276th Engineer Battalion (United States)

Last updated

276th Engineer Battalion
276EngineerBnCOA.jpg
ActiveFounded 1652; active 1791
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Branch United States Army
TypeEngineer
SizeRegiment
Motto(s)"Liberty or Death"
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Charles L. Southward (as 176th Regimental Combat Team)
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
US Army 276th Engineer Bn DUI.png

The 276th Engineer Battalion ("First Virginia") [1] is an engineer battalion of the Virginia Army National Guard. Headquartered in Petersburg, Virginia, it is one of several Army National Guard units with campaign credit for the War of 1812.

Contents

History

Origins

The 276th traces its lineage back to the Richmond City Regiment, organized at Richmond in May 1791 from existing elements in the Virginia Militia. On 31 December of that year it was reorganized and redesignated as the 19th Regiment. During the War of 1812, it remained in state service, forming the First Corps d'Elite Brigade of Virginia Militia under the command of Colonel Thomas Mann Randolph for Federal service. The brigade was mustered into Federal service in 1813 with the Richmond Volunteers, the Flying Artillery under Captain William Wirt, the Rifle Company under Captain William H. Richardson, and the Richmond Light Infantry Blues. It mustered out in 1814 at the end of the war. [1]

Elements of the 19th Regiment were mustered into Federal service between 14 and 16 December 1846 as part of the 1st Regiment of Virginia Volunteers during the Mexican–American War. They mustered out of Federal service at Fort Monroe between 1 and 2 August 1848. [1] Meanwhile, on 31 March of that year, the 19th was reorganized and redesignated as the 19th (Richmond City) Regiment. On 1 May 1851, it was consolidated with the 179th (Richmond, organized 1848), 23d (Chesterfield County, organized in 1791), and 33d (Henrico County, organized 1791) Regiments to become the Richmond-based 1st Regiment, Virginia Volunteers. [1]

On the outbreak of the American Civil War, the regiment was mustered into state service on 21 April 1861. On 1 July, it was reorganized and redesignated as the 1st Virginia Infantry and mustered into the Confederate States Army at Manassas. The 1st Virginia served through the war and surrendered at Appomattox on 9 April 1865. [1]

On 25 October 1871, the regiment was reconstituted in the Virginia Volunteers as the 1st Regiment of Infantry, headquartered at Richmond. Companies A, B, and C of the 1st Regiment were mustered into Federal service as Companies M, B, and I of the 2d Virginia Volunteer Infantry, respectively, during the Spanish–American War. Company F was mustered into Federal service on 20 May as Company M of the 3d Virginia Volunteer Infantry. The companies assigned to the 2d Virginia mustered out in December 1898, preceded by Company M of the 3d Virginia on 5 November. The 1st Regiment of Infantry was disbanded on 29 April 1899. [1]

The companies formerly part of the 1st Regiment were assigned to the 70th Infantry Regiment, Virginia Volunteers on 10 October 1900. On 1 September 1908, the regiment was reconstituted in the Virginia Volunteers as the 1st Infantry. On 3 June 1916, the Virginia Volunteers became the Virginia National Guard. On 18 June, due to increased tensions on the Mexico–United States border, the regiment was called into Federal service. It mustered in on 30 June, serving in Brownsville, Texas, and was mustered out upon return to Virginia at Richmond on 16 January 1917. [1]

After the United States' entry into World War I, the 1st Virginia Infantry was called into federal service on 25 July 1917, mustered into Federal service between 25 July and 4 August, and drafted into federal service on 5 August. Sent to Camp McClellan, Alabama, the 1st Virginia consolidated with the 2nd and 4th Virginia Infantry Regiments to form the 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division on 4 October. [1]

Interwar period

The 116th Infantry arrived at the port of Newport News on 22 May 1919 on the troopship USS Matsonia and was demobilized 30 May 1919 at Camp Lee, Virginia. Some of the former elements were reorganized as the 1st Provisional Infantry, Virginia National Guard, on 30 December 1919. It was later redesignated as the 1st Infantry, Virginia National Guard, on 7 September 1920 with the regimental headquarters concurrently organized and federally recognized at Richmond. The regiment was redesignated the 183rd Infantry on 9 March 1922 and assigned to the 29th Division, and redesignated the 1st Infantry on 22 February 1929. Company C was awarded the William Randolph Hearst National Marksmanship Trophy in 1937. The regiment conducted annual summer training most years at the state military reservation at Virginia Beach, Virginia, from 1921–39. The regiment was again redesignated the 176th Infantry on 1 January 1941. [2]

World War II

On 3 February 1941, the 176th was inducted into federal service at Richmond, simultaneously with the rest of the 29th Division, moving to Fort Meade on 17 February. After the Attack on Pearl Harbor resulted in the United States entry into World War II, the regiment was detached to guard Washington, D.C. as part of the Washington Provisional Brigade on 17 December. It was relieved from the 29th Division on 11 March 1942, coming under the control of GHQ. During this period, it served as the White House Honor Guard and the Presidential Special Guard while also guarding the Capitol, other government buildings, and the Combined Chiefs of Staff. The 176th was additionally responsible for ceremonial and escort functions in the capital, and provided guards for scattered key facilities in the Capital area. On 20 February 1943, the regiment was relocated to the A.P. Hill Military Reservation, where it was assigned to the Replacement and School Command on 1 April. The 176th was further relocated to Fort Benning, arriving on 11 April, for duty as School Troops, before being inactivated there on 10 July 1944. [3]

Lineage

Called into Federal service 18 June 1916; mustered into Federal service 30 June 1916 at Richmond; mustered out of Federal service 16 January 1917 at Richmond

Distinctive unit insignia

A Silver color metal and enamel device 1 inch (2.54 cm) in height consisting of a shield blazoned: Azure, a saltire Gray fimbriated Argent, to chief a fleur-de-lis of the like; on a chief of the last a cross Gules charged with an arrow fesswise of the third. Attached below the shield a Silver scroll inscribed "LIBERTY OR DEATH" in Blue letters.

The shield is blue for Infantry. The gray saltire commemorates service in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War. The fleur-de-lis symbolizes the service in France during World War I. The red cross (the cross of St. George) refers to the settlement of Virginia by the English and with the arrow alludes to the French and Indian War and participation as colonial militia. The red cross also refers to the Revolutionary service of the unit's predecessor.

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 1st Infantry Regiment on 7 June 1929. It was redesignated for the 176th Infantry Regiment on 3 March 1941. The insignia was redesignated for the 276th Engineer Battalion, Virginia Army National Guard and amended to change the symbolism on 29 January 1968.

Coat of arms

Campaign streamers

War of 1812

Mexican War

Civil War (Confederate service)

World War I

War on Terrorism

Decorations

Valorous Unit Award, streamer embroidered Afghanistan 2009

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References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Lineage and Honors Information 276th Engineer Battalion". U.S. Army Center of Military History. 11 December 2009.
  2. Clay, Steven E. (2010). U.S. Army Order of Battle, 1919-1941, Volume 1. The Arms: Major Commands and Infantry Organizations, 1919-41. Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute Press. p. 443.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  3. Stanton 1984, p. 232.

Bibliography

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army Institute of Heraldry

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History .