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Jackson's Additional Continental Regiment 16th Massachusetts Regiment | |
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Active | January 12, 1777–January 1, 1781 |
Disbanded | January 1, 1781 |
Allegiance | Continental Congress of the United States |
Branch | Infantry |
Part of | Massachusetts Line |
Nickname(s) | Henry Jackson's Regiment |
Engagements | American Revolutionary War |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Colonel Henry Jackson |
The 16th Massachusetts Regiment, also known as Henry Jackson's Additional Continental Regiment, was a unit of the American Massachusetts Line, raised on January 12, 1777, under Colonel Henry Jackson at Boston, Massachusetts. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Rhode Island. The regiment was disbanded on January 1, 1781, at New Windsor, New York.
In the years before the American Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, the Province of Massachusetts Bay had a volunteer militia corps known as the Governor's Company of Cadets. Based in Boston, the company was disbanded in 1774 after its commander, John Hancock, was dismissed by Governor Thomas Gage. A number of its members left the city when the Siege of Boston began, and reformed themselves as an independent company under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Jackson after the British evacuated the city in March 1776.
The company petitioned the Continental Congress to be included in the Continental Army, and on January 12, 1777, Jackson was given a colonel's commission and authorization to raise an "Additional Continental regiment". Recruitment was conducted primarily in the Boston, but the regiment eventually had members from as far off as Connecticut. The unit's surgeon from 1779 onward was Dr. James Thacher, who kept an extensive journal of his war experience.
The regiment left Boston in October 1777 to join General George Washington's Main Army outside Philadelphia. In 1778 it was with that army as it followed the British across New Jersey, and served with distinction in the June 28, 1778 Battle of Monmouth. The regiment was then sent to Providence, Rhode Island, where it played a major role in the August 29, 1778 Battle of Rhode Island. It remained in Rhode Island in 1779, but was despatched to Boston as part of a mobilization made in response to the British seizure of Castine, Maine. The regiment was not part of the disastrous Penobscot Expedition that Massachusetts mounted to drive the British out, but it had been boarded onto transports and was en route to the area when the expedition dissolved following the arrival of British reinforcements. It was disembarked at Kittery, where it assisted in bringing in the remnants of the expedition that arrived there overland.
Following the British withdrawal from Newport in October 1779, the regiment was sent to New Jersey, where it spent a difficult winter. It was involved in a failed attack on Staten Island in January that was aborted when surprise was lost. The regiment then fought in the June 23, 1780 Battle of Springfield.
On July 24, 1780, the regiment was adopted into the Massachusetts Line and renamed the 16th Massachusetts Regiment. It was disbanded as part of a major reorganization of the army on January 1, 1781. Colonel Jackson was given command of the 4th Massachusetts Regiment, and later commanded the 1st American Regiment, the last major Continental Army unit.
The 1st New Hampshire Regiment was an infantry unit that came into existence on 22 May 1775 at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. John Stark was the regiment's first commander. The unit fought at Chelsea Creek and Bunker Hill in 1775. On 1 January 1776, while engaged in the Siege of Boston, the unit was renamed the 5th Continental Regiment. In the spring it was sent to Canada where the New Hampshire soldiers fought at Trois-Rivières and later helped defend the area around Lake Champlain. Late in the year, the 5th Continental Regiment was transferred south to George Washington's main army where it fought at Trenton.
The 1st Rhode Island Regiment was a regiment in the Continental Army raised in Rhode Island during the American Revolutionary War (1775–83). It was one of the few units in the Continental Army to serve through the entire war, from the siege of Boston to the disbanding of the Continental Army on November 3, 1783.
The 2nd Rhode Island Regiment was authorized on 6 May 1775 under Colonel Daniel Hitchcock in the Rhode Island Army of Observation and was organized on 8 May 1775 as eight companies of volunteers from Providence County of the colony of Rhode Island. As part of a brigade organized under Nathanael Greene, the unit participated in the Siege of Boston during the remainder of 1775. Some elements accompanied Benedict Arnold's expedition to Quebec late in the year. The unit was renamed the 11th Continental Regiment on the first day of 1776.
The 9th Connecticut Regiment was a regiment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. It was first called Webb's Additional Continental Regiment before being added to the Connecticut Line in 1780. It saw action at Setauket in 1777, Rhode Island in 1778, and Springfield, New Jersey, in 1780, and was generally active in the defense of Connecticut, southern New York, and northern New Jersey. It was merged into the reorganized 2nd Connecticut Regiment in January 1781.
The 1st North Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army was raised on September 1, 1775, at Wilmington, North Carolina. In January 1776 the organization contained eight companies. Francis Nash was appointed colonel in April 1776. The regiment was present at the defense of Charleston in 1776. It transferred from the Southern Department to George Washington's main army in February 1777. At that time, Thomas Clark became colonel of the 1st Regiment. The regiment became part of General Francis Nash's North Carolina Brigade in July.
The 3rd North Carolina Regiment was raised on 16 January 1776 at Wilmington, North Carolina for service with the Continental Army. In April, Jethro Sumner was appointed colonel. The regiment was present at the defense of Charleston in June 1776. The 3rd Regiment transferred from the Southern Department to George Washington's main army in February 1777. Assigned to Francis Nash's North Carolina Brigade in July 1777, it soon saw action at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, and was present at White Marsh. Sumner went home ill in early 1778. Together with the 4th, 5th, and 6th North Carolina Regiments, the 3rd Regiment was reduced to a cadre and sent home to recruit up to strength on 1 June 1778. The rebuilt regiment returned to the main army in late 1778, but it was reduced to a cadre again in April 1779 and sent back to its home state. Assigned to the North Carolina Brigade, the regiment fought at the Siege of Charleston where it was captured by the British Army on 12 May 1780. The regiment was officially disbanded on 15 November 1783.
The Connecticut Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term "Connecticut Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Connecticut at various times by the Continental Congress, the size of its allocation determined by the size of its population relative to that of other states. These, together with similarly apportioned contingents from the other twelve states, formed the Continental Line. The concept was particularly important in relation to the promotion of commissioned officers. Officers of the Continental Army below the rank of brigadier general were ordinarily ineligible for promotion except in the line of their own state.
The Massachusetts Line was those units within the Continental Army that were assigned to Massachusetts at various times by the Continental Congress during the American Revolutionary War. These, together with similar contingents from the other twelve states, formed the Continental Line. Line regiments were assigned to a particular state, which was then financially responsible for the maintenance of the regiment. The concept of the line was also particularly important in relation to the promotion of commissioned officers. Officers of the Continental Army below the rank of brigadier general were ordinarily ineligible for promotion except in the line of their own state.
The New Hampshire Line was a formation in the Continental Army. The term "New Hampshire Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to New Hampshire at various times by the Continental Congress. These, along with similar contingents from the other twelve states, formed the Continental Line. For the promotion of senior officials, this concept is particularly important. Officers of the Continental Army below the rank of brigadier general were ordinarily ineligible for promotion except in the line of their own state.
Henry Jackson was a Continental Army officer from Boston, Province of Massachusetts Bay, during the American Revolutionary War. For most of the war, he was colonel of Jackson's Additional Continental Regiment, which was redesignated the 16th Massachusetts in 1780. He commanded the last regiment of the Continental Army, the 1st American, which was disbanded in 1784. Jackson was a lifelong friend of Henry Knox, another Continental Army officer, whose business affairs he was also heavily involved in.
Jeremiah Olney was born into an old family from Rhode Island. He formed a company of infantry from that state at the start of the American Revolutionary War. After serving as captain in 1776, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel at the beginning of 1777. As second-in-command of the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment, he fought at Red Bank. After its commander was wounded early in the action, he led Varnum's brigade in bitter fighting at Monmouth in June 1778.
The 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment also known as Lamb's Continental Artillery Regiment was authorized on 1 January 1777 as Colonel John Lamb's Continental Artillery Regiment. As originally constituted, the regiment included 12 artillery companies from New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. The bulk of the regiment served in the Hudson Highlands, though some companies fought with George Washington's main army from 1777 to 1779.
The 1st Continental Artillery Regiment, also known as Harrison's Continental Artillery Regiment, was authorized on 26 November 1776 as Colonel Charles Harrison's Continental Artillery Regiment. Raised for service during the American Revolutionary War, as originally organized, the regiment comprised 10 artillery companies from Virginia. Two of the artillery companies existed since early 1776. The regiment was first assigned to the Southern Department, but in March 1778 it was reassigned to General George Washington's main army. In August 1779, the unit was renamed the 1st Continental Artillery Regiment. It continued to serve with the main army until April 1780 when it was transferred to the Southern Department. In May 1780, Maryland artillery companies formally joined the regiment, making a total of 12 companies. In January 1781, the regiment was reorganized with 10 companies. Furloughed in the summer of 1783, the regiment was disbanded in November the same year. Elements of the regiment fought at Monmouth, Charleston, Camden, Hobkirk's Hill, Eutaw Springs, Yorktown, and Combahee River.
Spencer's Additional Continental Regiment, sometimes referred to as the 5th New Jersey Regiment, was an American infantry unit that served for four years in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The Continental Congress authorized sixteen "Additional" Continental Regiments in late 1776 and Colonel Oliver Spencer accepted command of this regiment with rank from January 15, 1777.
Sherburne's Additional Continental Regiment was a unit of the Continental Army which served from January 1, 1777, until it was disbanded on January 1, 1781. It was commanded by Colonel Henry Sherburne.
Colonel Henry Sherburne (1748-1824) was an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He commanded Sherburne's Additional Continental Regiment from 1777 to 1781, and served as the General Treasurer of Rhode Island from 1792 to 1807.
Babcock's/Lippitt's Regiment was a regiment raised for the defense of Rhode Island during the American Revolution.