In 1779, a detachment accompanied light infantry troops in the storming of Stoney Point. The financial difficulties of the new government, difficulties that lasted into the 1790's, complicated the payment of troops. This Revolutionary War Militia Arrangement provides a breakdown of the battalions and companies raised in each county and the names of the commanding officers. At the Battle of Brandywine on Sept. 11, 1777, the regiment was part of the force guarding Chadds Ford until the British diversionary force stormed across the creek and compelled Wayne's Division to withdraw. The Regiment was authorized on August 23, 1776 in the Continental Army as the Northampton and Northumberland Defense Battalion and assigned to the. A detachment of riflemen served with Brig. The Regiment was authorized on December 9, 1775 in the Continental Army as the 5th Pennsylvania Battalion. A County Lieutenant holding the rank of colonel was responsible for implenenting the law with the assistence of sub-lieutenants who held the rank of lieutenant colonel. Many of the men who served in 1776 reenlisted and to these were added new recruits to fill out the regiment. March 1, 1777 The Pennsylvania State Regiment is officially activated as a unit. As with all his previous battles, he was on his own with this fight. However, the men who remained in service were all redistributed among all these units and this establishment was mostly on paper. A militiaman called for active duty who found such duty inconvenient was permitted to hire a Substitute to march and fight in his stead. Crossing the road that led from Murrys Ferry to Kingstree, Watson continued to follow Marion toward Georgetown. 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. Military Association, a civilian reserve designed to repel invasion. Most of the service rendered by members of the Pennsylvania Militia fell into one of three categories. For the remainder of the war, the fame of Morgan and of his Rangers continued to grow as they deployed throughout the colonies engaging British forces. Here is an alphabetical list of Revolutionary Soldiers "compiled chiefly from The Depreciation Account books in the office of the Auditor General of . Less than a week later, on July 1, the unit was dissolved, and merged with elements of the 10th Pennsylvania. RevWar Progressive Navy veterans were not eligible for grants of Donation Land. For the rotation of field officers on active duty, it was therefore necessary to substitute Colonel for Captain, Lieutenant Colonel for 1st Lieutenant, Major for 2nd Lieutenant, etc in the column under each Battalion for Company. Pennsylvania Long Rifles. They marched from Hannastown, Pennsylvania, to New Jersey in the winter of 1776-77, and the following campaign season took part in a number of battles, including Paoli, Brandywine, White Marsh, Boundbrook, and Germantown as part of Brig. There, Marion waited, knowing that Watson would eventually appear. 3, The Pennsylvania Line: Regimental Organization and Operations, 17751783. These groups assisted state-controlled - yet still temporary - militias. Marion and his brigade soon arrived and forded the river. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. The situation was not good. For a more detailed account of how the Pennsylvania militia system worked see "The Pennsylvania Militia in 1777" by Hannah Benner Roach in In 1780, the 7th Pennsylvania was part of a force which defended against a Hessian attack on New Bridge, New Jersey on April 16, 1780 and then at Paramus. It is notable, however, that during the summer campaign of 1776, thousands of Pennsylvania Associators saw active service in New Jersey. Other than the regiments and separate companies of riflemen from Pennsylvania and the states to the south, who really functioned as light infantry rather than rangers, the Continental Army only formed two functional ranger units. For example, what had been Colonel White's 1st York County Battalion continued to be made up of the same men, but could now be designated as perhaps Colonel Black's 7th York County Battalion. Four men running forward to recover his body were also killed in sequence. The Pine Tree Shilling. The 6th Pennsylvania was then posted there for the next three months and was involved in several brushes with the British. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Certain it is no man has a better claim to the public thanks, or is more generally admired than you. Due to the sixty-day turnover, however, none of the men who were at Brandywine in September would have been present at Whitemarsh in December. Marion knew that an engagement with them would not be easy and he could expect no support from the American army. 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. The 12th Pennsylvania Regiment also known as Northumberland Defense Battalion was raised August 23, 1776 at Sunbury, Pennsylvania as a state militia regiment and later for service with the Continental Army. 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. Thousands of militiamen returned from tours of active duty unpaid, bearing only a slip signed by a commanding officer. Following additional successes by the Swamp Fox, General Nathanael Greene would write the following to Francis Marion: When I consider how much you have done and suffered, and under what disadvantage you have maintained your ground, I am at a loss which to admire most, your courage and fortitude, or your address and management. The west bank was a high bluff with the roadway passing down through a ravine to the bridge. 14 cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Remainder of Regiment reorganized and re-designated on January 1, 1777 as the 4th Pennsylvania Regiment, an element of the, Relieved on July 18, 1778 from the 2nd Pennsylvania Brigade and assigned to the, New York Brigade relieved on May 24, 1779 from the, Relieved on August 24, 1779 from the New York Brigade and assigned to Hand's Brigade, an element of the, Relieved on August 1, 1780 from Hand's Brigade and assigned to 1st Pennsylvania Brigade, an element of the. The battalion colonels, lieutenant colonels, and majors were called to active duty in a specific order. Pennsylvania claimed the 1st Continental Regiment as its own and renamed the regiment as the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment. Flying Camp from among the Pennsylvania Associators who took part in the New Jersey campaign in 1776. March 5, 1776 The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passes a resolution to establish: The Pennsylvania State Rifle Regiment, know as Miles's Regiment, was to consist of two battalions of six companies of seventy-eight enlisted men, armed with rifles: The State Battalion of Musketry, known as Atless's Battalion, was to consist of eight companies of fifty-eight enlisted men, armed with muskets. Gen. Anthony Wayne's division. It was Maxwell's command which fought the delaying action at Iron Hill on September 3, 1777, when Lt. Col. Francis Gurney was wounded. Maybe they were militia or Rangers. Gen. William Maxwell, which was formed for the fall campaign opposing the British approach toward Philadelphia from the south. President Joe Biden signed a presidential determination authorizing the use of Defense Production Act Title III authorities to rebuild and expand the nations domestic hypersonics industrial base. Queen's Rangers. To each of her line soldiers, who served to the end of the war, Pennsylvania grantedDonation Landin certain western counties, land that remained free from taxation so long as the soldier lived and retained ownership. The 7th Pennsylvania was part of the force that attacked the blockhouse under Wayne at Bergen Heights on july 21, 1780. 21 Thacher, James, Military Journal during the American Revolutionary War, pp. It was organized during the spring of 1777 to consist of eight companies of volunteers from Westmoreland, Lancaster, Chester, Philadelphia and Cumberland counties of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. With his men in a panic and the number of wounded and suffering growing, Watson shelved his pride and addressed a letter to Marion not only requesting permission to send seven of his most seriously wounded through the lines but once again alluding to the fact that Watson believed Marion was conducting himself in a manner contrary to civilized war. Marion and his men had won the days skirmish. In the mid 1700s, Capt. Relieved on May 22, 1777 from Stirling's Brigade and assigned to the 1st Pennsylvania Brigade, an element of the. This was the second unit raised by the state (the first was "The Pennsylvania Rifle Battalion") and was enrolled for a term of one year. Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community. With knowledge of the land, James and his men were able to secure the bridge before the arrival of Watsons dragoons. On the brink of war, the Continental Congress passed a resolution on 14 June 1775, on what is known as Flag Day, that "six companies of expert riflemen be immediately raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia." Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. In 1782, John Alton served as a Private in the Pennsylvania Rangers on the Frontier in Captain John Dean's Company in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, with his brother Benjamin during Colonel Crawford's disastrous expedition against the Indians at Sandusky. Unfortunately for Watson, the lack of trees and concealment did not diminish the fires, nor their accuracy. 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. As a result of this alliance, Rogers greatest claim to fame during the Revolution and possibly most infamous overall was the seizure of Nathan Hale. Morgans losses were placed at twelve killed and sixty-one wounded. Immortalized in song and story, Francis Marion became a hero of the Revolution second only to the commander-in-chief and first President of the United States, George Washington. Diarist Joseph Plumb Martin described him as "an excellent officer, much beloved and respected by the troops of the Line he belonged to.". On 5 March 1781, Watson began his movement, marching from Fort Watson. The original 8th Pennsylvania Regiment was formed in July 1776 of men from Westmoreland and Bedford counties in western Pennsylvania. About; Leadership; Public Information; Contact; Join; . The Pennsylvanians assigned to the fort, mostly from the Musket Battalion, are among those captured. During this time, Congress realized a more substantial national army with enlistments longer than 12 months would be needed to fight the war successfully. When spring came, the regiment was again actively engaged in patrols and skirmishes with British forays from New York. Though titled Rangers by Washington and a grateful American people, Morgans Rangers were not, in essence, Rangers in the sense of the uniquely trained, motivated, and challenged soldier. who served in the war of the American Revolution, 1775-1783 Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. 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 calledPierce's Certificates. Under Stewart it operated along the New York-New Jersey border and moved to Middlebrook, New Jersey, in early December for the winter of 1778-79. 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. Redesignated on September 16, 1776 as the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment. These nine companies were to form a battalion to be commanded by Col. William Thompson of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Re-designated on January 1, 1777 as the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment. Organized in spring 1777 at Philadelphia to consist of 8 companies from Westmoreland, Lancaster, Chester, Philadelphia and Cumberland Counties. There was a problem getting your location. Commanded by Dan Morgan, this Ranger force was singled out by British General John Burgoyne, the commander of British forces intent on isolating the New England colonies, as the most famous corps of the Continental Army, all of them crack shots.. Begin Main Content Area Bedford County Revolutionary War Militia. Washington wanted to use it as a vehicle for insuring tribal support--its Native American members would become hostages for the good behavior of the rest of the tribe--as well as a combat element. Marion knew that if he did not continue to press, theyd be back with a vengeance. They were instead the numbers of the battalions from which the men came! Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Essentially, the old 2nd Pennsylvania ceased to exist before the final campaign in Virginia and South Carolina, although former members of the regiment were battle casualties at Green Springs on July 6 and Yorktown in October. Special battalions of line troops were recruited for the RevWar '75 Continental Army Orderly Books Crown Forces Orderly Books Articles from Military Collector and Historian. Such men of the Pennsylvania Line as became disabled in service but were found capable of light garrison duty were transferred to this special continental regiment. By December 8, a remnant of the First Battalion was at New Germantown, New Jersey, but the bulk of the men had been mustered out of service. 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. Consolidated on January 17, 1781 with the, Reorganized on January 1, 1783 at Ashley Hills, South Carolina, to consist of 9 companies, and assigned to the. The only unit capable, Lees Legion, had been recalled to the north to support Greene. Many of the Invalids were subsequently pensioned. By July 10, it was encamped with the American Army at Ft. Ticonderoga. Gen. Anthony Wayne's Division. On September 21 the regiment was in Hartford, Connecticut, with Wayne to greet French General Rochambeau. The regiment was disbanded on January 17, 1781 at Trenton, New Jersey. Colonel Brodhead is placed in command of the consolidated forces and ordered by General Washington to withdraw to Manhattan. Concurrent with the establishment of county militias was the creation of five companies of Rangers. The 11th Pennsylvania's total losses during the whole campaign were substantial, for by November 1, 1777, it had present for duty only eight officers and eighty enlisted men. Exemptions were extremely limited, and an estimated 60,000 men were enrolled. They also helped garrison Fort Pitt, Fort Henry, and a number of smaller posts. Trussell, Jr. (Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1977). For line troops, neither the type of service rendered nor the term of enlistment was uniform. 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 But they were engaged with one of the finest regiments in the British army and, thus, in the world. The traditional ranger usage reached its peak during the French and Indian War. The regiment spent the winter months at Morristown, New Jersey, where it built up strength and was placed in Brig. During the Seven Years' War most European armies developed partisan corps (also called frei korps). These sharpshooters were proving to be so successful that Watson felt compelled by noon to redeploy his regiment to a large open field about a half-mile away. Relieved on August 31, 1776 from Stirling's Brigade and assigned to Mifflin's Brigade, an element of the. Watson and his men remained where they were, subsisting off the plantation, gathering from those homes around them anything else they needed. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. For Bucks County, information has also been provided from the returns for the Committee of Safety (the Associators) for 1775. Organized between February 7- March 17, 1776 at Reading, Pennsylvania, with personnel from Berks County. USA. 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. Donation Land in certain western counties, land that remained free from taxation so long as the soldier lived and retained ownership. In December, the 2nd Pennsylvania returned to Morristown for another winter. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Disbanded on July 1, 1778 at White Plains, New York. PHMC > Archives > Research Online > Bedford County Revolutionary War Militia. Choosing escape, Watson abruptly wheeled his Regiment to the right and proceeded to move at a quick pace across fifteen miles of marsh and pine lands to the Santee Road. Advancing his main force as support, Marion again ordered Horry to charge. Soldiers who served during the years 1777-1780, when the currency was depreciating, were paid inContinental bills of Credit, which quickly lost value. Pennsylvania Archives volumes and not directly from original archival records. 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. Provision was made for recruiting from the ranks of Associators in each county a small corps of On June 10, 1777, the Pennsylvania Assembly, following the advice of the Supreme Executive Council of the state, transferred the state regiment to Continental service. During this period, activist elements among Pennsylvania's population organized local volunteer "associations" that were eventually formed into fifty-three battalions.