1st Pennsylvania Regiment
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| 1st Pennsylvania Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1775 - 1783 |
| Allegiance | Continental Congress of the United States |
| Type | Infantry |
| Part of | Pennsylvania Line |
| Nickname | Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment, 1st Continental Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Trenton, Second Battle of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Springfield |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Colonel William Thompson |
| New York and New Jersey, 1776–1777 |
|---|
| Long Island – Kip's Bay – Harlem Heights – Pell's Point – White Plains – Fort Washington – 1st Trenton – 2nd Trenton – Princeton – Forage War – Bound Brook |
| Philadelphia campaign, 1777–1778 |
|---|
| Brandywine – Paoli – Germantown – White Marsh – Matson's Ford – Crooked Billet – Monmouth |
| Northern theater after Saratoga, 1778–1781 |
|---|
| Rhode Island – Wyoming Valley – Carleton's Raid – Cherry Valley – Stony Point – Penobscot expedition – Sullivan expedition – Newtown – Springfield – Groton Heights |
[edit] Summary
The 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, also known as The Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment and 1st Continental Regiment, was raised under the command of Col. William Thompson for service in the Pennsylvania Line of the Continental Army. Congressional resolutions of 1775-06-14 and 1775-05-22 authorized nine companies of expert riflemen. Seven companies of the regiment (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th, and 9th) were made up of mostly Scotch-Irish; the 6th and 7th companies were mostly German, from Berks and Northampton counties. Their standard weapon was the long rifle, which had greater range and accuracy than the muskets used by most of the British Army and Continental Army. Doctor James Thacher, who observed the regiment during many of its battles, provided this description of the riflemen:
"They are remarkably stout and hardy men; many of them exceeding six feet in height. They are dressed in white frocks or rifle shirts and round hats. There men are remarkable for the accuracy of their aim; striking a mark with great certainty at two hundred yards distance. At a review, a company of them, while in a quick advance, fired their balls into objects of seven inches diameter at the distance of 250 yards . . . their shot have frequently proved fatal to British officers and soldiers who expose themselves to view at more than double the distance of common musket shot." (Source: James Thacher, "Military Journal during the American Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1783".)
The regiment would see action during the New York Campaign, Battle of Trenton, Second Battle of Trenton, Battle of Princeton, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Springfield. The regiment was furloughed June 11, 1783 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and disbanded on November 15, 1783.
Company C of the 337th Engineer Battalion claims lineage from Captain Michael Doudeis Company of York, Pennsylvania of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment.
[edit] References
"The Scotch-Irish of Colonial Pennsylvania," Wayland F. Dunaway, 1944, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2002. Text available at the Pennsylvania State University Digital Bookshelf
