Revolutionary War, such as the Battle of Wyoming in July 1778 and the Cherry Valley massacre of November 1778. The Pennsylvania Lineoriginated in 1775 was organized into thirteen regiments and several independent companies. Curtailing his attempt to clear the far side first, Watson formed his men in column and ordered the first column forward with its captain out front. The term "Pennsylvania Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Pennsylvania at various times by theContinental Congress. Defense Production Act Title III Presidential Determination for Airbreathing Engines, Advanced Avionics Position Navigation and Guidance Systems, and Constituent Materials for Hypersonic Systems, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Co-Hosts the First Irregular Warfare Medical Resiliency Working Group, Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III Message to the Force, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Message to the Force, Ranger Assessment & Selection Program How to Become a 75th Ranger, 75 Years Ago Today. Northampton County Revolutionary War Militia 1st Battalion, 1777 Commanding Officers: Col. George Hubner; 4th Battalion, 1780 Commanding Officers: Lt. Col. Philip Beehm (Boehm) General Hugh Mercer and attack a group of British dragoons. For most counties, the town or township from which each of the companies were recruited is also given when known. The financial difficulties of the new government, difficulties that lasted into the 1790's, complicated the payment of troops. Volume Reel 0822 American Revolutionary War Service Records; Soldiers--United States--Registers Pennsylvania, Seventh Battalion (Cumberland County Militia), Seventh Regiment: A -F Colonels Colonel William Thompson, Colonel Edward Hand, Colonel James Chambers Companies Gen. William Maxwell, which was formed for the fall campaign opposing the British approach toward Philadelphia from the south. The "Act to Regulate the Militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" passed 17 March 1777, and the the subsequent Militia Act passed March 20, 1780, together with their amendments, required all white men between the ages of 18 and 53 capable of bearing arms to serve two months of militia duty on a rotating basis. The Flying Camp? The regiment was disbanded on January 17, 1781 at Trenton, New Jersey. Or were they Associators? After exchanging fire in the area of Chadd's Ford, The PSR, as part of General Greene's division move to meet the main British assault. [1] For a full account of the social factors and legislation that this article draws from, see Arthur J. Alexander, "Pennsylvania's Revolutionary Militia," Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 69:1 (January 1945 ), 15-25. On 22 July 1778 the regiment was re-assigned to the 2d Pennsylvania Brigade. At Trenton, it was the 1st Continental Regiment (now known as the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment) that cut off the Hessian retreat from Trenton, causing them to surrender. Company returns, battalion returns, and brigade returns were nearly always filled out on standard printed forms when these were available. October 4, 1777 - Possibly because of their service at Brandywine, Conway's Brigade was chosen to lead the main column of Washington's army in the attack on the British at Germantown. The Pennsylvania Line originated in 1775 was organized into thirteen regiments and several independent companies. Lee particularly shined when his regulars stiffened the irregular local forces of leaders like Francis ("Swamp Fox") Marion. In the meantime, the regiment was commanded by the senior officer present for duty, Maj. William Williams. Deleting this Virtual Cemetery cannot be undone. Disbanded on July 1, 1778 at White Plains, New York. 1st United States President, Revolutionary War Mount Vernon, There is no particular record that the unit was involved in any fighting that summer, but in October, 1779, it had 452 officers and men with Wayne at West Point. This collection is from Record Group 93, War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, and is National Archives Microfilm publication M246. Organized between January 2- February 11, 1776 at Chester to consist of 8 companies from Chester, Bucks and Lancaster Counties. He is said to have been wounded and taken prisoner at Stillwater, N.Y., during a British-Indian attack on Morgan's camp in September 1777. In addition, he sent a pass for the safe passage of the wounded and their attendants. Relieved on May 19, 1778 from the 2nd Pennsylvania Brigade and assigned to the. From 1776 to 1781, Rogers obtained an additional seven Battle Honors for his famed Rangers, but, unfortunately, under the flag of the Queens and Kings Rangers, The American revolutionaries were not without their Rangers, despite Rogers support of the Crown. All males aged 20 to 45 - including immigrants seeking citizenship - had to register for the draft. The east bank of the river was low, open, and swampy. It was consolidated with the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment on 17 January 1781 and re-designated as the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment and concurrently furloughed at Trenton, New Jersey. In formal battles it provided unblemished flank security, but it was even better in rear battle by conducting deep raids against British logistical bases. They also fought at Bergen Neck. Pay for military service was often long delayed. Some of the muster rolls provide the date when duty began, and in the case of officers, the date of their commission, and perhaps some additional comments indicating such types of information as whether they were detached on special duty or the dates of any desertions. We have set your language to He was replaced by Col. John Phillip DeHaas of Lebanon. In certain counties there were recruited special troops calledRangers, who served long enlistments on the frontier against the Indians. Another sixty-six enlisted men were sick, and thirty-one were on detached service. Thanks for your help! When America officially declared its independence from Great Britain, it was clear more troops were needed to fight in the revolution. Militia fines became an important source of revenue. It is notable, however, that during the summer campaign of 1776, thousands of Pennsylvania Associators saw active service in New Jersey. The regiment participated in the unsuccessful defense of New York City and was captured in part at Fort Washington (16 Nov., 1776). On September 25 it rushed from Tappan, New York, to West Point to reinforce the garrison there after Benedict Arnold's treachery was discovered. Each partisan unit in the Continental Army, however, had a unique organizational structure. Trussell, Jr. (Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1977). The names of those who actually turned out for muster duty would then appear on company muster rolls listing the men in their new arrangement. Captain Nathan Hale of this corps gained immortality as a brave but singularly inept spy. Pennsylvania, They occasionally operated with friendly Indians, but more commonly served the British as a substitute for traditional allies. There was a problem getting your location. After wintering at Valley Forge the regiment was assigned to the Western Department, headquartered at Fort Pitt. Pierce's Certificates. Imposing and silent, highly disciplined and trained, impressive in their bright red uniforms, the guards led with bayonets that gleamed and sparkled on the ends of upraised muskets. As we continue to get closer to a complete collection of The Pennsylvania Archives, we find more interesting facts. List of regimental, company and militia units from Pennsylvania in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1782, including infantry, cavalry and artillery units. Some elements of the 11th Pennsylvania saw action in the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777. Nine miles from Georgetown, the harried regiment approached the Sampit River. Revolutionary War Records at FamilySearch. The tranditional ranger usage had only limited application during that later war. A system error has occurred. And, they were still separate from the militias sanctioned by Pennsylvania's Provincial Assembly. A man who failed to report for drill merely paid an For Northumberland County, the number of militiamen serving in each company of the 1776 Associator Battalions and for the 1778 3rd and 4th Militia Battalions is provided. The financial difficulties of the new government, difficulties that lasted into the 1790's, complicated the payment of troops. Pleased with James deployment, Marion reinforced him with an additional company and moved to a reserve position to the rear and out of sight. The mix of mounted and dismounted men gave it somewhat greater staying power in independent firefights while also allowing rapid forced marches (each light infantryman held on to a dragoon's stirrups). The item Washington County, Pa., Frontier Rangers, 1781-1782 : Washington County, Pa., Rangers, Revolutionary War burials of Greene County, Pa., Revolutionary War burials of Washington County, Pa., compiled by Paul W. Myers represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Indiana State Library. Corps of Invalids. American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies . Here is an alphabetical list of Revolutionary Soldiers "compiled chiefly from The Depreciation Account books in the office of the Auditor General of . In 1747, Ben Franklin (only 39 years of age at the time) created the Philadelphia Militia Association, a completely volunteer force totalling 10,000 enrollees. These voluntary "Associators" never represented more than a fraction of the state's total population. Weve updated the security on the site. 3, The Pennsylvania Line: Regimental Organization and Operations, 17751783. Another form of line service was with the The Regiment was authorized on September 16, 1776 in the Continental Army as the 10th Pennsylvania Regiment. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. When active service occurred, it would have been for only sixty days at a time. Marion knew that if he did not continue to press, theyd be back with a vengeance. However, the men who remained in service were all redistributed among all these units and this establishment was mostly on paper. Only in extreme cases was any individual militia man required to drill with his neighbors as many as twelve times each year, and at most he was called upon to perform during the entire course of the war, two or possibly three, short tours of active duty. The regiment would see action during the Battle of Valcour Island, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Springfield. Re-designated on January 1, 1776 as the 1st Continental Regiment. Search Connecticut Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 from The National Archives, Search Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served from Connecticut in the American Army During the Revolution from The National Archives. The Regiment was authorized on January 4, 1776 in the Continental Army as the 6th Pennsylvania Battalion. In pursuit was Peter Horry, firing on the retreating forms from every bush and thicket. Furloughed on June 11, 1783 at Philadelphia. At Morristown, during the winter of 1780-81, the 7th Pennsylvania was involved in a mutiny with other Pennsylvania Regiments after which the unit was disbanded. Marion and his men had won the days skirmish. Following a brief skirmish on the narrow land bridge, both sides withdrew. Soldiers who served during the years 1777-1780, when the currency was depreciating, were paid inContinental bills of Credit, which quickly lost value. Morgans losses were placed at twelve killed and sixty-one wounded. Both Watson and Marion rode out to face each other across a quarter-mile causeway spanning the mire and marsh of the swamp. To make amends for such depreciation, each of these men who in 1781 yet remained in line service was awarded a substantial sum in In enrollment, it probably never numbered as many as one thousand men. Arriving from Ireland Kauffman, Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872 from NARA microfilm publication T718. Special battalions of line troops were recruited for the Where it was involved in several minor battles and skirmishes. Joshua Huddy, who was every bit as feared by loyalists as Tye was by patriots. Militias were paid out of Pennsylvania's then-functioning provincial treasury. (these are free with registration) Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 from National Archives (NARA) microfilm publication M246. U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900. Powder Horns. Gen. Anthony Wayne's division. Many men listed on company rosters never drilled, and tens of thousands enrolled in the militia never experienced a single day of active duty. Frustration had set in on the British in regard to Marion, and the decision was made by Cornwallis replacement as field commander in South Carolina, Lord Francis Rawdon, to try and eradicate the pest once and for all. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. On July 1, 1778, the regiment absorbed the remainder of the 13th Pennsylvania Regiment, most of its men's enlistments having expired. The 7th Pennsylvania marched with Brig. For purposes of administration and drill, If you have Pennsylvania ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War, you may be confused by the varying names for forms of service. The Regiment was authorized on March 6, 1776 in the Pennsylvania State Troops as the Pennsylvania State Musketry Battalion.