8th Connecticut Regiment | |
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Active | 1775-1781 |
Allegiance | Connecticut General Assembly, Continental Congress of the United States |
Type | Infantry |
Part of | Connecticut Line |
Engagements | American Revolutionary War
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Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Jedediah Huntington |
In October 1774, Jedediah Huntington of Norwich was made Colonel of the 20th Regiment of Connecticut Militia. When news of the Battles of Lexington and Concord arrived in Norwich on April 20, 1775 Colonel Huntington immediately got his men ready to march. On April 26 they arrived in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and a few days later they were in Roxbury and became part of the Siege of Boston. [1] Because of a lack of overall command, as well as a lack of supplies, many of the militia units returned home.
In July 1775, the Connecticut Assembly ordered the creation of the 8th Connecticut Regiment and gave command to Colonel Huntington. The men were recruited mainly in New London, Hartford, and Windham counties and included much of Huntington's 20th regiment. The regiment was stationed on the Long Island Sound until September 14 when, on requisition from Washington, it was ordered to the Boston Camps and again took its post at Roxbury in Gen. Spencer's Brigade. The 8th remained active until expiration of the terms of service in December 1775. [2]
As part of the January 1, 1776, organization of the Continental Army, Huntington's 8th Connecticut Regiment became the 17th Continental Regiment. [2] : 95 Originally planned to have a strength of 728 officers and men, by the end of January the 17th only had about 400, as did most of the other regiments. On March 4, the 17th regiment was one of those ordered to take and hold Dorchester Heights, the action that ended the siege by forcing the British to evacuate Boston. The day following the end of the siege, Washington began moving the army to New York, and by April 22, Huntington and most of his unit were in position there. [1] : 14
Huntington's regiment began fortifying New York City in anticipation of a British attack and it was here they heard of the Declaration of Independence. [3] The 17th had lost men during the Boston siege due to illness and desertion, which continued in New York. On about August 19, Colonel Huntington became seriously ill, possibly with malaria, and was unable to perform his duties, so his second in command Lt. Col. Joel Clark replaced him. [1] : 70 On August 24, the regiment was ordered to the Brooklyn front. [2] : 95 Because it was so understrength it was placed under the command of Gen. Parsons and combined with Col. Atlee's Pennsylvania regiment. [1] : 91 When the Battle of Long Island was fought on the 27th, most of Huntington's regiment was surrounded and taken as prisoners, including Lt. Col. Clark, who died in captivity. The few men left of Huntington's regiment joined the main army under the command of Gen. Heath and evacuated with them as they fled New York. [1] : 224 The 17th was never rebuilt and it ceased to exist when enlistments expired at the end of December, although many of the men continued to serve. [2] : 101
On Jan 1, 1777 the new 8th Regiment, "Connecticut Line" was formed for the new "Continental Line," and it was placed under the command of Colonel John Chandler, and saw action in the Battle of Germantown, the Siege of Fort Mifflin, and the Battle of Monmouth. The regiment was merged into the 1st Connecticut Regiment on January 1, 1781, at West Point, New York and disbanded on November 15, 1783. [2] : 229
Joseph Plumb Martin served in this regiment from 1777 until he was assigned to the Light Infantry in 1778, and then the Corps of Sappers and Miners in 1780. [4] He published his memoirs about his experiences in 1830.
Samuel Mattocks commanded a company in the 8th Connecticut with the rank of Captain. After resigning his commission he moved to Tinmouth, Vermont. Mattocks was Vermont State Treasurer during Vermont's early years, and the father of Governor John Mattocks. [2] : 230 [5] [6]
Captain Oliver Spicer served in command of Company A, 8th Regiment of foot. He served in the command of Colonel Smith and Colonel Gallup's Service.
The 3rd New Hampshire Regiment, also known as the 2nd Continental Regiment, was authorized on 22 May 1775, organized 1–8 June 1775, and adopted into the Continental Army on 14 June 1775, as the third of three regiments raised by the state of New Hampshire during the American Revolution. The enlistment dates for officers and rank and file soldiers extended to 23 April 1775, based on their response to the alarm for the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
The 2nd New Hampshire Regiment was formed in early May 1775, as the second of three Continental Army regiments raised by the state of New Hampshire during the American Revolutionary War. Its first commander was Colonel Enoch Poor, with Joseph Cilley as major. Many of the men who served in the unit hailed from southeastern New Hampshire and western Maine. During the first part of its service, the regiment took part in the siege of Boston, and there is a link below in the reference section to the orderly book of an officer in the unit during that time.
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 6th Connecticut Regiment was raised on May 1, 1775, at New Haven, Connecticut, as a provincial regiment for the Continental Army. It then became a regiment of the Continental Line on January 1, 1776, designated the 10th Continental Regiment, and a regiment of the Connecticut Line on January 1, 1777, again designated the 6th Connecticut. The regiment saw action at the siege of Boston, the Battle of Long Island, the New York Campaign, and its colonel and company of light infantry served in the Corps of Light Infantry at the Battle of Stony Point. The regiment was merged into the 1st Connecticut Regiment on January 1, 1783, at West Point, New York, and disbanded on November 16, 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.
The Rhode Island Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term "Rhode Island Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Rhode Island 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.
The 1st Connecticut Regiment (1775) was raised on 27 April 1775 at Norwich, Connecticut in the Connecticut State Troops. The regiment consisted of ten companies of volunteers from New Haven and Litchfield counties of the state of Connecticut.
Ebenezer Huntington was an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and afterwards United States Representative from Connecticut.
Benjamin Hinman was a surveyor, soldier and legislator.
Jedediah Huntington, was an American general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. After the war, he served in numerous civilian posts.
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 26th Continental Regiment was an infantry unit of the Massachusetts Line during the American Revolutionary War. Gerrish's Regiment was raised in the early days of the war, and the regiment underwent name changes as the Continental Army was reorganized in 1776 and 1777. From 1777 onward, the unit was known as the 9th Massachusetts Regiment.
Samuel Mattocks was a Connecticut and Vermont Continental Army officer and political figure who served as Vermont State Treasurer during the state's early years.
The 19th Connecticut Regiment was a military regiment in the American Revolutionary War. It was formed in 1774 by an act of the Connecticut General Assembly and was authorized 11 companies of volunteers from Enfield, East Windsor, Bolton, and the part of Hartford on the East side of the Connecticut river of Hartford County, Connecticut. The rolls of eight of those companies survive. While General George Washington was reorganizing the Continental Army from December 1775 through February 1776, during the Siege of Boston, Connecticut sent three regiments under Colonels James Wadsworth, Erastus Wolcott, and John Douglass. These regiments reached Boston in late January 1776 and remained for approximately six weeks.
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