Continentals - Revolutionary Virginia

The Virginia Continental Line

ONLY SOME REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIERS WERE CONTINENTALS. They were authorized by the Continental Congress, paid by Congress, and led by officers whose commissions were signed by the president of Congress. They were not the only full-time, professional (“regular") troops. There were state regulars as well. Most of Virginia's Continentals began as provincial (“state" after Independence) troops before transitioning into Congressional pay. The first Virginia Continentals were two companies of riflemen sent to Boston in the summer of 1775. Virginia then produced 15 regiments in three authorizations of troops between 1775 and 1777. The Virginia Continental Line contracted in 1778 and 1779 as recruiting got harder and enlistments expired. Virginia implemented a draft in 1777 and grew increasingly dependent on it through the end of the war. Most of the Line was captured at Charleston in 1780. The numbered regiments were preserved on paper to track officer seniority, but late war field operations were conducted by various “detachments," “battalions," and ad hoc “regiments."

Virginians in the Continental Line

Two companies of Virginia riflemen, under Hugh Stephenson and Daniel Morgan, were recruited in the summer of 1775 and marched directly to Boston. They were raised directly into Continental service and were consequently not part of the Virginia Line. Four regiments composed all or mostly of Virginians were then raised on the same basis.

Frederick County Independent Rifle Company (Capt. Daniel Morgan)

Berkeley County Independent Rifle Company (Capt. Hugh Stephenson)

The Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment (Col. Hugh Stephenson)

Grayson's Additional Continental Regiment (Col. William Grayson)

Gist's Additional Continental Regiment (Col. Nathaniel Gist)

Thruston's Additional Continental Regiment (Col. Charles Mynn Thruston)

First Authorization of Troops

1st Virginia Regiment* (Col. William Christian)

2nd Virginia Regiment* (Col. William Woodford)

*Previously in provincial service

Second Authorization of Troops

3rd Virginia Regiment* (Col. George Weedon)

4th Virginia Regiment* (Col. Adam Stephen)

5th Virginia Regiment* (Col. Charles Scott)

6th Virginia Regiment* (Col. Mordecai Buckner)

7th Virginia Regiment* (Col. William Daingerfield)

8th Virginia Regiment* (Col. Peter Muhlenberg)

9th Virginia Regiment* (Col. Thomas Fleming)

1st Virginia Artillery Regiment (Col. Charles Harrison)

“Crickett Hill and Gwynn's Island: Captain Arundel's Only Fight" (Pat Hannum, JAR)

*Previously in Provincial service

The "Additional" Continental Regiments

In December 1776, George Washington was authorized to raise 16 "additional" regiments directly into Continental service. Three of these regiments included Virginia men, though none was strictly part of the Virginia Line.

Gist's Additional Continental Regiment

"Recovering the Service of William Tiller" (Michael Sheehan, JAR) - Col. Nathaniel Gist's Additional Continental Regiment of rangers was divided, detached, and then reconstituted by absorbing Thruston's and Grayson's "additionals." Sheehan closely examines one veteran's account to reconstruct the career of this regiment with a focus on Capt. Samuel Lapsley's company.

William Grayson's Additional Continental Regiment

Thruston's Additional Continental Regiment

Third Authorization of Troops

10th Virginia Regiment (Col. Edward Stevens)

11th Virginia Regiment (Col. Daniel Morgan)

12th Virginia Regiment (Col. James Wood)

13th Virginia Regiment (Col. William Russell)

14th Virginia Regiment (Col. Charles Lewis)

15th Virginia Regiment (Col. David Mason)

Woodford's Provisional Battalions

Brigadier General William Woodford marched the Virginia Continental Line from the 1779-1780 Morristown, New Jersey winter encampment to join the defense of Charleston, South Carolina. At Philadelphia, he received permission to further consolidate his troops into three "provisional" battalions. The existing regiments continued to exist on paper, but many officers were told to go home until they were needed. "Battalion" and "regiment" are functionally synonymous terms for American troops, but these three units are usually called the 1st through 3rd Virginia Battalions to distinguish them from other organzations.

1st Virginia Battalion (Col. William Russell)

2nd Virginia Battalion (Col. John Neville)

3rd Virginia Battalion (Col. Nathiel Gist)

Scott's Recruit Detachment Battalions

Brigadier General Charles Scott oversaw recruiting in Virginia in 1779 and early 1780. He organized new men into three "recruit detachment battalions." This was just a descriptive term. These units are usually referred to as the 1st through 3rd Virginia "Detachments" to distinguish them from other organizations. Soldiers returning from winter furloughs were mixed in with the recruits. They followed the rest of the Virginia Continental Line to South Carolina when their ranks were filled.

"Scott's Levies: The Virginia Detachments, 1779-1780" (John Settle, JAR) After the Virginia Continental Line was captured at Charleston, survivors and recruits were thrown together into ad hoc "detachments."

1st Virginia Detachment (Col. Richard Parker)

2nd Virginia Detachment (Col. William Heth)

3rd Virginia Detachment (Col. Abraham Buford)

Late War Ad Hoc Regiments

“The Virginia Continental Line in the Revolution's Southern Campaigns” (John Settle, ERW) John Settle traces the later years of the Virginia Line.

Abraham Buford's Battalion

“Colonel Abraham Buford's Virginia Battalion, 1780-1781” (John Settle, JAR)

John Green's Regiment

Richard Campbell's Regiment

Thomas Gaskins' Regiment