3rd Georgia Regiment

Last updated
3rd Georgia Regiment
Active1776–1781
Allegiance Continental Congress of the United States
Type Infantry
Part of Georgia Line
Engagements Savannah and Charleston

The 3rd Georgia Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Georgia Line during the American Revolutionary War. Raised in Georgia but recruited in North Carolina, the regiment fought in the Siege of Savannah and was surrendered to the British in the Siege of Charleston.

Contents

History

It was raised on July 5, 1776, at Savannah, Georgia for service with the Continental Army, assigned to the Southern Department. The 3rd Georgia was organized in late 1776 with eight companies, mainly recruited in North Carolina. On 23 December 1777, it joined the Georgia Brigade of the department. The regiment saw action in Florida in 1777 and 1778, the Siege of Savannah and the Siege of Charleston. The regiment was captured along with the rest of the American southern army at Charleston, South Carolina, on May 20, 1780, by the British Army. The Regiment was disbanded on January 1, 1781. [1]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Departments of the Continental Army</span>

In the American Revolutionary War units of the Continental Army were assigned to any one of seven regional or territorial departments to decentralize their command and administration. This was necessary because the regiment was the largest permanent unit in the Continental Army. A superior headquarters, above regiment, was needed if more than a few regiments were stationed in the same department. Although brigades, divisions, and field armies existed, they were temporary units which did not necessarily include all the units assigned to a department. Nor did field armies include establishments of the staff, such as magazines of the Quartermaster General's Department, or hospitals of the Hospital Department. The militia in a department was usually at the disposal of the department commander.

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 2nd North Carolina Regiment was an American infantry unit that was raised for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. In 1776 the regiment helped defend Charleston, South Carolina. Ordered to join George Washington's main army in February 1777, the regiment subsequently fought at Brandywine and Germantown during the Philadelphia Campaign. After most other North Carolina regiments were sent home to recruit, the 1st and 2nd Regiments remained with the main army and fought at Monmouth in June 1778. The regiment was transferred to the Southern Department and was captured by the British army in May 1780 at the Siege of Charleston. Together with the 1st Regiment, the unit was rebuilt and fought capably at Eutaw Springs. The 2nd was furloughed in April 1783 and officially dissolved in November 1783.

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 5th North Carolina Regiment was assigned on March 26, 1776, to the Continental Army in the Southern Department. It was organized in the spring of 1776 at Wilmington, North Carolina, as eight companies of volunteers from the districts of New Bern, Edenton and Hillsborough District of North Carolina. On February 5, 1777, the regiment was assigned to the main Continental Army and assigned to the North Carolina Brigade on July 8, 1777. The regiment was reduced to a cadre on June 1, 1778 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania and was assigned to the Southern Department. The regiment was re-organized to nine companies during the fall of 1778 at Halifax and assigned on January 11, 1779 to Sumner's Brigade. On 3 June 1779, this brigade was redesignated as Armstrong's Brigade. The regiment was captured by the British Army on 12 May 1780 at Charlestown, South Carolina and was officially disbanded on January 1, 1781.

The 1st South Carolina Regiment (Infantry) was authorized on June 6, 1775, at Charleston, South Carolina, for service with the South Carolina State Troops. On November 4, 1775, the unit was adopted into the Continental Army and on February 27, 1776 was assigned to the Southern Department. The regiment saw action at the Siege of Savannah and the Siege of Charleston. The British Army captured the regiment at Charleston on May 12, 1780, together with the rest of the Southern Department.

The 2nd South Carolina Regiment was raised on June 6, 1775, at Charleston, South Carolina, for service with the Continental Army.

The 3rd South Carolina Regiment was an infantry regiment of the South Carolina Line during the American Revolutionary War. Raised in the western part of South Carolina, the regiment fought in the Siege of Savannah and the Siege of Charleston, surrendering to British forces in the latter.

The 4th South Carolina Regiment was raised on November 13, 1775, at Charleston, South Carolina, for service with the South Carolina Troops and later became part of Continental Army.

The 5th South Carolina Regiment was raised on February 22, 1776, at Charleston, South Carolina, for service with the South Carolina Troops and later assigned to the Continental Army. The regiment saw action at the Siege of Savannah. The regiment was merged into the 1st South Carolina Regiment on February 11, 1780.

The 6th South Carolina Regiment was authorized on 28 February 1776 in the South Carolina State Troops and was organized during the spring of 1776 as five companies of volunteers from the northwestern region of the colony of South Carolina. It may have been composed exclusively of expert riflemen from the colony.

The 1st Georgia Regiment, or as it was also known, the 1st Georgia was a regiment of the Continental Army, and formed part of the Georgia Line.

The 2nd Georgia Regiment, or as it was also known, the 2nd Georgia, was a regiment of the Continental Army, which formed part of the Georgia Line. Due to bad recruitment and horrible discipline, the 2nd-4th Georgia regiments were all later disbanded, and personnel joined the (1st) Georgia Regiment.

The 4th Georgia Regiment was an American infantry unit raised for service with the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. The regiment was formed in February 1777 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from British deserters and Colonel John White was appointed its commander. The unit soon acquired a bad reputation for plundering the area in which it camped and was moved far from Philadelphia. In December 1777 it was assigned to the Georgia Brigade and took part in operations in Florida in 1778. It fought at Savannah in 1779 and was captured by the British at Charleston in May 1780.

The Georgia Regiment of Horse Rangers were Georgia State troops that became part of the Georgia Line of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. The 1st and 2nd Troops of Georgia Horse were authorized on January 1, 1776, and were organized that spring in Savannah, Georgia. They were expanded to include the 3rd and 4th Troops of Georgia Horse, and on July 24, 1776 the four troops were adopted into the Continental Army and assigned to the Southern Department. They were re-designated as the Georgia Regiment of Horse Rangers and expanded to ten troops. On January 1, 1777 they were re-organized to consist of twelve troops. The regiment saw action in Florida (1777) and at the Siege of Savannah (1779). The Regiment was captured by the British Army, along with most of the rest of the American Southern Army, after the Siege of Charleston on May 12, 1780. The Regiment was disbanded on January 1, 1781.

Georgia Line

The Georgia Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term "Georgia Line" referred to the quota of one infantry regiment which was assigned to Georgia at various times by the Continental Congress. The term also included the three infantry regiments in excess of Georgia's quota that were raised outside the state. 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.

North Carolina Line Colonial North Carolina militia units within the Continental Army

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.

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References

Citations

  1. Wright 2006, pp. 313–314.

Bibliography