pennsylvania rangers revolutionary war pennsylvania rangers revolutionary war

Proudly founded in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. In offensive operations they became scouts and guides, locating targets (such as villages) for task forces drawn from the militia or other colonial troops. Re-designated on January 1, 1777 as the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment. Perry County, Two months later the remnants of the corps fell into British hands when Fort Washington surrendered. The Pennsylvania Line originated in 1775 was organized into thirteen regiments and several independent companies. To cross it would put Watson deep within the heartland of the Whig resistance. Late that afternoon, he bivouacked south of Nelsons Ferry. Trussell, Jr. (Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1977). 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. In their place came a complex system of county battalion classes and officers whose seniority was chosen by the drawing of lots. Seven miles later at Ox Swamp, he encountered destroyed bridges and an abatis across the causeway. 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. 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. November 16, 1776 - Formerly known as the 5th Pennsylvania Battalion the entire unit was captured at Fort Washington, New York. Organized in between September 28- December 18, 1776 at Sunbury to consist of 8 companies from Northampton, Berks, Cumberland and Northumberland Counties. 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. Like the Associators, they were volunteers. It is known that no Pennsylvania militia served at Valley Forge, Monmouth, or Yorktown. The act called for eight battalion districts to be created in Philadelphia and in each of the eleven extant counties. 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." 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. Re-designated on June 22, 1775 as the Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment. Ohio, Unfortunately, neither this stick nor the carrot achieved the desired results. Later that evening, one of Marions scouts reconnoitered the camp and rode off to warn his brigadier. 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. New Hampshire, As such, they were subject to the orders of the Provincial Assembly. . Soldiers who served during the years 1777-1780, when the currency was depreciating, were paid in 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. The Regiment was authorized on April 8, 1777 in the Pennsylvania State Troops as Capt. 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. Eighty years after becoming the United States of America, the nation suffered a Civil War. RootsWeb is funded and supported by As Marions men turned back from the fires, Watson loaded two wagons with wounded. On March 14, 1776, the 6th Pennsylvania Battalion was sent to New York City. 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. During 1777, the regiment participated in the Philadelphia Campaign and fought at the Battles of Brandywine (11 Sept.) and Germantown (4 Oct.). Where it was involved in several minor battles and skirmishes. Two lieutenants were mortally wounded here and a number of men killed. The Pennsylvania Riflemen are sent to the left near Flatbush and the Musketeers are sent to the right with General Alexander. Were your ancestors part of the Pennsylvania Line? As Horry withdrew, Watsons mounted Tory dragoons advanced right behind, successfully crossing the causeway. 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. Organized between January 2- February 17, 1776 at Philadelphia to consist of 8 companies. They spent the winter at Valley Forge and fought at the battle of Monmoth on June 28, 1778. About. The colonel of the 13th, 23-year-old Walter Stewart, became the Second's new commander. Organized between March 13- May 29, 1776 at Chester to consist of 8 companies from Philadelphia City and Bucks, Philadelphia, Chester and Lancaster Counties. Only in a few instances did her armed vessels pass beyond the Capes of the Delaware into the Atlantic. But they were engaged with one of the finest regiments in the British army and, thus, in the world. 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. Please enable scripts and reload this page. 1st Continental Regiment. Organized between January 2- late March 1776 at Philadelphia to consist of 8 companies from Philadelphia City and Berks, Bucks Chester and Philadelphia Counties. Later, some of the 11th Pennsylvania took part in the patrol actions in New Jersey, which marked the spring and summer of 1777. Another form of line service was with theCorps of Invalids. 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. The distance from bank to bank was the perfect sharpshooter distance, fifty yards. The men in each battalion elected their own field officers who carried the rank of colonel, lieutenant colonel and major and these officers were then commissioned by the state and expected to serve for three years. Colonels Colonel William Thompson, Colonel Edward Hand, Colonel James Chambers Companies American Revolutionary War From Bedford County Despite the fact that a totally comprehensive collection is not available, a number of rosters of Patriots of the American Revolutionary War from Bedford County, Pennsylvania have survived. Organized between July 15- September 15, 1776 at Kittanning to consist of 8 companies from Westmoreland, Bedford and Cumberland Counties. Pennsylvania therefore adapted her fleet to shallow waters. Military Association, a civilian reserve designed to repel invasion. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Morgans losses were placed at twelve killed and sixty-one wounded. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. For line troops, neither the type of service rendered nor the term of enlistment was uniform. The Pennsylvania Council of Safety prescribes that there will be ten companies, "eight of them armed with muskets and the other two with riffles." Various state governments did employ such units for local frontier security, but the Continental Army formed very few, in part because George Washington considered frontier security to be a local responsibility and focused national military forces on opposing regular British and German units in a formal battlefield context. The 1781 reorganization of the Continental resolved the issue of light troops by bringing greater centralized control. 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. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. After each tour of duty was completed, all of the privates and the company and field officers were returned to their permanent battalion billets. And, they were still separate from the militias sanctioned by Pennsylvania's Provincial Assembly. At Mount Hope Swamp, Marion had his men disassemble the bridge. Mifflin' Brigade re-designated on October 8, 1776 as Stirling's Brigade. The Regiment was authorized on September 16, 1776 in the Continental Army as the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment. 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. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. If you have Pennsylvania ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War, you may be confused by the varying names for forms of service. Pennsylvania, PHMC. 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. Watson was cut off from outside information, for his messengers could not break through Marions cordon. The second type of service was duty on the frontier in Northumberland, Northampton, Bedford and Westmoreland counties. For this reason, a separate permanent billet record and an active duty record would have existed for each individual who saw active duty. Exercise Fine. June 10, 1777 The transfer of the Pennsylvania State Regiment to the Continental service is formalized. Colonel John Bull was appointed colonel on May 2, 1777, but was succeeded on June 17 by Colonel Walter Stewart. 1 . Ages ranged from sixteen to sixty years. Gen. Anthony Wayne's Division. At the outbreak of hostilities between the Crown and the colonies in 1775 the Pennsylvania Assembly opposed any form of mandatory military service. By July 10, it was encamped with the American Army at Ft. Ticonderoga. Crossing the road that led from Murrys Ferry to Kingstree, Watson continued to follow Marion toward Georgetown. Re-designated on January 1, 1776 as the 1st Continental Regiment. These actions earned the Rangers a reputation for ruthlessness. 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. The tranditional ranger usage had only limited application during that later war. The regiment was authorized in December, 1775 as the 5th Pennsylvania Battalion. The regiment was assigned to the 3d Pennsylvania Brigade of the Main Continental Army on 27 May 1777. All males aged 20 to 45 - including immigrants seeking citizenship - had to register for the draft. Col. DeHaas was promoted to a brigadier general in February and was replaced by Col. James Irvine, who resigned in June. The regiment was furloughed January 17, 1781 at Trenton, New Jersey and disbanded on January 1, 1783. 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. The Regiment then marched to Tappan to bolster the Garrison at Ticonderoga after Arnold's defection. Undaunted, the British Regulars held their ground, unlimbered their field cannon, and repelled the attack. 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. The battle took place in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania on July 3, 1778 in what is now Luzerne County. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (M246), and other historical records. 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. who served in the war of the American Revolution, 1775-1783 But the bluff was too high and the artillery canister just passed overhead of the defenders on the east bank when fired. It then reported to march with the army under Col. Arthur St. Clair and was involved at Three Rivers on June 9. 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. After the British attacked at Long Island, the 1st Continental Regiment covered the retreat the American army. Proudly founded in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. On January 1, 1777, the survivors of the 5th Battalion, along with exchanged prisoners and new recruits, were reorganized into the 6th Pennsylvania. Please enable scripts and reload this page. 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. 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. March 1, 1777 The Pennsylvania State Regiment is officially activated as a unit. 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. This was the decisive point of the campaign that required Marion to attack. Relieved on August 31, 1776 from Stirling's Brigade and assigned to Mifflin's Brigade, an element of the. 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. Instead, it protected itself with the passage of temporary laws authorizing organized militias. About Us | Contact Us | Copyright | Report Inappropriate Material The regiment spent the winter months at Morristown, New Jersey, where it built up strength and was placed in Brig. 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. Still assigned to Greene's division, the PSR participates in the assault of the British right flank. 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. 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. Union County, 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. The 7th Pennsylvania was part of the force that attacked the blockhouse under Wayne at Bergen Heights on july 21, 1780. Resend Activation Email. John Nelson's Independent Rifle Company and assigned to the. On May 18 the unit lost a junior officer killed in a fight at Paramus. 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. Advancing his main force as support, Marion again ordered Horry to charge. When General Washington asked for the middle Atlantic states to provide additional reinforcements willing to serve for six months duty in 1776, the Associator units were tapped as a manpower pool, though the individual units did not themselves become part of the Pennsylvania Line forces. At some point, the settlers at Hannastown erected a stockade, fashioned of logs placed upright in the ground, around a spring and a blockhouse at the edge of town. Companies and Battalions of militia were set up on a geographical basis similar to the arrangement already familiar with the Associators. In many instances, members of the militia gave no military service beyond occasional routine drill, and some escaped even that. Pierce's Certificates. Maybe they were militia or Rangers. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. The west bank was a high bluff with the roadway passing down through a ravine to the bridge. Realizing that he needed to clear the far bank first before his soldiers could safely enter the defile to cross the bridge, Watson emplaced his cannon. The Pennsylvania Lineoriginated in 1775 was organized into thirteen regiments and several independent companies. [1] For a full account of the social factors and legislation that this article draws from, see Arthur J. Alexander, "Pennsylvania's Revolutionary Militia," Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 69:1 (January 1945 ), 15-25. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (M246), and other historical records. 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. At Trenton, it was the 1st Continental Regiment (now known as the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment) that cut off the Hessian retreat from Trenton, causing them to surrender. Lee particularly shined when his regulars stiffened the irregular local forces of leaders like Francis ("Swamp Fox") Marion. November 16, 1776 The fall of Fort Washington. The Flying Camp? The 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment had its origins in a unit established on October 12, 1775, and designated "The First Pennsylvania Battalion." In formal battles it provided unblemished flank security, but it was even better in rear battle by conducting deep raids against British logistical bases. 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. 14 cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. Search the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files of Connecticut Veterans from The National Archives: Capt. Frequently no substitute was furnished, but instead a This highly successful group of Partisans was known as Marions Brigade.. Benjamin Church and Maj. Robert Rogers both formed Ranger units to fight during the King Phillips War and the French and Indian War. The regiment would see action during the New York Campaign, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Sullivan Expedition. USA, New Berlin, RevWar '75 Continental Army Orderly Books Crown Forces Orderly Books Articles from Military Collector and Historian. To make amends for such depreciation, each of these men who in 1781 yet remained in line service was awarded a substantial sum inDepreciation Pay Certificates, which were both interest bearing and negotiable, like bonds of the present day. 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. 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. The 7th Pennsylvania fought at Middlebrook, New Jersey on June 17. These volunteer companies made up the Watson did not take long to initiate the fight. 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. Special battalions of line troops were recruited for the Northampton County Revolutionary War Militia 1st Battalion, 1777 Commanding Officers: Col. George Hubner; 4th Battalion, 1780 Commanding Officers: Lt. Col. Philip Beehm (Boehm) Revolutionary War Records at FamilySearch. 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. The regiment spent the winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge and took part in the Battle of Monmouth (28 June) the following summer. 3, 1964): 161-230 was well as the historical background section below. Most of the Associators now disbanded. January 3, 1777 The Battle of Princeton. Lower Bridge was only twelve miles away. Under the provisions of the Militia Act, each individual summmoned had the right to file an appeal asking that their service be delayed and some successfuly avoided service by repeatedly filing appeals. On New Year's Day, 1781, members of the 6th Pennsylvania joined the mutiny of the Pennsylvania regiments then quartered at Morristown. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. For all intents the Regiment ceased to exist. A militiaman called for active duty who found such duty inconvenient was permitted to hire a Substitute to march and fight in his stead. 1st United States President, Revolutionary War Mount Vernon, 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. October 28, 1776 The Battle of White Plains. In the mid 1700s, Capt. 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. The cat and mouse advance continued on the far bank. 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. They also helped garrison Fort Pitt, Fort Henry, and a number of smaller posts. Pennsylvania Long Rifles. 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. [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. Colonel Brodhead is placed in command of the consolidated forces and ordered by General Washington to withdraw to Manhattan. It was the last regiment to leave Long Island. On October 14, under pressure from the British rejoined the main force at Ticonderoga. The regiment was raised in Cumberland and York counties (companies G and H). The regiment would see action during the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Springfield. 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. The Regiment was authorized on March 6, 1776 in the Pennsylvania State Troops as the Pennsylvania State Rifle Regiment. PHMC > Archives > Research Online > Bedford County Revolutionary War Militia. 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. Sullivan in his campaign against the Iroquois in western Pennsylvania. The origin of the ranger tradition lies in the seventeenth century wars between colonists and Native American tribes. 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. Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872 from NARA microfilm publication T718. Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872 from NARA microfilm publication T718. The term "Pennsylvania Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Pennsylvania at various times by theContinental Congress. Strafford County, Please enter your email and password to sign in. Within the formation were the wagons, periodically stopping to gather more wounded or dead. 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. From these beginnings of the Continental Army, a group of expert riflemen composed of hardy frontiersmen were formed in 1777 into an organization George Washington referred to as The Corps of Rangers. Men who served with Regiment and continued their service saw action at Yorktown and mopping up operations in South Carolina. Organized on January 2- late March 1776 at Philadelphia to consist of 8 companies from eastern Pennsylvania. Minute Men, on call for special duty at short notice, but no evidence of the existence of such a corps in Pennsylvania survives. It gained permanent status as a two-company force on 15 October of that year and provided reconnaissance capability to the Northern Department until 1 January 1781 when it disbanded at Coos, New Hampshire, as part of a general reorganization of the Continental Army. In fact over the period of several years the 3d South Carolina Regiment gradually evolved into a line infantry regiment. 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 . During the Revolutionary War, Western Pennsylvania saw much fighting between American soldiers and British rangers and their Indian allies. The "Act to Regulate the Militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" passed 17 March 1777, and the the subsequent Militia Act passed March 20, 1780, together with their amendments, required all white men between the ages of 18 and 53 capable of bearing arms to serve two months of militia duty on a rotating basis. 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.. 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. In March 1777, this indeed occurred. USA. Soldiers remaining in the regiment were reassigned to other units and eventually sent south to take part in the Yorktown Campaign. (It should be noted, however, that a person serving as a substitute for someone else was not thereby excused from also serving in their own turn.) The 13th Pennsylvania Regiment, also known as The Pennsylvania State Rifle Regiment and Miles's Regiment, was raised March 6, 1776, as a state militia regiment and later for service with the Continental Army. (sic)They are officially uniformed in a blue regimental coat with red lining and facing and pewter buttons inscribed PSR. 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.