The 1st Continental Light Dragoons, also known as Bland's Horse, was a mounted regiment of the Continental Army organized between 13 June and 10 September 1776 in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was made up of men from eastern and northern Virginia for service with the Continental Army.
The Revolutionary Virginia Convention held in May 1776 resulted in delegates voting for a resolution to direct Virginia's delegates in Philadelphia to seek independence from the British and form a confederation of the colonies. They knew additional military strength was required. Virginia Governor Patrick Henry authorized Major-Commandant Theodorick Bland to raise a volunteer battalion. Bland had participated in the expulsion of Royal Governor Dunmore.
The 1st Continental Light Dragoons regiment was first authorized on 8 June 1776 in the Virginia State Troops as the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th (Captain Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee) and 6th Troops of Light Horse. On 25 June 1776 it mustered as the Virginia Light Horse Regiment. It was first adopted by and then accepted into the Continental Army, designated as the 1st Continental Light Dragoons on 25 November 1776.
Six months later, when General George Washington needed cavalry to counter that of the British, the Continental Congress on November 25, 1776 requested that Virginia transfer Major Bland's Light Horse to the Continental Army. Although reluctant, Virginia acceded to the request. Bland's Light Horse became the 1st Regiment of Continental Light Dragoons.
Bland had six troops of cavalry. Each contained 3 officers, 3 corporals, a drummer, a trumpeter, and 29 privates. Three quartermasters provided logistical support for the group. In March 1777 this 1st Regiment of Continental Light Dragoons — plus the three other regiments — were reorganized, resulting in a slight increase in their numbers.
The reorganized regimental headquarters consisted of a colonel, a lieutenant colonel and a major, who were supported in turn by a staff consisting of a chaplain, a quartermaster, a surgeon and mate, a paymaster, a riding master, a saddler, a trumpet major, an adjutant and 4 supernumeraries—cadets undergoing training who were used as the colonel's messengers.
1778 Roster of Continental Light Dragoons
Each troop consisted of 32 privates, 1 armorer, 1 farrier, 1 trumpeter, 4 corporals, 1 quartermaster sergeant, a drill or an orderly sergeant, a cornet, a lieutenant, and a captain—a total of 280 men and officers. Whether any of the four regiments of Dragoons was ever at full strength is uncertain.[1][2] The 2nd Continental Light Dragoons hailed from Connecticut and was led by Elisha Sheldon. It fought with distinction, whether mounted or unmounted, and at war's end had 225 men. The 3rd Regiment—"Lady Washington's Dragoons"—was also from Virginia. The 3rd was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel George Baylor and seconded by Major Alexander Clough, one of George Washington's spies. The 3rd was the victim of a heinous act of war when they were attacked in their billet and refused quarter in 1778. The 4th and final regiment drew its membership from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey. The 4th suffered great losses at the Battle of Camden.
So at the very best in 1777, there were 1120 dragoons in the Continental Army, considerably under the 3,000 troops authorized by the Continental Congress. Officers aside, there were no other mounted troops in the whole continental army. The English also had limited cavalry, fielding their 16th Queen's Lancers and 17th Regiment of Dragoons.[3]Light Horse Harry Lee gained national fame from his service with the 1st Continental Regiment at the Battle of Paulus Hook and in the Southern Campaign.[4]
On 31 March 1777 in General Orders, George Washington named promoted officers of the 1st Light Dragoons.
Theodorick Bland Esqr., Major, Comdt. to be Colonel thereof. Capt. Benjamin Temple of the 2nd. The troop is appointed the Lt. Col. Capt. John Jameson of the 3rd. The troop is appointed the Major. Lieut. Cuth. Harrison of the 2nd. The troop is appointed Captain of the same. Lieut. Alexander S. Dandridge of the 4th. is appointed Captain of the 3rd. Captain Alexander Johnson, Lieut. John Belfield of the 5th. is appointed Captain of the 6th; vacant by the resignation of Capt. Nelson. Cornet William Lindsay of the 3rd. The troop is appointed Lieutenant of the same. Cornet William Watts of the 4th. is appointed Lieut. of the same. Cornet Henry Peyton of the 5th is appointed Lieutenant of the same. Cornet Henry Clements of the 6th. is appointed Lieut. of the second. Mr. Cole Diggs, the Cadet, is appointed Cornet of the 3rd. Troop. Mr. Robert Yauncey, the Cadet, is appointed Cornet of the 4th. Troop.[5]
On 7 April 1778 Lee's Troop was replaced by Captain Addison Lewis's Troop. Lee's Troop was expanded into Lee's Legion, designated the 2nd Partisan Corps in 1781. The 1st Continental Light Dragoons were reassigned to the Southern Department on 8 November 1778, when the Corps of Continental Light Dragoons was broken up as an organization. The regiment was officially reorganized on 1 January 1781, consisting of four mounted and two dismounted troops. It was redesignated as the 1st Legionary Corps. Captain Samuel Van Leer was also a member of this regiment.[6][7] On 2 November 1782, reflecting an amalgamation that had occurred in the spring of 1780, the unit was consolidated with the 3d Legionary Corps, maintaining five troops. The new unit was designated 1st Legionary Corps.
The United States Cavalry, or U.S. Cavalry, was the designation of the mounted force of the United States Army. The United States Cavalry was formally created by an act of Congress on 3 August 1861 and ceased as a distinct Army branch in 1942. The name "cavalry" continues to be used as a designation for various specific United States Army formations and functions.
The Virginia Defense Force (VDF) is the official state defense force of Virginia, one of the three components of Virginia's state military along with the Virginia National Guard which includes the Virginia Army National Guard, the Virginia Air National Guard, and the unorganized militia. As of 2023, the VDF has approximately 275 personnel. The VDF is the descendant of the Virginia State Guard, the Virginia Regiment, and ultimately the Colonial Virginia militia of the Virginia Colony.
The 11th Pennsylvania Regiment or Old Eleventh was authorized on 16 September 1776 for service with the Continental Army. On 25 October, Richard Humpton was named colonel. In December 1776, the regiment was assigned to George Washington's main army and was present at Assunpink Creek and fought at Princeton in January 1777. During the spring, the unit assembled at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in a strength of eight companies. The soldiers were recruited from Philadelphia and four nearby counties. On 22 May 1777, the regiment became part of the 2nd Pennsylvania Brigade. The 11th was in the thick of the action at Brandywine, Paoli, and Germantown in 1777. It was present at White Marsh and Monmouth. On 1 July 1778, the unit was consolidated with the 10th Pennsylvania Regiment, and the 11th Regiment ceased to exist. Humpton took command of the reorganized unit.
The 2nd Continental Light Dragoons, also known as Sheldon's Horse after Colonel Elisha Sheldon, was commissioned by the Continental Congress on 12 December 1776, and was first mustered at Wethersfield, Connecticut, in March 1777 for service with the Continental Army. The regiment consisted of four troops from Connecticut, one troop each largely from Massachusetts and New Jersey, and two companies of light infantry.
The 3rd Continental Light Dragoons, also known as Baylor's Horse or Lady Washington's Horse, was a mounted regiment of the Continental Army raised on January 1, 1777, at Morristown, New Jersey. The regiment saw action at the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown and the Battle of Guilford Court House.
The 2d Virginia Regiment was authorized by the Virginia Convention, July 17, 1775, as a force of regular troops for the Commonwealth's defense. It consisted of seven companies, 476 privates and the usual regimental officers. William Woodford, of Caroline County, named colonel, along with Lieutenant Colonel Charles Scott and Major Alexander Spotswood were the regiment's initial field officers. Virginia had been divided into 16 military districts which took their names from the predominant county in the grouping; for instance, Prince William District included Fairfax and Loudoun Counties as well. Col. Gregory Smith 1777-78 Col Brent 1779
The 8th Virginia Regiment or German Regiment was an infantry unit that served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Authorized in January 1776, the regiment was raised from men of several northwestern counties in the strength of 10 companies. Its first commander was Colonel Peter Muhlenberg, a clergyman and militia leader. The unit marched to defend Charleston, South Carolina in 1776, but saw no fighting. At the start of 1777, the 8th Virginia moved to join George Washington's main army. When Muhlenberg was promoted to general officer, Colonel Abraham Bowman took command of the unit.
The North Carolina Light Dragoons Regiment was raised on April 13, 1775 at Wilmington, North Carolina, first as provincial troops, then as state troops, then for service with the Continental Army, and finally returned as a State Troop Regiment. On April 16, 1776, the General Assembly authorized the creation of three companies of NC Light Dragoons. These are first considered to be Provincial Troops then State Troops. On March 7, 1777, these companies were placed on the North Carolina Continental Line. All companies of North Carolina Light Dragoons were removed from the Continental Line on January 1, 1779 and ordered to disband. The North Carolina General Assembly decided to retain these units, but it took them several months to figure out how best to employ them. Between February and June of 1779, they were assembled into a new Regiment of State Troops under ex-Continental Col. François Malmédy, who had marched south with Major General Benjamin Lincoln in late 1778.
The North Carolina Line refers to North Carolina units within the Continental Army. The term "North Carolina Line" referred to the quota of infantry regiments assigned to North Carolina at various times by the Continental Congress. These, together with similar 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.
John Jameson was an American soldier, most notable for his service during the American Revolutionary War. He is equally notable for his missteps in matters concerning the apprehension of the British spy, John André, that allowed the escape of Andre's partner in the conspiracy, General Benedict Arnold, to surrender and turn-over the fort at West Point to the British. He was a resident of Culpeper, Virginia.
The Battle of Germantown on 4 October 1777 pitted a 9,000-man British army under General William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe against an 11,000-strong American army commanded by General George Washington. After an initial advance, the American reserve allowed itself to be diverted by 120 English soldiers holding out in the Benjamin Chew House. A heavy morning fog disoriented the American assault columns and led to a friendly fire incident between elements of Major General John Sullivan's right column and Major General Nathanael Greene's left column. At about this time, the American attack lost impetus and both columns retreated. Meanwhile, two wide flanking columns numbering 3,000 American militia had little effect on the outcome. American losses was numbered at 673 soldiers killed and wounded plus 400 captured, while the British suffered 520 casualties.
Hartley's Additional Continental Regiment was an American infantry unit of the Continental Army that served for two years during the American Revolutionary War. The regiment was authorized in January 1777 and Thomas Hartley was appointed its commander. The unit comprised eight companies from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. When permanent brigades were formed in May 1777, the regiment was transferred to the 1st Pennsylvania Brigade. Hartley's Regiment fought at Brandywine, Paoli, and Germantown in 1777. The unit helped defend the Pennsylvania frontier against indigenous raids in the Summer and early Fall of 1778. In January 1779, following a resolution of the Continental Congress the regiment, along with Patton's Additional Continental Regiment and part of Malcolm's Additional Continental Regiment, were combined to form a complete battalion known as the "New" 11th Pennsylvania Regiment. The 11th participated in the Sullivan Expedition in the summer of that year. In January 1781 the 11th merged with the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment and ceased to exist.
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References
↑ Robert K. Wright Jr. The Continental Army, Center of Military History, United States Army, 1983, p.107 p.128
↑ Burt Garfield Loescher, Washington's Eyes: The Continental Light Dragoons, Old Army Press, 1977.
↑ Robert K. Wright Jr. The Continental Army, Center of Military History, United States Army, 1983, p.93 p.106
↑ The Revolutionary War Memoirs Of General Henry Lee, Editor, Robert E. Lee, Da Capo Press, 1998
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