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A flying camp was a military formation employed by the Continental Army in the second half of 1776, during the American Revolutionary War.
After the British evacuation of Boston in March 1776, General George Washington met with members of the Continental Congress to determine future military strategy. Faced with defending a huge amount of territory from potential British operations, Washington recommended forming a "flying camp", which in the military terminology of the day referred to a mobile, strategic reserve of troops. Congress agreed and on June 3, 1776, passed a resolution "that a flying camp be immediately established in the middle colonies and that it consist of 10,000 men ...."
The men recruited for the flying camp were to be militiamen from three colonies: 6000 from Pennsylvania, 3400 from Maryland, and 600 from Delaware. [1] They were to serve until December 1, 1776, unless discharged sooner by Congress, and to be paid and fed in the same manner as regular soldiers of the Continental Army.
Congress appropriated $38,500 (in Spanish dollars at 7s 6d [shillings and pence] per paper Continental dollar) for the regiments' support. The pay rate per month was dictated by Congress: Colonel 450s, Lt. colonel 400s, major 350s, captains 300s, lieutenants 200s, ensigns 160s, sergeants 90s, corporals 60s, and privates 50s. Mounted dragoons, artillerymen, and militia serving outside their state received a 2s 6d bonus.
Brigadier-general Hugh Mercer of Virginia was commissioned as its commandant. Samuel Patterson (a miller from Christiana Bridge, Delaware) was appointed its battalion colonel. The town of Christiana Bridge is located on Old Kings Road, which was one of the first major inland routes in the colonies between Baltimore, Maryland, in the South, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the North. The flying camp was to be composed of troops from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware for the immediate defense of New Jersey while the main army focused on the defense of New York. No such numbers were ever realized for this purpose, the total being under 6000, but Maryland and tiny Delaware seemingly managed to fulfill their quotas. Delaware was assigned to provide 600 men from among those it had already recruited for one year, and the unit was to be "engaged to the first day of December next [1776]". Pennsylvania sent some 2,000 men, many of whom were quickly drafted into other service by Washington in New York.
A list of the flying camp battalions initially formed in Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania in 1776 includes (Miller):
A further Maryland and Virginia rifle regiment (of the flying camp) was authorized June 17, 1776 but was assigned to the main army. The regiment was to consist of the three existing companies, two from Maryland and one from Virginia, plus two new companies to be raised in Maryland, and four new companies to be raised in Virginia. Captain Daniel Morgan's company enlisted in (West) Virginia was the first from the South to reach the field. A German battalion, unofficially referred to as the 8th Maryland Regiment, composed of eight companies from Pennsylvania and Maryland was also enlisted. Several Maryland militia companies were mustered into service and attached to the 400 that made up the Maryland Line (1st Maryland Regiment) and was ordered to New York, on July 4, 1776. There the Marylanders and those from Delaware took part in the fight at Brooklyn Heights. This was their first fighting in the war and a very costly battle for them as well. The soldiers from Delaware, fighting alongside the 1st Maryland Regiment, may well have prevented the capture of the majority of Washington's army, an event that might have ended the colonial rebellion. Some 300 of the 400 men from Maryland died, along with 31 of the men from Delaware. The British buried the dead in a mass grave consisting of six trenches in a farm field. Ultimately, of the original Maryland muster, 96 returned, with only 35 fit for immediate duty. Historian Thomas Field, writing in 1869, called the stand of these troops "an hour more precious to liberty than any other in history".
Montgomery's and McAllister's Pennsylvanians were mostly made prisoner at the fall of Fort Washington. The remainder of the Pennsylvania Flying Camp marched home. Despite the best efforts of General Mercer, the flying camp was fraught with difficulties almost from its inception, and never realizing its full potential. Colonel Patterson tallied the number of men remaining during the retreat across New Jersey at 461 (officers included) when the flying camp battalion arrived at Perth Amboy on October 5, and at 480 of all ranks five days later. It was disbanded by the end of November. (Volo & Volo)
The flying camp was an early and short-lived experiment with the concept of extra Continental regiments, a "national" rather than a "confederate" force, which was to be distinct as having formed without any administrative connection to any individual state. Sixteen additional Continental regiments were approved by Congress as a separate group on December 27, 1776, specifically in response to a request from Washington for more troops other than mere militia, and Congress expressly delegated the formation of these regulars directly to him. All additional Continental regiments were organized in the spring and summer of 1777. In contrast to both the extra and additional regiments, all other infantry regiments of the army were organized and supported under the direct authority of individual state governments .
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775 by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia after the war's outbreak. The Continental Army was created to coordinate military efforts of the colonies in the war against the British, who sought to maintain control over the American colonies. General George Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and maintained this position throughout the war.
William Crawford was an American military officer and surveyor who worked as a land agent for George Washington. Crawford fought in the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. He was tortured and burned at the stake by American Indians during the Crawford expedition in retaliation for the Gnadenhutten massacre, which saw 96 Christian Munsee massacred by the Pennsylvania Militia on March 8, 1782.
The 8th Pennsylvania Regiment or Mackay's Battalion was an American infantry unit that became part of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Authorized for frontier defense in July 1776, the eight-company unit was originally called Mackay's Battalion after its commander, Colonel Aeneas Mackay. Transferred to the main army in November 1776, the unit was renamed the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment on 1 January 1777. It completed an epic winter march from western Pennsylvania to New Jersey, though Mackay and his second-in-command both died soon afterward. In March 1777 Colonel Daniel Brodhead assumed command. The regiment was engaged at the Battles of Bound Brook, Brandywine, Paoli, and Germantown in 1777. A body of riflemen were detached from the regiment and fought at Saratoga. Assigned to the Western Department in May 1778, the 8th Pennsylvania gained a ninth company before seeing action near Fort Laurens and in the Sullivan Expedition in 1778 and 1779. The regiment consolidated with the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment in January 1781 and ceased to exist.
The 6th Maryland Regiment, active from 27 March 1776—January 1, 1783, is most notable for its involvement during the American Revolutionary war of the same years. An infantry type regiment consisting of 728 soldiers, the 6th Maryland was composed of eight companies of volunteers from Prince Georges, Queen Anne's, Fredrick, Cecil, Harford, and Ann Arundel counties in the colony of Maryland
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.
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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.
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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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The "German Battalion" was an infantry formation of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Authorized in May 1776 as an extra Continental regiment, the battaltion recruited ethnic Germans from Maryland and Pennsylvania.