In addition, he sent a pass for the safe passage of the wounded and their attendants. Donation Land in certain western counties, land that remained free from taxation so long as the soldier lived and retained ownership. The majority of the Regiment fought with the main army at Brandywine, covered the American retreat at Paoli, attacked at Germantown, and skirmished at Whitemarsh. Associators remained independent of the Continental (Pennsylvania) Line which was comprised of regular, enlisted infantrymen. Please try again later. Congress called for a Flying Camp to serve under General George Washington. RootsWeb is funded and supported by The companies supported British operations against French Canada on the New York and St. Lawrence River fronts. Marion was located past Murrys Ferry. It was here that they received a new commander, Lieutenant Colonel Josiah Harmar, on the 1st of January 1778. Sullivan in his campaign against the Iroquois in western Pennsylvania. The regiment was organized June 1775 as Maj. Timothy Bedel's Corps of Rangers . South Carolina and Georgia each raised mounted ranger units in 1775-1776, but when they became part of the Continental Army during the summer of 1776 they transformed into mounted infantry. In many instances, members of the militia gave no military service beyond occasional routine drill, and some escaped even that. The battle took place in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania on July 3, 1778 in what is now Luzerne County. Here the 2nd Pennsylvania served in a provisional brigade commanded by Lt. Col. Aaron Burr and made a charge from the American left flank into a British force trying to assault the American center. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. 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. If you have Pennsylvania ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War, you may be confused by the varying names for forms of service. Pennsylvania, U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900. Contrary to common belief, none of the lands granted to veterans by the federal government were located in Pennsylvania. Following the British practice of calling a regiment after its commander, this battalion came to be called Thompson's Rifle Battalion. The regiment would see action during the New York Campaign, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Sullivan Expedition. In formal battles it provided unblemished flank security, but it was even better in rear battle by conducting deep raids against British logistical bases. Substitute Fine was paid. The regiment spent the winter months at Morristown, New Jersey, where it built up strength and was placed in Brig. Here is an alphabetical list of Revolutionary Soldiers "compiled chiefly from The Depreciation Account books in the office of the Auditor General of . Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community. A quick fight ensued with heavy firing. 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. Harmar would remain in this position until 1780. Relieved on November 18, 1776 from St. Clair's Brigade. The regiment was disbanded on January 17, 1781 at Trenton, New Jersey. They spent the winter at Valley Forge and fought at the battle of Monmoth on June 28, 1778. Reorganized on January 1, 1783 at Lancaster, to consist of 7 companies in the. 3, The Pennsylvania Line: Regimental Organization and Operations, 17751783. The regiment was authorized in December, 1775 as the 5th Pennsylvania Battalion. Continental bills of Credit, which quickly lost value. For most counties, the town or township from which each of the companies were recruited is also given when known. Pennsylvania Archives volumes and not directly from original archival records. 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. To make amends for such depreciation, each of these men who in 1781 yet remained in line service was awarded a substantial sum in 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. At the outbreak of hostilities between the Crown and the colonies in 1775 the Pennsylvania Assembly opposed any form of mandatory military service. 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. He was an able leader with a reputation of taking care of the welfare of his men. 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). Pennsylvania, On March 14, 1776, the 6th Pennsylvania Battalion was sent to New York City. The American Revolutionary War, also known as the American War of Independence, was a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North American. A militiaman called for active duty who found such duty inconvenient was permitted to hire a Substitute to march and fight in his stead. Captured in part on November 16, 1776 by the British Army at Fort Washington, New York. On June 19, 1778, the Continental Army left Valley Forge in pursuit and engaged the British in the Battle of Monmouth on an extremely hot June 28. Gen. Thomas Mifflin. Pulaski's Independent Legion. On May 18 the unit lost a junior officer killed in a fight at Paramus. To use this feature, use a newer browser. That evening both sides encamped, though Marion did order his night patrols to take shots at Watsons sentinels. Organized between January 2- February 17, 1776 at Philadelphia to consist of 8 companies. There, Marion waited, knowing that Watson would eventually appear. Special battalions of line troops were recruited for theFlying Campfrom among the Pennsylvania Associators who took part in the New Jersey campaign in 1776. The Thirteenth was incorporated with the Second Pennsylvania, July 1, 1778. 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. It then reported to march with the army under Col. Arthur St. Clair and was involved at Three Rivers on June 9. Participating in a part of the left wing under Nathaniel Green, the Pennsylvanians assist in the defeat of the Hessians under Colonel Rall. Virginia, On these permanent billet rolls the men in each company were listed as being either part of the first class, second class, third class, etc. 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. On July 1, 1778, the regiment absorbed the remainder of the 13th Pennsylvania Regiment, most of its men's enlistments having expired. To get things off to a spirited start, he dispatched a detachment of sharpshooters across the river to the plantation where Watson and his troops were housed with orders to shoot his sentries and to wreak havoc. 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. In October it participated in Anthony Wayne's defeat of the British at Valcour Island, but otherwise had an uneventful tour of garrison duty. 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. Comment: Adapted here with some reformating, and standardization, Links to person articles to be added as they come available. Corps of Invalids. Search the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files of Connecticut Veterans from The National Archives: Capt. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. The regiment as a whole seems to have seen its first major action at the Battle of Brandywine, on September 11, 1777, and saw especially hard fighting, taking heavy casualties. Like the Associators, they were volunteers. The west bank was a high bluff with the roadway passing down through a ravine to the bridge. Navy veterans were not eligible for grants of Donation Land. Gen. Anthony Wayne's Division. USA, Somerset, Soldiers who served during the years 1777-1780, when the currency was depreciating, were paid inContinental bills of Credit, which quickly lost value. 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 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. The regiment was officially disbanded in January, 1783, although in reality, no regiment had existed since 1781. There is a problem with your email/password. Hiding in his lair on Peyres Plantation or Snows Island by day and stealthily emerging at night to strike around midnight, Marion and his men would wreak havoc on British units from White Marsh to Black Mingo before fading once again into the morasses of the Santee or Peedee Rivers. 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. The Pennsylvania Line: Regimental Organization and Operations, 1776-1783 by John B.B. Instead, it protected itself with the passage of temporary laws authorizing organized militias. A separate article discussing the various form of military service during this conflict will be added in the near future. The regiment was furloughed, on June 11, 1783, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and disbanded on November 15, 1783. 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. The 5th Pennsylvania Regiment was raised December 9, 1775 at Chester, Pennsylvania for service with the Continental Army. Pay for military service was often long delayed. August 11, 1776 The Pennsylvania troops are ordered to New York and are assigned to the brigade commanded by General William Alexander. Redesignated on September 16, 1776 as the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment. It remained in the Western Department till the end of the war. Williams led the unit in patrol actions in New Jersey during the spring and summer, including an engagement at Bound Brook on April 11 or 12 and a skirmish at Amboy on April 25 in which one officer was killed. For all intents the Regiment ceased to exist. The Regiment was authorized on March 15, 1777 in the Pennsylvania State Troops as Capt. On Sept. 1, 1780, Tye's brigade raided the Colts Neck home of Capt. With little winter clothing and half their muskets unservicable, the men struggled by foot, sloop, and bateaux into Canada, their strength sharply reduced by sickness. In the original concept rangers were full-time soldiers employed by the colonial governments to "range" between fixed frontier fortifications as a reconnaissance system to provide early warning of hostile raids. This was the decisive point of the campaign that required Marion to attack. In the mid 1700s, Capt. 3, 1964): 161-230 was well as the historical background section below. Within minutes, the planks had been removed from the center of the bridge and the stringers burned on the east end. The regiment never recruited the Indian component, and changes in British operations led to the transformation of the white elements into normal infantry. 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 Pennsylvania Line originated in 1775 was organized into thirteen regiments and several independent companies. When new elections were held for field officers in 1780 and 1783, the colonels elected at that time again drew lots for their rank and this resulted in a new order for the battalions. The Pennsylvania State Regiment of Foot was organized at the end of April, 1777, from the men and officers of Miles's rifle battalion and Atlee's musketry battalion. The 1781 reorganization of the Continental resolved the issue of light troops by bringing greater centralized control. During the Revolutionary War, Western Pennsylvania saw much fighting between American soldiers and British rangers and their Indian allies. Organized between January 8- March 20, 1776 at Carlisle to consist of 8 companies from Cumberland and York Counties. Later, some of the 11th Pennsylvania took part in the patrol actions in New Jersey, which marked the spring and summer of 1777. 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. Filename: Description: Date: Submitter: Revolutionary War: 1bat1782.txt : Rev War: 1782 - First Battalion, Washington County: May 1998: m. Burns: Frontier Rangers/Militia 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. Lower Bridge was only twelve miles away. For a more detailed account of how the Pennsylvania militia system worked see "The Pennsylvania Militia in 1777" by Hannah Benner Roach in 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. By the end of October, the unit had suffered substantially from all the fighting, including the loss of Williams who was captured at Germantown. 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. Translate. In certain counties there were recruited special troops calledRangers, who served long enlistments on the frontier against the Indians. November 16, 1776 - Formerly known as the 5th Pennsylvania Battalion the entire unit was captured at Fort Washington, New York. Soon, though, just as Marion had expected, the guardsmen wheeled around and made their way back to the Kingstree intersection. Soldiers remaining in the regiment were reassigned to other units and eventually sent south to take part in the Yorktown Campaign. On January 1, 1777, the survivors of the 5th Battalion, along with exchanged prisoners and new recruits, were reorganized into the 6th Pennsylvania. The infantry moved at a trot the entire way, stopping only to fire a volley to their rear. Some elements of the 11th Pennsylvania saw action in the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777. 1st United States President, Revolutionary War Mount Vernon, 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. However, the men who remained in service were all redistributed among all these units and this establishment was mostly on paper. Before daybreak, Marion roused his men and deployed his troops. November 12, 1777 The Pennsylvania State Regiment is officially designated the 13th Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Line. 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. The regiment was disbanded on January 1, 1783. 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. Morgans losses were placed at twelve killed and sixty-one wounded. Upon reaching the ford site, the captain was killed with one shot from the Marions sharpshooter commander. The American leadership stressed the ideas of Maurice, comte de Saxe and the comte de Guibert, two leading French military theorists, which advocated cross-training every soldier to perform both line or light infantry roles to allow mission flexibility. Proudly founded in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. Nothing will give me greater pleasure, than to do justice to your merit, and I shall miss no opportunity of declaring to Congress, the Commander-in-chief of the American Army, and to the world in general, the great sense I have of your merit and services. Morning arrived and Watson again resumed his march with Marion leading. 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. Men From the Turloch Militia who Joined Kings Royal Rangers of New York and Butler's Rangers; 1778 List of Men From Pennsylvania who joined the British Army. Relieved on August 31, 1776 from Stirling's Brigade and assigned to Mifflin's Brigade, an element of the. Organized in spring 1777 at Philadelphia to consist of 8 companies from York, Bucks, Northampton and Northumberland Counties. With France entering the conflict on the side of the new United States in May, the British abandoned Philadelphia and moved across New Jersey to the more easily defended stronghold of New York City. Since the company captain and lower officers were also called up, their identities provide a clue to the permanent class, company, and battalion to which a particular individual belonged. Late that afternoon, he bivouacked south of Nelsons Ferry. This collection is from Record Group 93, War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, and is National Archives Microfilm publication M246. Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872 from NARA microfilm publication T718. The Regiment was authorized on January 22, 1777 in the Continental Army as Capt. USA. Minute Men, on call for special duty at short notice, but no evidence of the existence of such a corps in Pennsylvania survives. Watsons Buffs were considered to be one of the finest regiments in the British army. History of the massacre of Captain Phillips' Pennsylvania Rangers; Illinois, Revolutionary War Veteran Burials, 1775-1850; Illinois, U.S., Revolutionary War Veteran Burials Index, 1775-1850; In memoriam : citizen soldiers of Dracut, Mass. An online listing of officers in the Relieved on April 29, 1776 from Sullivan's Brigade and assigned to Greene's Brigade, an element of the, Relieved on August 12, 1776 from Greene's Brigade and assigned to Nixon's Brigade, an element of the, Relieved on August 31, 1776 from assignment to Nixon's Brigade and to Mifflin's Brigade (re-designated on October 8, 1776 as Stirling's Brigade), an element of the. ?? Another form of line service was with the Most of the regiment's men were recruited from Berks and Chester counties, although many came from Philadelphia and as far away as Northumberland County. The regiment would see action during the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown and the Battle of Monmouth. 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. On September 25 it rushed from Tappan, New York, to West Point to reinforce the garrison there after Benedict Arnold's treachery was discovered. During this assault one regiment, possibly the 6th Pennsylvania attacked the pickets at Mount Airy. On July 1, 1776, the army reorganized yet again with each state directed to supply a quota of line regiments for Continental service. The financial difficulties of the new government, difficulties that lasted into the 1790's, complicated the payment of troops. The 1st Pennsylvania was considered an elite unit and was given the post of honor on the right of the line. There, on January 1, 1781, the mutiny of the Pennsylvania troops took place. The Regiment was authorized on September 16, 1776 in the Continental Army as the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment. The distance from bank to bank was the perfect sharpshooter distance, fifty yards. (these are free with registration) Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 from National Archives (NARA) microfilm publication M246. 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. Many of the Invalids were subsequently pensioned. Under the provisions of the Militia Law, the men called up for active duty were automatically assigned to companies whose numbers were different from their own company numbers on the permanent billet rolls. 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. Following a brief skirmish on the narrow land bridge, both sides withdrew. Thus, the Pennsylvania Rifle Battalion, being the first unit formed by the state, became the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, The 1st Pennsylvania Battalion became the nucleus of the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment and so on. Joshua Huddy, who was every bit as feared by loyalists as Tye was by patriots. Reorganized and re-designated on January 1, 1777 as the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, to consist of 8 companies. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Militia fines became an important source of revenue. This time, the question of military service was no longer optional. "Light Horse Harry" Lee of Virginia (the father of Robert E. Lee) raised the only American-born unit under this concept. To cross it would put Watson deep within the heartland of the Whig resistance. Copyright 2017 RevolutionaryWar.us | All Rights Reserved, Captain Samual Morehead's Independent Company, Captain Jacob Weaver's Independent Company, Revolutionary War Records at the Pennsylvania State Archives, Pennsylvania Final Payment Vouchers Index for Military Pensions, 1818-1864, Pennsylvania Revolutionary War Prize Cases - Captured Vessels, Pennsylvania Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, Pennsylvania Revolutionary War Service Records, Pennsylvania in the War of the Revolution : battalions and line, 1775-1783, Pennsylvania Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the American Revolution, List of Soldiers and Widows of Soldiers Granted Revolutionary War Pensions by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Militia in 1777: A Reprint from The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, Vol. During this time, Congress realized a more substantial national army with enlistments longer than 12 months would be needed to fight the war successfully. Relieved on November 14, 1776 from St. Clair's Brigade and assigned to the. 14 cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. 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. 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. It remained at Ticonderoga voluntarily until November 13 (three weeks beyond its term of service) to await the arrival of replacement troops. 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. Recognizing that personal circumstances might in some cases make it inconvenient or even impossible for a particular individual to serve, the fine system was in part devised to provide money in lieu of service in order to hire substitutes. 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). Certificates of the funded or Militia Debt. Leaving twenty dead from the engagement, he, the wagons, and the remainder of his regiment forced the ford. Baffled about what to do next, Watson waited on the bluff until evening, when he withdrew to a plantation a mile north of the bridge. 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. Colonel Brodhead is placed in command of the consolidated forces and ordered by General Washington to withdraw to Manhattan. Unfortunately, neither this stick nor the carrot achieved the desired results. It also provided an avenue for conscientious objectors to fulfill their legal obligation to the state without compromising their religious convictions. Crossing the road that led from Murrys Ferry to Kingstree, Watson continued to follow Marion toward Georgetown. November 30, 2006 by Trevor. Overmyer has not added any memorials to this virtual cemetery. The whole force retreated to Isle Aux Noix and then to Crown Point, reached on July 1. Pennsylvania Long Rifles. 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. 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. Search above to list available cemeteries. Later that evening, one of Marions scouts reconnoitered the camp and rode off to warn his brigadier. They also fought at Bergen Neck. Each partisan unit in the Continental Army, however, had a unique organizational structure. Membership in the Associators differed greatly from membership the militia, for, technically, enrollment in the Associators was voluntary, while membership in the militia was strictly compulsory with the obligation legally defined. 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. Rangers, who served long enlistments on the frontier against the Indians. Trussell, Jr. (Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1977). The enlisted men were held by the British until December 26, 1776 when they were set free on parole and, most probably, exchanged for prisoners held by the Continental Forces. With less than 200 troops remaining, the consolidated troops are assigned to Brig.