pennsylvania rangers revolutionary war

pennsylvania rangers revolutionary war

The 7th Pennsylvania fought at Middlebrook, New Jersey on June 17. When the classes were called up, each captain would deliver a notice to each man's dwelling or place of business. Organized spring 1777 at York, Pennsylvania, with personnel from York County. USA. That evening both sides encamped, though Marion did order his night patrols to take shots at Watsons sentinels. Proudly founded in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. 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. Before daybreak, Marion roused his men and deployed his troops. The Pennsylvanians assigned to the fort, mostly from the Musket Battalion, are among those captured. (sic)They are officially uniformed in a blue regimental coat with red lining and facing and pewter buttons inscribed PSR. Re-designated on January 1, 1776 as the 1st Continental Regiment. Continental Regiments, 1st Pennsylvania Regiment 2d Pennsylvania Regiment 3d Pennsylvania Regiment 4th Pennsylvania Regiment 5th Pennsylvania Regiment 6th Pennsylvania Regiment 7th Pennsylvania Regiment 8th Pennsylvania Regiment 9th Pennsylvania Regiment 10th Pennsylvania Regiment 11th Pennsylvania Regiment 12th Pennsylvania Regiment 13th Pennsylvania Regiment Nelson's Independent Rifle Company William's Independent Company Morehead's Independent Company Weaver's Independent Company Pugh's Independent Company Doyle's Independent Rifle Company Pennsylvania State Musketry Battalion Carlisle Independent Companies State Militia Units. Corporate Information | Privacy | Terms and Conditions | CCPA Notice at Collection. Queen's Rangers. He was an able leader with a reputation of taking care of the welfare of his men. Arriving from Ireland Kauffman, Most of the service rendered by members of the Pennsylvania Militia fell into one of three categories. During the summer, the 11th Pennsylvania was assigned to the 2d Brigade of Anthony Wayne's division. Many of the men who served in 1776 reenlisted and to these were added new recruits to fill out the regiment. By the end of October, the unit had suffered substantially from all the fighting, including the loss of Williams who was captured at Germantown. The 7th Pennsylvania was present at Whitemarsh but did not fight. Overmyer has not added any memorials to this virtual cemetery. The west bank was a high bluff with the roadway passing down through a ravine to the bridge. After the British attacked at Long Island, the 1st Continental Regiment covered the retreat the American army. 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. For Bucks County, information has also been provided from the returns for the Committee of Safety (the Associators) for 1775. John Pugh's Independent Company to guard Powder Mill at French Creek. The Regiment was authorized on January 30, 1776 in the continental Army as Capt. The Regiment was authorized on December 9, 1775 in the Continental Army as the 5th Pennsylvania Battalion. For example, when the 1st Class was called up, the colonel of the 1st Battalion, the lieutenant colonel of the 2nd Battalion, and the major of the 3rd Battalion entered into service commanding the 1st Class active-duty Battalion. Though they held military titles, these were actually civilian officers not to be confused with the military officers holding the same ranks in the Continental Army. Franklin County, Rangers, who served long enlistments on the frontier against the Indians. Many men listed on company rosters never drilled, and tens of thousands enrolled in the militia never experienced a single day of active duty. 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. From there it moved to Morristown, New Jersey, for the encampment in Jockey Hollow where it endured the most brutal winter of the 18th Century. Like the Associators, they were volunteers. 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. The few present were able to man a section of the army's first line of defense at Whitemarsh in early December, before moving with the rest of Washington's forces into the legendary winter encampment at Valley Forge. Relieved on May 22, 1777 from Stirling's Brigade and assigned to the 1st Pennsylvania Brigade, an element of the. 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 most counties, the town or township from which each of the companies were recruited is also given when known. March 1, 1777 The Pennsylvania State Regiment is officially activated as a unit. Watson did not take long to initiate the fight. This account has been disabled. Reorganized and redesignated on January 1, 1777 as the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment, to consist of 8 companies. The regiment would see action during the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Springfield. Consolidated and reorganized on July 1, 1778 with the. Special battalions of line troops were recruited for the The distance from bank to bank was the perfect sharpshooter distance, fifty yards. For all intents the Regiment ceased to exist. Minute Men, on call for special duty at short notice, but no evidence of the existence of such a corps in Pennsylvania survives. John Nelson's Independent Rifle Company and assigned to the. ?? Miscellaneous private papers relating to the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, Philippine Insurrection, World War I, the Pennsylvania National Guard, and peacetime military service. 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 Raid at Cabanatuan, Philippines, 75th Ranger Regiment The Legacy Continues. 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. The 11th Pennsylvania fought again at Germantown on October 4, 1777. 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. 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. Volume Reel 0822 American Revolutionary War Service Records; Soldiers--United States--Registers Pennsylvania, Seventh Battalion (Cumberland County Militia), Seventh Regiment: A -F Revolutionary War Records at FamilySearch. As the advance guard made its way across the river, Marion fell upon the rear guard. In December, the 2nd Pennsylvania returned to Morristown for another winter. Relieved on July 22, 1778 from the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade and assigned to the 2nd Pennsylvania Brigade, and element of the, Reorganized on January 1, 1783 at Philadelphia, to consist of 9 companies, and assigned to the. Jacob Weaver's Independent Company, Consolidated on November 7, 1777 with the. When the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, about fifty Loyalist regiments were raised, including the Butler's Rangers, the King's Royal Regiment, and the Maryland and Pennsylvania Loyalists.Robert Rogers again raised a unit, this time in New York (mostly from Loyalists living in Westchester and Long Island), from western Connecticut, and with men from the Queen's Loyal Virginia . (these are free with registration) Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 from National Archives (NARA) microfilm publication M246. Some elements of the 11th Pennsylvania saw action in the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777. Pennsylvania State Navy. To the plantations Whig owner, Watson acknowledged he had never seen such shooting before in his life. While Watson established his headquarters in the plantation house, Marion and his men bivouacked in the woods of the ridge south of the ford. These groups assisted state-controlled - yet still temporary - militias. In pursuit was Peter Horry, firing on the retreating forms from every bush and thicket. Union County, These nine companies were to form a battalion to be commanded by Col. William Thompson of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The financial difficulties of the new government, difficulties that lasted into the 1790's, complicated the payment of troops. 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. USA. To each of her line soldiers, who served to the end of the war, Pennsylvania granted Shortly afterward, the Regiment helped delay Cornwallis before the Battle of Princeton. Most of the muster rolls that have survived were made up just before the men were discharged from duty. 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. Trussell, Jr. (Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1977). 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. Pennsylvania, In 1779, a detachment accompanied light infantry troops in the storming of Stoney Point. 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. Early in that year, as tension mounted, there appeared spontaneously in certain localities volunteer companies of As such, they were subject to the orders of the Provincial Assembly. The Continental Army authorized several of these formations in 1777 and 1778, primarily as a vehicle to employ European volunteers who could not be inserted into existing regiments without provoking major arguments over rank, or because of language barriers. On October 14, under pressure from the British rejoined the main force at Ticonderoga. Search above to list available cemeteries. PHMC > Archives > Research Online > Bedford County Revolutionary War Militia. Two companies also accompanied Benedict Arnold's attack on Quebec. Having dashed ahead to destroy the bridge, Horry and his men were positioned fifty yards across the river. Pennsylvania Militia was organized under an act of March 7, 1777, which provided for compulsory enrollment by the constables of all able-bodied male whites between the ages of eighteen and fifty-three. 11th Pennsylvania Regiment was officially authorized on October 25, 1776. Men who served with Regiment and continued their service saw action at Yorktown and mopping up operations in South Carolina. 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. Flying Camps were what we today might call mobile military reserves. After the war he became the Commander of the First American Regiment, for a time they only infantry unit in the fledgling army of the independent United States. Volume Reel 0821 American Revolutionary War Service Records; Soldiers--United States--Registers Pennsylvania, Sixth Battalion (1776) Sixth Regiment: L - Z. Contrary to myth, the light troops in the Continental Army overwhelmingly followed European doctrinal concepts. November 16, 1776 - Formerly known as the 5th Pennsylvania Battalion the entire unit was captured at Fort Washington, New York. Gen. Thomas Mifflin. The Regiment was authorized on December 9, 1775 in the Continental Army as the 4th Pennsylvania Battalion. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. 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. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. 1 . 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. Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872 from NARA microfilm publication T718. Rangers committed to prolonged enlistment periods and rather than fight the war for independence, they patrolled Pennsylvania's western frontier, often fending off Indian attacks. The regiment would see action during the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Springfield. Organized between July 15- September 15, 1776 at Kittanning to consist of 8 companies from Westmoreland, Bedford and Cumberland Counties. From beginning to end during the Revolutionary War, the brunt of the fighting was borne by line troops, companies composed of men enlisted for not less than six months and frequently for the duration of the war. Union County, Company returns, battalion returns, and brigade returns were nearly always filled out on standard printed forms when these were available. Largely due to its Quaker roots, Pennsylvania did not initially (like neighboring colonies) form a standing militia. Organized on September 5, 1776 at Lancaster with recruits from central Pennsylvania and assigned to the. During this assault one regiment, possibly the 6th Pennsylvania attacked the pickets at Mount Airy. 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. Another form of line service was with theCorps of Invalids. 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. A detachment of riflemen served with Brig. The Regiment was authorized on December 9, 1775 in the Continental Army as the 3d Pennsylvania Battalion. RevWar Progressive Pay for military service was often long delayed. When several classes were called up for active duty, a separate roll for each company listed the names of the men who actually served, either in person or as substitutes. Mounting a second animal, he ordered his artillery to open fire with grapeshot. Soldiers remaining in the regiment were reassigned to other units and eventually sent south to take part in the Yorktown Campaign. On May 18 the unit lost a junior officer killed in a fight at Paramus. This active-duty roll was therefore a completely different roll from the permanent billet roll. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Marion and his brigade soon arrived and forded the river. But they were engaged with one of the finest regiments in the British army and, thus, in the world. The colonel of the 13th, 23-year-old Walter Stewart, became the Second's new commander. 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. 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. A militiaman called for active duty who found such duty inconvenient was permitted to hire a Substitute to march and fight in his stead. Morgan would continue to fight in support of the American Revolution in a number of significant battles, including the battle at Cowpens, South Carolina, on 17 January 1781. 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 next year, the regiment took part in a number of small engagements in New Jersey and again wintered at Morristown. Congress passed the first national conscription act in the country's history. To avoid capture, nearly all its vessels were sunk in the spring of 1778. Colonel John Bull was appointed colonel on May 2, 1777, but was succeeded on June 17 by Colonel Walter Stewart. Benjamin Church (1639-1718) of Massachusetts developed a special full-time unit mixing white colonists selected for frontier skills with friendly Indians to carry out offensive strikes against hostile Indians in terrain where normal militia units were ineffective. These certificates (bonds in the modern sense) were ultimately redeemed at face value. 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. Samuel Morehead's Independent Company, an element of the. Pennsylvania, Organized between January 2- February 17, 1776 at Philadelphia to consist of 8 companies. Revolutionary War Re-Enactors. In many instances, members of the militia gave no military service beyond occasional routine drill, and some escaped even that. The regiment was furloughed January 17, 1781 at Trenton, New Jersey and disbanded on January 1, 1783. Most of Whitcomb's men came from New Hampshire and the Hampshire Grants (now Vermont). If you have Pennsylvania ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War, you may be confused by the varying names for forms of service. These volunteer companies made up the 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. When the army was reorganized on January 1, 1776, the Battalion was renamed the 1st Continental Regiment of Foot. Upon reaching the ford site, the captain was killed with one shot from the Marions sharpshooter commander. The Battle of Wyoming, also known as the Wyoming Massacre, was a military engagement during the American Revolutionary War between Patriot militia and a force of Loyalist soldiers and Iroquois warriors. Reorganized and re-designated on January 1, 1777 as the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, to consist of 8 companies. In the spring of 1777, the Regiment was assigned to Brig. The 1st Continentals also participated in the battles at Fort Washington, Harlem Heights, and White Plains. Organized between January 31- August 19, 1777 at Lancaster as Capt. "Pennsylvania Rifle: Revolutionary Weapon in a Conventional War." Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 103 (July 1979), pp. Joshua Huddy, who was every bit as feared by loyalists as Tye was by patriots. In January 1776, the eight companies of the newly-formed battalion began leaving the state to participate in Benedict Arnold's ill-fated attempt to capture Quebec. The term "Pennsylvania Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Pennsylvania at various times by theContinental Congress. This browser does not support getting your location. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Military Records Pennsylvania in the Revolutionary War 1st Pennsylvania Regiment Brief History Also known as the Pennsylvania Rifle Battalion and Thompson's Rifle Battalion. 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 4th Pennsylvania Regiment was raised December 9, 1775 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for service with the Continental Army. 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. For this reason, a separate permanent billet record and an active duty record would have existed for each individual who saw active duty. In formal battles it provided unblemished flank security, but it was even better in rear battle by conducting deep raids against British logistical bases. Seven miles later at Ox Swamp, he encountered destroyed bridges and an abatis across the causeway. The regiment would see action during the New York Campaign, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Sullivan Expedition. Whitcomb's Rangers started as a similar provisional unit on the Lake Champlain front in 1776. During this period, activist elements among Pennsylvania's population organized local volunteer "associations" that were eventually formed into fifty-three battalions. Pennsylvania Line Regiments and other Pennsylvania Units. In the meantime, the regiment was commanded by the senior officer present for duty, Maj. William Williams. It also provided an avenue for conscientious objectors to fulfill their legal obligation to the state without compromising their religious convictions. The 9th Pennsylvania Regiment was authorized September 16, 1776 and was assigned to the Main Continental Army on 27 December 1776. Revolutionary War General. Gen. A separate article discussing the various form of military service during this conflict will be added in the near future. Still assigned to Greene's division, the PSR participates in the assault of the British right flank. Please reset your password. Search the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files of Connecticut Veterans from The National Archives: Capt. 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. In the Western Department, the unit helped construct and garrison Fort McIntosh on the Beaver River, and Fort Laurens on the Tuscarawas. On September 21 the regiment was in Hartford, Connecticut, with Wayne to greet French General Rochambeau. 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. The Regiment was authorized on October 12, 1775 in the Continental Army as the 1st Pennsylvania Battalion. September 11, 1777 - Stirling's Division takes part in the action on the right of Washington's army during the battle of Brandywine. Re-designated on June 22, 1775 as the Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment. Unfortunately for Watson, the lack of trees and concealment did not diminish the fires, nor their accuracy. Organized between March 13- May 29, 1776 at Chester to consist of 8 companies from Philadelphia City and Bucks, Philadelphia, Chester and Lancaster Counties. December 19, 1777 - After an encampment of almost six weeks at Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania the army moved into its winter quarters at Valley Forge where they would remain for the next six months. 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. Swamp to his left and right, passage blocked to the front and Marion closing in from the rear, Watson had to quickly choose whether to flee or fight. 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. For example, men listed on the permanent roll as belonging to the 2nd Class of the 7th Company of the 6th Battalion would in the active duty battalion be automatically placed in the 6th Company of the 2nd (Active Duty) Battalion. 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. Stephanie Hoover 2017 - All Rights Reserved, Directory of Pennsylvania Genealogical & Historical Societies, Pennsylvania Research Reference Materials. Light infantry companies added to the regimental organization of each Continental Army infantry regiment in 1778 also had European roots. 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. In fact, Major General Friedrich von Steuben wrote a separate drill manual for them in late 1780. On July 1, 1776, the army reorganized yet again with each state directed to supply a quota of line regiments for Continental service. The military unit may also be identified by searching the collection "United States, Revolutionary War Compiled Service Records, 1775-1783" Index provided by Fold3.com and FamilySearch. The Regiment was authorized on January 4, 1776 in the Continental Army as the 6th Pennsylvania Battalion. Home Battles 1775 to 1783 Campaigns Continental Army Continental Navy British Army Flags of the Revolution War Facts War Leaders Patriot Leaders British Leaders Contrary to common belief, none of the lands granted to veterans by the federal government were located in Pennsylvania. During the afternoon the forces under General John Sullivan fought with the enemy for almost two hours near Birmingham Meeting House. Only Elisha Sheldon's 2d Legionary Corps (a Connecticut unit serving in 1781 in the West Point-Westchester County zone) fully exploited the possibilities of the combined arms structure. Perry County, June 10, 1777 The transfer of the Pennsylvania State Regiment to the Continental service is formalized.

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pennsylvania rangers revolutionary war