Scammell's 1781 Light Infantry Regiment

Scammell's 1781 Light Infantry Regiment
Active May 17, 1781 - Oct 8, 1781
Allegiance Continental Congress of the United States
Branch Army
Type Light Infantry
Part of Yorktown order of battle
Engagements Battle of King's Bridge
Battle of Yorktown
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Colonel Alexander Scammell
Lt-Col John Laurens
Lt-Col Ebenezer Huntington
Units by state
Non-state units

On 17 May 1781, General George Washington ordered Colonel Alexander Scammell to form a regiment of picked[1] light infantry.[2] The unit was referred to as Scammell's light infantry, light corps, regiment, or detachment. The composition of this light infantry regiment (eight 50-man companies) was based on the new organization of the Continental Army prescribed by Congress[3] and George Washington[4] in late 1780. The regiment served in New York, then went with the Continental Army to Yorktown and once there was incorporated into the light infantry division at Yorktown commanded by Major General Lafayette. Washington's intent for the regiment is clearly stated in a letter to Scammell on the same date:[2]

Scammel's corps was disbanded during the Siege of Yorktown and its companies reorganized under new commanders on October 8, 1781.[5]

Contents

Formation, muster roll

General Washington gave command of the regiment to Alexander Scammell to honor his services as Adjutant General and to honor Scammell's wishes to command an active line unit.[6] The men of this unit were selected from the Continental Line regiments from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire that were garrisoned at West Point.[7] Initially eight companies of 50 men[8] each were formed. Scammell personally selected the officers.[9] Each of these regiments had already supplied light infantry companies that had gone to Virginia with Lafayette in February 1781.[8]

No official roll of this regiment is known to exist. The following roll is compiled from a variety of sources including state rolls where the line company musters included notes that the soldiers were "On Command" with Scammell, pension records where men claimed service with Scammell, or other sources that indicated the men were present. It is also clear, given the example of Elijah Day, and that Scammell was ordered to fill out regiment (replace sick or otherwise unable soldiers) on one subsequent occasion,[10] that the composition of the detachment was changeable.

Officers

Officers that were likely picked on May 17:

Rank and file

New Hampshire
Connecticut
Massachusetts

Only men who specifically claimed to have served with Scammell during this time, or specifically gave their chains of command that included Scammell in their pensions are included here. There were other light infantry units at Yorktown with companies from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut regiments.[8]

Early operations in the Highlands

The early operations of Scammell's detachment of light infantry centered around addressing the "enemy" that Washington indicated were establishing themselves near Fort Lee.[2] This enemy was a Tory militia unit under Lt-Col James De Lancey, which were at the time commonly known as De Lancey's refugees or just the refugees.[6] The timing and size of Scammell's detachment is not insignificant relative to this first objective. De Lancey's unit had, on May 13, attacked the 1st Rhode Island regiment where they were encamped just north of Pines Bridge on the Croton River.[18] The attack resulted in ten men killed and twenty three captured. Among those killed was Lt-Col Christopher Greene[32] who was in command while Colonel Jeremiah Olney was in Rhode Island. Washington indicated the refugees' strength was 60 horse and 140 infantry.[18]

By May 24 Scammell had the situation at Fort Lee in hand with work being done to destroy what work the refugees had recently undertaken.[6] By the 26th, Scammell was clearly thinking of taking the action to De Lancey.[33] Then on the 28th, Washington decided to move Scammell's encampment back to the east side of the Hudson to the south of Peekskill.[34]

During this time Washington had gone to Wethersfield Connecticut and met for five days with Rochambeau to discuss the opportunities for a campaign against the British.[35]

Battle of King's Bridge

Washington made initial use of Scammell's detachment upon gaining intelligence from Brigadier General David Waterbury of Connecticut that the British were planning an attack that would come from King's Bridge, possibly in two directions, aimed at removing Waterbury's Connecticut Line regiments from the area south of White Plains and west of Stamford, including the target of some whaling boats at Stamford.[36]

Under the direction of Robert Howe, commander at West Point, Scammell moved the light infantry to Pines Bridge by the 20th of June.[37] By the 28th of June, Washington had conceived of a plan[4] to counter, by surprise, the British intents. Scammell's light infantry were put under the command of Major General Benjamin Lincoln who was to take control of King's Bridge—which was to depend on night maneuvers in order to gain a necessary element of surprise. Lincoln commanded about 800 soldiers and 150 boatmen and artillery; the other 400 soldiers were commanded by Col. Ebenezer Sproat, commander of the 2nd Massachusetts Regiment.[38] Lincoln was ordered to personally reconnoiter the situation, and depending on what he found, he had been given orders and contingency plans to follow.[39] Such was the American right in Washington's plan. The left was to be commanded by Armand Louis de Gontaut, Duke of Lauzun, and his legion who would have David Waterbury's Connecticut troops, Sheldon's Horse, and three companies of New York Militia in their number; their object was to capture or neutralize James Delancy's regiment of Tories that operated in the area of Morrisania and north along the Harlem River.[4]

Preparations began on July 1 when Washington ordered Scammell's light infantry to the mouth of the Croton River.[40] There, they would be met with boats on July 2 to carry them south to the New Jersey side of the Hudson River opposite Dobb's Ferry, where they waited as the sun set on the side of a mountain next to the river under the concealment of cut brush and branches.[41] Lincoln scouted to the south, as Washington wished, to see if it was possible to land on York Island to effect the surprise, but Lincoln found that the crossing was blocked by ships, forcing any crossing to occur further to the north. Very early on July 2, Washington ordered Lincoln to cross the Hudson and take possession of the heights above King's Bridge (Valentine's Hill was the name of these heights).[42] Lincoln crossed the Hudson starting at 9:00 pm on July 2, landing about two and a half miles north of King's Bridge by 2:00 A.M. Scammell's detachment paraded, and set their order for battle. It was very dark[41]—Washington had specifically chosen this night for the lack of a moon to help cover his troops' movements.[43]

Shortly before dawn on July 3, Lincoln's detachment encountered the pickets at King's Bridge, and according to Asa Reddington, a sharp action ensued,[44] effectively ending any element of surprise. As the sun was coming up, Scammell's detachment took up a position about 500 yards north of the bridge. A detachment of British cavalry soon crossed the bridge and was met with fire from Scammell's men, causing them to return to the south side of the bridge. The bridge was then to be taken up to prevent Scammell's men from breaking through and crossing.[38] After a short rest, Scammell and his men took command of Valentine's Hill, about 3/4 of a mile east of the bridge, where they were joined by Col. Sproat's men[44] and General Washington with Brigadier General DuPortail and 50 of Washington's Life Guard, who were there to scout the enemy position on the north of York Island.[45]

This much was corroborated by Hessian accounts. A group of about 100 Hessian chasseurs (light infantry) under Col. Andreas Emmerich was out north of King's Bridge on July 2 and had gotten word back to York Island that the Americans were approaching New York in force.[46] That resulted in a party of 200 chasseurs and 30 cavalry being sent out at dawn to cover Emmerich's return. Some of these men were likely who Scammell's men encountered as "the pickets".[47] The second party of Hessians was not on good ground, and reported that the American repulsed them and their cavalry before falling back to higher ground, where the Hessians determined their numbers to be six or seven hundred.[48]

At this point the stories all become different. Here is what may have happened given Reddington's account, which is by far the most detailed:

At about 8:00 AM on the 3rd of July, the British put down the King's Bridge again and sent out a body of infantry and cavalry, probably German Jägers and German (likely Hessian) horse.[38][49] This force was sufficiently large to overrun Lincoln's command; a member of Washington's Life Guard estimated 1,500.[45] One of Washington's Life Guard me, and so they began slowly retreating, using closed formations to avoid the worst of the dangers the British cavalry offered. Eventually they came to a double-walled defensive work, which was likely the old fort on Valentine's Hill, and shortly afterward Lauzun's cavalry arrived, along with Washington and the part of the northern Army that could be spared from West Point and its dependencies. While Washington wrote Congress that this precipitated the retreat of the British and Jägers, accounts like Asa Reddington's suggest skirmishing continued until the British forces had crossed back over King's Bridge.[10]

The Hessian account was that Emmerich's command was cut off from King's Bridge at Spuyten Duyvil Creek during the initial skirmish, and that the second, larger, group of chasseurs regrouped just north of the bridge, which was initially in the hands of the Americans, requiring their cavalry to clear it, but not before the 900 Americans had been driven from the heights (by 200 chasseurs and 30 cavalry). The account finishes with the Hessian lieutenant colonel von Wurmb, who commanded the second group, reporting back to his headquarters that he was suspicious of an ambuscade, and that no other action ensued.[50] No mention was made of a much larger force that Reddington and others from the American side reported, or any reports of skirmishing one to three miles to the north. The Hessian losses were reported at thirty men killed or wounded.[51]

One Connecticut soldier, Nathan Munn Lounsberry from Lamb's Artillery, wrote the following:[52]

Lounsberry probably meant the old fort on Valentine's Hill, rather than Fort Lee on the west side of the Hudson River. Lounsberry was coming from Miles Square, which was about a mile from the top of Valentine's hill where the old fort was located, which in turn was about a mile and three quarters from King's Bridge.

Washington hoped to keep the British forces engaged long enough, almost two miles north of King's Bridge, to allow Lauzun's fatigued infantry time to cut off their escape.[10] It appears that Washington, himself, had been very close to the action given that a number of the casualties were members of his Life-Guard.[53] Despite the efforts of Lauzun's troops, poor roads kept them from effecting that plan to cut off the British troops who had crossed King's Bridge that morning. In all at least 1,100 American troops were involved, and possibly as many as 2,500 were involved in some way given that the main Army had arrived in Miles Square in time to have fired shots at the enemy.[52] However, only the 900 or so under Lincoln were involved in actual battle, the rest being skirmishes. Of the British three separate forces were involved: 100 under Emmerich, 230 sent at dawn by von Wurmb, and the larger party that forced Lincoln's command to retreat towards the main American Army.[50] The latter party had to have been at least large enough to overrun 900 American's on a hilltop, which is where the principal action took place; perhaps 1,500 as indicated by Godfrey.[45] The Americans reported 76 casualties,[53] of which Scammell's were 6 killed and 34 wounded.

The result of the battle was a British win in terms of winning the combat situations, but the Americans gained clear control of ground nearer to New York. Ground that they would probably have been ceded with the arrival of the arrival of Rochambeau and Lauzun—so the real gain was as Washington relayed to Congress the opportunity to scout and gain intelligence as to the strength of the British on York Island.[10] The Americans could then securely use Dobbs Ferry as a headquarters, allowing for potentially more efficient staging of the march to Yorktown, and the subterfuge to keep Clinton pinned down at New York.

Prelude to Yorktown

The regiment was active in the subterfuge that ensured Sir Henry Clinton's forces in New York City stayed there in a defensive posture, allowing Washington's army to make their way southward to Yorktown. The first such action came on July 22, when Scammell was ordered south, first to Tippet's Hill (aka Tibbet's Hill) and then to cover Lauzun's Legion and Sheldon's horse in scouring Morrisania.[54][55]

On July 30 Scammell's command went south to Phillip's manor on a "foraging expedition", covering the loading of wagons from hiding places in the woods, hoping the enemy would engage them, but nothing resulted.[9][56]

On August 5 or 6 Scammell, along with Sheldon's Horse and Foot, secured the roads as far south past Phillip's House as safely possible to permit General Washington the opportunity to reconnoiter the River Road.[57]

The army that would march south soon began to take shape. On August 8, Washington assigned Lt-Col Alexander Hamilton's four companies of light infantry (two from New York and two provisional companies from Connecticut) under Scammell's command.[58] Then on the 11th, Colonel Sheldon was also put under Scammell's command.[59] By August 22, Washington had placed Scammell's command under Major General Benjamin Lincoln, and the public design was to make an attempt at New York through Staten Island.[13][60]

Some of the groundwork for the Staten Island feint was already happening. On August 19 Washington had ordered the light infantry to cross at King's Ferry and move to high ground near Springfield and Chatham, New Jersey.[13] These troops, which also included all of Scammell's command and Moses Hazen's regiment as well, were in place by late on the 21st of August.[61] On the 25th the troops put on a show for the British and Hessian scouts, marching back and forth by various routes that Washington supplied to Lincoln[62] between Paramus and ultimately back to Springfield on the 27th.[61] On the 29th, they marched again, and as Scammell's wing of Lincoln's command turned west at Quibbletown, it became generally known to the rank and file that the object of their march was in Virginia and not Staten Island.[63] Washington's orders to Lincoln were to proceed to the Head of Elk, and once past Trenton to not fatigue the troops with long marches, and to not encamp too near Philadelphia.[64] Scammell's Command arrived at the Head of Elk on September 6 and by September 10 were on boats carrying them south toward the James River.[61]

By September 26, six of Scammell's nine companies and three of Hamilton's four companies had arrived near Williamsburg.[65] Two of Scammell's missing were under Huntington, and Hand's return does not account for the men with Asa Reddington's company who were delayed a week when their vessel became disabled near Porpoise Harbor.[66]

Siege of Yorktown

On September 24, as troops were still arriving from the north, Washington's general orders described the new arrangement for the army at Yorktown. Under this arrangement Scammell's corps was brigaded along with Hamilton's battalion under the command of Brigadier General Moses Hazen along with Hazen's regiment.[67] Scammell was clearly surprised by Washington's new arrangement that organized Hazen's brigade within Lafayette's light infantry division and took exception to being placed under the command of Hazen.[68] Washington responded on the 26th, indicating military practice was that brigadier generals would command brigade-sized elements, and not colonels. However, Washington also implied that he was satisfied with the manner in which Scammell had commanded his regiment. On September 28 the Siege of Yorktown was undertaken and the light infantry moved into position on the American Right.[69][70]

On September 29, Scammell was assigned as officer of the day under Lafayette.[70] In that capacity he was reconnoitering the British works and became separated from his party. He mistakenly joined with a party of British dragoons. Dr. James Thacher wrote that he was immediately taken prisoner, during the process of which he was shot in the back.[71] This account, where the question of whether Scammell had already surrendered before being shot was unresolved, was widely circulated and clearly fueled thoughts of vengeance, as Thacher later reported regarding the treatment of Major Campbell of the British.[72] Col. Scammell was initially taken into Yorktown but was moved to Williamsburg where he died on October 4.[73] Asa Reddington later wrote of the event, stating that Scammell's party of officers was rushed by the dragoons, who fired on them, wounding Scammell before taking him prisoner.[74]

On October 8 the regiment was split with half assigned to Lt-Col John Laurens and half to Lt-Col Ebenezer Huntington.[75]

Epilogue

Troops of Scammell's corps participated in the storming of redoubt #10 after the reorganization. Hamilton sent Laurens with Betts' and William's companies left, around to the rear of the redoubt to prevent the enemy from escaping towards Yorktown. This was partly successful in that 17 British soldiers were captured and Laurens took prisoner Major Campbell, the commander of the redoubt.[76][77] The battle lasted only about ten minutes, and from accounts of many soldiers who were not in the three assault columns, it seems that many of the supporting troops were able to reach the works within the next ten minutes.[78]

The following list shows which commander each company was apparently assigned to based Johnston's description of the battle and claims in pensions.[79]

Laurens
Huntington

Following the British surrender, the American troops made their way back to the respective garrisons; generally men who were not sick were put on ships to arrive faster, and those who were sick were transported or marched separately.[81]

References

  1. ^ Thacher, page 259
  2. ^ a b c Washington's General Orders of May 17, 1781
  3. ^ =Continental Congress
  4. ^ a b c Washington's Diary of June 28, 1781
  5. ^ Washington's General Orders of Oct 8, 1781
  6. ^ a b c Scammell, May 24, 1781
  7. ^ Heath Feb 18, 1781
  8. ^ a b c Washington to Heath, Feb 15, 1781
  9. ^ a b c Thacher page 259
  10. ^ a b c d Washington's General Orders of Aug 15, 1781
  11. ^ a b c Johnston page 145
  12. ^ a b c Record of Connecticut Men page 354
  13. ^ a b c Washington's Diary Entry of August 19, 1781
  14. ^ NH Rolls vol XV, pages 242-248
  15. ^ NH Rolls vol XVI
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h Commonwealth vol 12
  17. ^ a b c d Commonwealth vol 4 page 571
  18. ^ a b c Washington's Diary May 17, 1781
  19. ^ a b Record of Connecticut Men page 350
  20. ^ Evans
  21. ^ a b c d e f g Commonwealth vol 14
  22. ^ a b c Johnston page 170
  23. ^ Currier page 181
  24. ^ Gen. and Fam. Hist. of NH page 825
  25. ^ a b c d Commonwealth vol 1
  26. ^ a b c Commonwealth vol 4
  27. ^ a b c Commonwealth vol 10
  28. ^ a b c d e f Commonwealth vol 7
  29. ^ a b c Commonwealth vol 8
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Commonwealth vol 9
  31. ^ a b Commonwealth vol 11
  32. ^ Scammell, May 14, 1781
  33. ^ Scammell, May 26, 1781
  34. ^ Washington to Scammell of May 28, 1781
  35. ^ Johnston pages 71-75
  36. ^ Waterbury to Howe June 11
  37. ^ Scammell to Howe June 20
  38. ^ a b c Reddington Sketch page 13
  39. ^ Washington's Letter to Lincoln of July 1, 1781
  40. ^ Washington's General Orders of July 1, 1781
  41. ^ a b Reddington Sketch page 12
  42. ^ Washington's Letter to Lincoln of July 2, 1781
  43. ^ Washington's Letter to Rochambeau of July 1, 1781
  44. ^ a b Reddington Sketch
  45. ^ a b c Godfrey, page 78
  46. ^ The Hessians, page 260
  47. ^ The Hessians, page 261
  48. ^ The Hessians, pages 261-262
  49. ^ Washington's Diary of July 3, 1781
  50. ^ a b The Hessians, pages 260-262
  51. ^ The Hessians, page 262
  52. ^ a b Lounsberry 15 Aug 1835
  53. ^ a b Hand July 11, 1781
  54. ^ Washington's Letter to Scammell July 14, 1781
  55. ^ Washington's Diary Entry of July 21, 1781
  56. ^ Washington to Scammell, July 27, 1781
  57. ^ Washington to Scammell Aug 5, 1781
  58. ^ Washington's Diary Entry of August 8, 1781
  59. ^ Washington's General Orders of Aug 11, 1781
  60. ^ Washington's General Orders of Aug 22, 1781.
  61. ^ a b c Shute, page 384
  62. ^ Washington Letter to Lincoln of Aug 24, 1781
  63. ^ Washington Letter to Lincoln of Aug 28, 1781
  64. ^ Washington Letter to Lincoln of Aug 31, 1781
  65. ^ Hand Return of September 26, 1781
  66. ^ Reddington, page 17
  67. ^ Washington General Orders of Sept 24, 1781
  68. ^ Scammell to Washington, Sep 25, 1781
  69. ^ bauman
  70. ^ a b Washington General Orders of Sept 28, 1781
  71. ^ Thacher, page 271
  72. ^ Thacher, page 275
  73. ^ Thacher, page 272
  74. ^ Reddington, page 19
  75. ^ Washington's General Orders of Oct 8, 1781.
  76. ^ Johnston
  77. ^ Guns
  78. ^ Thacher, pages 275-6
  79. ^ Johnston, page 114
  80. ^ Hamilton Oct 15, 1781
  81. ^ Reddington, page 24-25

Bibliography