They were either used to augment the operations of the Continental Line such as when some of the Associators accompanied General Washington in crossing the Delaware in January 1777. The term "Pennsylvania Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Pennsylvania at various times by theContinental Congress. Gen. William Maxwell, which was formed for the fall campaign opposing the British approach toward Philadelphia from the south. Online Revolutionary War Indexes and Records - Military Indexes While all of these types of records reflect enrollment in the militia, only the muster rolls of the actual marching companies demonstrate actual service while the fine books and appeal books are evidence of lack of actual service. There they remained until the 6th Pennsylvania was mustered out on March 15, 1777. Occasionally, militia reinforcements from Cumberland, Lancaster, and York counties would be brought in to reinforce these frontiers as occurred in the summer of 1778. 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. Much of the information provided below was extracted by former archivist Henry James Young, and also possibly by archivist Marvin Schlegel, during the 1940s and 1950s from published entries in the various series of the The U.S. Army Ranger history predates the Revolutionary War. After this, the 7th Pennsylvania spent time in New York and New Jersey watching the British. Only during a brief period in the winter of 1777-1778 did the Continental Army experiment with the idea of employing them as a shock force. This time, the question of military service was no longer optional. RootsWeb is funded and supported by It is believed and written by many that when the time came for the colonies to fight for their independence, the American Rangers were ready. To a degree, when one looks to the likes of Francis Marion, The Swamp Fox, that may be true. Revolutionary War Frontier PA Rangers - Find a Grave Armand's remained a shell during 1781, but Lee had great success in the Carolinas carrying out those specific missions for which the 3-3 mix of mounted and dismounted troops had been designed. Col. DeHaas was promoted to a brigadier general in February and was replaced by Col. James Irvine, who resigned in June. None of the light units employed by the Continental Army carried out a training role as Rogers' Rangers had during the French and Indian War. The regiment was assigned to the 3d Pennsylvania Brigade of the Main Continental Army on 27 May 1777. The 7th Pennsylvania was part of the force that attacked the blockhouse under Wayne at Bergen Heights on july 21, 1780. Two months later the remnants of the corps fell into British hands when Fort Washington surrendered. As such, they were subject to the orders of the Provincial Assembly. October 4, 1777 Battle of Germantown. On June 30, 1775, the Provincial Assembly gave official recognition to the Associators and grouped their companies into battalions. On Sept. 1, 1780, Tye's brigade raided the Colts Neck home of Capt. On September 20, the 7th Pennsylvania bore the brunt of the British assault at Paoli where half of the men present were either killed or wounded. 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. For all intents the Regiment ceased to exist. On September 21 the regiment was in Hartford, Connecticut, with Wayne to greet French General Rochambeau. Most crucial to the American Revolutionary War effort was the fact that between 15 August 1780 and 8 September 1781, Marion and his men alone held eastern South Carolina from the British. [2] The only time Pennsylvania seems to have had any sort of basic militia prior to the draft is during the winter months of 1776 into 1777. Morgans Corps of Rangers was coming to fruition. Disbanded on July 1, 1778 at White Plains, New York. It halted the British attack but was itself compelled to retire under subsequent artillery fire. Redesignated on September 16, 1776 as the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment. Also important to understand is that the 1777 Militia Act automatically expired in 1780 and was immediately replaced by a new Militia Act that also lasted for three years and was superceded by a third Militia Act in 1783. In the Western Department, the unit helped construct and garrison Fort McIntosh on the Beaver River, and Fort Laurens on the Tuscarawas. Allen, William; lieutenant in Colonel Timothy Green's battalion, 1776; wounded at White Plains. Consolidated and reorganized on July 1, 1778 with the. On New Year's Day, 1781, members of the 6th Pennsylvania joined the mutiny of the Pennsylvania regiments then quartered at Morristown. The 5th Pennsylvania Regiment was raised December 9, 1775 at Chester, Pennsylvania for service with the Continental Army. Unfortunately, when redemption came many of the original holders had long since sold their certificates at heavy discounts. On 5 March 1781, Watson began his movement, marching from Fort Watson. Tabulated company returns were periodically compiled from the muster rolls and from these the adjutants for each battalion compiled battalion returns that were then tabulated by the muster master general of the brigade and submitted to the brigadier general in the form of a general return (not to be confused with the Battalion General Return mentioned above). The County Lieutenants ensured that militia units turned out for military exercises, provided the militia units with arms and equipment at the expense of the state, located substitutes for those who declined to serve, and assessed and collected the militia fines. When spring came, the regiment was again actively engaged in patrols and skirmishes with British forays from New York. June 10, 1777 The transfer of the Pennsylvania State Regiment to the Continental service is formalized. The west bank was a high bluff with the roadway passing down through a ravine to the bridge. Virginia, For an account of the arrangement and operations of the Pennsylvania Line soldiers see "Light Horse Harry" Lee of Virginia (the father of Robert E. Lee) raised the only American-born unit under this concept. 21 Thacher, James, Military Journal during the American Revolutionary War, pp. Home Battles 1775 to 1783 Campaigns Continental Army Continental Navy British Army Flags of the Revolution War Facts War Leaders Patriot Leaders British Leaders Samuel Morehead's Independent Company, an element of the. It was assigned on August 12, 1776 to Stirling's Brigade, an element of the, The Regiment was authorized on October 6, 1777 in the Continental Army as two Carlisle Independent Companies and assigned to the, Organized between October 20- December 22, 1777 at Carlisle. It was during this action that the "wives of several of the soldiers belonging to the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment took the empty canteens of their husbands and friends and returned them filled with waterduring the hottest part of the engagement, although frequently cautioned as to the danger of coming into the line of fire.". Pennsylvania Long Rifles. Revolutionary War Records - Ancestry During the 1777 campaign, the regiment split, with the smaller rifle corps joining Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates at Saratoga. Marion was located past Murrys Ferry. On January 1, 1777, the survivors of the 5th Battalion, along with exchanged prisoners and new recruits, were reorganized into the 6th Pennsylvania. Resend Activation Email. Re-designated the 7th Pennsylvania Regiment and with such a large number of re-enlisting veterans, the unit was ready for duty in a very short time. 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. Another form of line service was with the The infantry moved at a trot the entire way, stopping only to fire a volley to their rear. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. By 1675-1676 a new element appeared in the ranger concept. Relieved on November 14, 1776 from St. Clair's Brigade and assigned to the. The Regiment was authorized on January 22, 1777 in the Continental Army as Capt. Revolutionary War Militia Overview - Pennsylvania Historical & Museum The battle took place in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania on July 3, 1778 in what is now Luzerne County. Reorganized and redesignated on January 1, 1777 as the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment, to consist of 8 companies. The distance from bank to bank was the perfect sharpshooter distance, fifty yards. Marion knew that an engagement with them would not be easy and he could expect no support from the American army. The financial difficulties of the new government, difficulties that lasted into the 1790's, complicated the payment of troops. For the 2nd Class, the colonel of the 2nd Battalion, lieutenant colonel of the First Battalion, and major of the 4th Battalion entered service in command of the 2nd Class active-duty battalion. You can always change this later in your Account settings. On May 18 the unit lost a junior officer killed in a fight at Paramus. In 1779, a detachment accompanied light infantry troops in the storming of Stoney Point. Pennsylvania Archives volumes and not directly from original archival records. Militia fines became an important source of revenue. There, Marion waited, knowing that Watson would eventually appear. August 11, 1776 The Pennsylvania troops are ordered to New York and are assigned to the brigade commanded by General William Alexander. Formation [ edit] 11th Pennsylvania Regiment was officially authorized on October 25, 1776. USA, Winfield, The individuals who volunteered at this time were formed into battalions by county and were known as "Flying Camps" that served on active duty until November 30, 1776. Originally, the 6th Pennsylvania Battalion, the 7th Pennsylvania was authorized on January 4, 1776. Gen. Anthony Wayne's Division. Muster rolls of the navy and line, militia and rangers, 1775-1783:198-220 Intemediate Sources: USGENwebArchives Transcribed by Christina Hunt Archive.org, OCR Transcription. Furloughed on June 11, 1783 at Philadelphia (less 2 companies remaining active at Fort Pitt). June 26, 1777 - As part of Lord Stirling's Division the regiment probably joined the army in time to participate in the battle of Short Hills. William Hendrick's and Mathew Smith's companies each additionally served in: On June 14, 1775, the Continental Congress passed a resolution calling for the raising of six companies of expert riflemen from Pennsylvania, two from Maryland, and two from Virginia. When America officially declared its independence from Great Britain, it was clear more troops were needed to fight in the revolution. Re-designated on January 1, 1777 as the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment. In offensive operations they became scouts and guides, locating targets (such as villages) for task forces drawn from the militia or other colonial troops. Organized in spring 1777 at Kittanning to consist of 8 companies from Westmoreland County. Where it was involved in several minor battles and skirmishes. The regiment was in combat again on September 20 when, with the rest of Wayne's division, it was surprised at Paoli. The Regiment was authorized on December 9, 1775 in the Continental Army as the 2d Pennsylvania Battalion. 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. Scouts abounded about the British regiment. Relieved on May 22, 1777 from Stirling's Brigade and assigned to the 1st Pennsylvania Brigade, an element of the. Gen. Seven miles later at Ox Swamp, he encountered destroyed bridges and an abatis across the causeway. Both Watson and Marion rode out to face each other across a quarter-mile causeway spanning the mire and marsh of the swamp. 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. In December, the 2nd Pennsylvania returned to Morristown for another winter. Similar groups, commonly known as Associators, soon sprang up in surrounding counties. List of 10,000 Revolutionary Soldiers 1775-1783 - Fold3 HQ Swearingen resigned from the service in August 1779 and settled in Washington County, Pa., where he owned a handful of slaves and became the county's first sheriff two years later. Morning arrived and Watson again resumed his march with Marion leading. Organized between March 13- May 29, 1776 at Chester to consist of 8 companies from Philadelphia City and Bucks, Philadelphia, Chester and Lancaster Counties. When Washington authorized Gist's Additional Continental Regiment in 1777 he intended to man it with a mixture of Caucasian southern frontiersmen and members of the Cherokee and related tribes. Most of the Associators now disbanded. Minute Men, on call for special duty at short notice, but no evidence of the existence of such a corps in Pennsylvania survives. Somewhat similarly, at the end of the war arrearages and allowances due were met by issuing to each soldier still in the service a number of interest-bearing Final Settlements, also called As Thompson's Rifle Battalion, the regiment participated in the siege of Boston. Special battalions of line troops were recruited for the U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 - Ancestry Recipe Book - 1705. 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. Flying Camp from among the Pennsylvania Associators who took part in the New Jersey campaign in 1776. Militias were paid out of Pennsylvania's then-functioning provincial treasury. Pennsylvania Revolutionary Service | Claudius Boatman A man who failed to report for drill merely paid an The 9th Pennsylvania Regiment was authorized September 16, 1776 and was assigned to the Main Continental Army on 27 December 1776. For line troops, neither the type of service rendered nor the term of enlistment was uniform. Avoiding militia calls was not difficult. Powder Horns. In October it participated in Anthony Wayne's defeat of the British at Valcour Island, but otherwise had an uneventful tour of garrison duty. They spent the winter at Valley Forge and fought at the battle of Monmoth on June 28, 1778. and were required to show up for their two months of active duty at the time and in the order that their class was called up. Pulaski's Independent Legion. Soon, though, just as Marion had expected, the guardsmen wheeled around and made their way back to the Kingstree intersection. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (M246), and other historical records. During the summer, the 11th Pennsylvania was assigned to the 2d Brigade of Anthony Wayne's division. Organization was territorial, so that normally a company consisted of men from a single township, while a battalion included all the Associators of several neighboring townships. Keystone State. Morgans losses were placed at twelve killed and sixty-one wounded. Overmyer has not added any memorials to this virtual cemetery. Leaving twenty dead from the engagement, he, the wagons, and the remainder of his regiment forced the ford. American Revolutionary War Search above to list available cemeteries. During this period, activist elements among Pennsylvania's population organized local volunteer "associations" that were eventually formed into fifty-three battalions. The Regiment was authorized on June 14, 1775 in the Continental Army as 6 separate companies of Pennsylvania Riflemen and assigned to the Main Army. (these are free with registration) Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 from National Archives (NARA) microfilm publication M246. Thousands of militiamen returned from tours of active duty unpaid, bearing only a slip signed by a commanding officer. The structure of the legionary corps focused on providing close reconnaissance and security patrols for a field army although various operational and manpower problems hampered most of the regiments from achieving complete success. Please reset your password. Contrary to common belief, none of the lands granted to veterans by the federal government were located in Pennsylvania. The light infantry companies continued under their existing practice of forming provisional battalions for each campaign season. Having suffered so many casualties, by November 1, the 7th Pennsylvania only had 17 officers and 105 men fit for duty. An attempt to move the cannon and depress the muzzles led to the crews being run off by the highly accurate fire of the sharpshooters. During the afternoon the forces under General John Sullivan fought with the enemy for almost two hours near Birmingham Meeting House. During this time the brigade under General Thomas Conway, to which the 6th Regiment belonged, was reputed to be "the best instructed and disiplined" in the army. Member of the first and second continental Durham, Refusal to turn out for military exercises would result in a fine, the proceeds from which were used to hire substitutes. After a settlement was reached, the regiment was furloughed at Trenton on January 17. Astute British commanders assigned regular British officers to Rogers' Rangers for training in wilderness warfare which they could then pass on to their normal regiments. Contrary to myth, the light troops in the Continental Army overwhelmingly followed European doctrinal concepts. Knowlton's Rangers, a provisional three-company unit of volunteers from Connecticut and Massachusetts line regiments under Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowlton, came into being during the late summer of 1776 at New York City. Joshua Huddy, who was every bit as feared by loyalists as Tye was by patriots. American Revolutionary War Organized between January 2- February 17, 1776 at Philadelphia to consist of 8 companies. Light infantry companies added to the regimental organization of each Continental Army infantry regiment in 1778 also had European roots. Pierce's Certificates. It then reported to march with the army under Col. Arthur St. Clair and was involved at Three Rivers on June 9. John Pugh's Independent Company to guard Powder Mill at French Creek. 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. The Regiment was authorized on October 12, 1775 in the Continental Army as the 1st Pennsylvania Battalion.