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. When one considers those parameters, there truly was only one group of American revolutionaries who could be considered an excellent example of early American Ranger prowess. Marions response was to once again reiterate his position that he was only responding in kind to British transgressions. 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. 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. 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 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. Samuel Morehead's Independent Company, an element of the. The Raid at Cabanatuan, Philippines, 75th Ranger Regiment The Legacy Continues. Formation [ edit] Pennsylvania therefore adapted her fleet to shallow waters. During the summer, the 11th Pennsylvania was assigned to the 2d Brigade of Anthony Wayne's division. Both Watson and Marion rode out to face each other across a quarter-mile causeway spanning the mire and marsh of the swamp. On 1 July 1778 the regiment was re-organized to eight companies. American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies . The Pennsylvania Riflemen are sent to the left near Flatbush and the Musketeers are sent to the right with General Alexander. There, on January 1, 1781, the mutiny of the Pennsylvania troops took place. Relieved on November 14, 1776 from St. Clair's Brigade and assigned to the. Robert Rogers of New Hampshire organized a corps of New England woodsmen as full-time Provincials directly under British military auspices and paid out of British funds. In contrast, however, they received uniforms and arms from the state. U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 - Ancestry 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. 1st Continental Regiment. 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 Morgans losses were placed at twelve killed and sixty-one wounded. American Revolutionary War After spending the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge with the other regiments of the Pennsylvania Line, the 11th Pennsylvania took part in the campaign across New Jersey which followed. 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. The regiment was disbanded on January 1, 1783. 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. 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. 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). During the winter of 1776-1777 the Association collapsed, and the Assembly replaced it with a militia system which, though imperfect, proved better adapted to Pennsylvania's needs. 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. 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. But they were engaged with one of the finest regiments in the British army and, thus, in the world. Militia fines became an important source of revenue. 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. 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. On September 21 the regiment was in Hartford, Connecticut, with Wayne to greet French General Rochambeau. The 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment had its origins in a unit established on October 12, 1775, and designated "The First Pennsylvania Battalion." Proudly founded in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. 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. Organized between January 2- February 17, 1776 at Philadelphia to consist of 8 companies. Online Revolutionary War Indexes and Records - Military Indexes In 1779, the 6th Pennsylvania was part of the force commanded by "Mad" Anthony Wayne that stormed the British fortifications at Stony Point, NY (16 July). Light infantry companies added to the regimental organization of each Continental Army infantry regiment in 1778 also had European roots. The morning following their initial engagement, Watson resumed his march down the Santee Road with Marion slowly backing away before him, remaining out of the range of the British artillery. Eighty years after becoming the United States of America, the nation suffered a Civil War. After the British attacked at Long Island, the 1st Continental Regiment covered the retreat the American army. . 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. January to June 1777 - During this period the unit was reorganized as the 6th Regiment with Colonel Henry Bicker as its commander. The original 8th Pennsylvania Regiment was formed in July 1776 of men from Westmoreland and Bedford counties in western Pennsylvania. Roster01.htm - Bedford 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. Revolutionary War Records at FamilySearch. About. The infantry moved at a trot the entire way, stopping only to fire a volley to their rear. A portion of the Pennsylvanians, most of them riflemen, served on the American left flank against the Hessians. The regiment would see action during the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown and the Battle of Monmouth. As we continue to get closer to a complete collection of The Pennsylvania Archives, we find more interesting facts. In 1776, the state's Provincial Assembly was replaced by a General Assembly and a new Pennsylvania constitution. Associators remained independent of the Continental (Pennsylvania) Line which was comprised of regular, enlisted infantrymen. In response to the Associators' building dissatisfaction, the Provincial Assembly passed a tax on men aged 16 to 50 who did not volunteer, and paid a bonus to those who did. Search the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files of Connecticut Veterans from The National Archives: Capt. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Marion was located past Murrys Ferry. They were instead the numbers of the battalions from which the men came! 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. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. The regiment was in combat again on September 20 when, with the rest of Wayne's division, it was surprised at Paoli. U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900. 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." Soon, the British regiment marched into view. 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. RootsWeb is funded and supported by The traditional ranger usage reached its peak during the French and Indian War. 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. 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. Only in extreme cases was any individual militia man required to drill with his neighbors as many as twelve times each year, and at most he was called upon to perform during the entire course of the war, two or possibly three, short tours of active duty. 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 7th Pennsylvania marched with Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne's Division. Whitcomb's Rangers started as a similar provisional unit on the Lake Champlain front in 1776. Pennsylvania Revolutionary Soldiers The following names are not included in the regular muster rolls. Pennsylvania Revolutionary Soldiers - PA-Roots Redesignated on September 16, 1776 as the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment. When spring came, the regiment was again actively engaged in patrols and skirmishes with British forays from New York. 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 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. On Sept. 1, 1780, Tye's brigade raided the Colts Neck home of Capt. Undaunted, the Swamp Fox ordered an immediate advance and moved to position himself at Wiboo Swamp. In fact, Major General Friedrich von Steuben wrote a separate drill manual for them in late 1780. Scouts abounded about the British regiment. Benjamin Church and Maj. Robert Rogers both formed Ranger units to fight during the King Phillips War and the French and Indian War. The Supporting Army Rangers past, present, and future-RLTW. Originally fielded by the French to counter Austrian irregulars recruited in the Balkans, they filled a unique niche by providing deep security around an army in the field or carried out raids behind enemy lines. The battalion colonels, lieutenant colonels, and majors were called to active duty in a specific order. 1st Battalion, 1777-1780 . In enrollment, it probably never numbered as many as one thousand men. 1st Pennsylvania Regiment (Revolutionary War) FamilySearch The financial difficulties of the new government, difficulties that lasted into the 1790's, complicated the payment of troops. Though the act provided exemptions for members of the Continental Congress, Pennsylvania's Supreme Executive Council, Supreme Court judges, masters and teachers of colleges, ministers of the Gospel, and indentured servants, as a practical matter anyone could avoid serving either by filing an appeal to delay their service for a period of time or by paying a fine to hire a substitute. Furloughed on January 17, 1781 at Trenton, New Jersey. The Regiment was authorized on July 11, 1776 in the Continental Army as a Battalion for frontier defense in the, Designated on July 20, 1776 as Mackay's Battalion. Recipe Book - 1705. Please try again later. Pennsylvania, 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. Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, For this reason, a separate permanent billet record and an active duty record would have existed for each individual who saw active duty. After camping at Valley Forge, the First Pennsylvania saw limited action at Monmouth. The Pennsylvania Line: Regimental Organization and Operations, 1776-1783 by John B.B. During the afternoon the forces under General John Sullivan fought with the enemy for almost two hours near Birmingham Meeting House. The term "Pennsylvania Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Pennsylvania at various times by theContinental Congress. They also became very adept at employing the mounted troops in a raid designed to provoke a British pursuit which would end with a classic "L-shaped" ambush. In 1779, a detachment accompanied light infantry troops in the storming of Stoney Point. Morgans Corps of Rangers was coming to fruition. Pierce's Certificates. The 7th Pennsylvania was present at Whitemarsh but did not fight. The regiment spent the winter months at Morristown, New Jersey, where it built up strength and was placed in Brig. He is said to have been wounded and taken prisoner at Stillwater, N.Y., during a British-Indian attack on Morgan's camp in September 1777. From George Washington to Captain Van Swearingen, 18 August 1777 - Archives There is a problem with your email/password. On January 1, 1777, the survivors of the 5th Battalion, along with exchanged prisoners and new recruits, were reorganized into the 6th Pennsylvania. Source:Egle, William Henry, 1898. 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 men elected new officers at this time and the militia battalions were renumbered according to the relative seniority of their commanders. Watson rode back to rally his men only to have his horse shot from under him. John Pugh's Independent Company to guard Powder Mill at French Creek. The 1st Pennsylvania was considered an elite unit and was given the post of honor on the right of the line. A quick fight ensued with heavy firing. Its main objective was the defense of Philadelphia and the protection of the Delaware river and bay of the outward and inward bound trade of the state. Participating in a part of the left wing under Nathaniel Green, the Pennsylvanians assist in the defeat of the Hessians under Colonel Rall.