| Babcock's Regiment Lippitt's Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1776-1777 |
| Disbanded | January 18, 1777 |
| Countries |  United States |
| Allegiance |  Rhode Island |
| Type | Infantry |
| Engagements | Battle of Trenton Battle of Princeton |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Colonel Henry Babcock Colonel Christopher Lippitt |
Babcock's/Lippitt's Regiment was a regiment raised for the defense of Rhode Island during the American Revolution.
The regiment was one of two formed by the state of Rhode Island between November 1775 and January 1776 to deter an attack by the British against Rhode Island.
The regiment was authorized by the Rhode Island General Assembly on January 8, 1776, in the Rhode Island State Troops as Babcock's Regiment. It was organized on January 18, 1776, with 12 companies under the command of Colonel Henry Babcock (1736-1800). Colonel Babcock was the son of Major General Joshua Babcock (1707-1783) who commanded the Rhode Island Militia from October 1775 to December 1776.
The regiment was originally located on Aquidneck Island and along with Richmond's Regiment. Together, the two regiments formed a brigade under the command of Colonel Babcock.
In May 1776 Colonel Babcock was relieved of command for "being at times deprived of perfect use of his reason" and Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Lippitt replaced him as the regimental commander and was promoted to colonel. Hereafter, the regiment was known as "Lippitt's Regiment". [1] [2]
On May 11, 1776, the regiment was adopted into the Continental Army and assigned to the Eastern Department. Relieved on September 14, 1776, from the Eastern Department and assigned to the Main Continental Army.
The regiment was ordered to New York in September 1776 where it became part of Nixon's Brigade, along with two other Rhode Island regiments. This was shortly after the British occupation of New York City and Manhattan Island.
Assigned on October 14, 1776, to McDougall's Brigade, of the Main Army. In October the regiment was at the Battle of White Plains.
Relieved on November 10, 1776, from McDougall's Brigade and assigned to Nixon's Brigade. Nixon's Brigade was re-designated on 22 December 22, 1776 as Hitchcock's Brigade.
Although the regiment was enlisted for one year, the soldiers of the regiment volunteered to stay with the Army for four more weeks. This allowed the regiment to participate in the Second Battle of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton. The regiment was disbanded on January 18, 1777, at Morristown, New Jersey. [3]
When Lippitt's and Richmond's regiments were disbanded the State of Rhode Island recognized the need to have a full-time military force within the state to deter aggression by the British who were occupying Aquidneck Island. As a result, the state established a brigade of two regiments of infantry and one of artillery which were known as Rhode Island State Troops to distinguish them from the militia which would be called into service only in an emergency. The State Troops served one year enlistments and served until sometime after the British surrender at Yorktown in October 1781.
The first contingent of State Troops was organized in December 1776 and enlisted for 15 months. The two regiments of infantry, of 750 men each, were commanded by Colonel Joseph Stanton, Jr. and Colonel John Cook, respectively. The artillery regiment, of 300 men, was commanded by Colonel Robert Elliott. The three regiments formed a brigade under the command of Colonel James Varnum who was on furlough from the Continental Army. Varnum's command of the brigade was short lived as he was promoted to Brigadier General in the Continental Army on February 27, 1777. He was succeeded by Colonel Ezekiel Cornell who was promoted to Brigadier General in December 1777. In June 1777 Colonel Archibald Crary succeeded Colonel Cook in command of one of the infantry regiments. In November 1777 Colonel Stanton resigned and Colonel William Barton succeeded him. In February 1778 Colonel John Topham succeeded Colonel Barton, who had accepted a commission in the Continental Army, in command of the other regiment.
The regiments were reenlisted for another 15 months in March 1778. When their term of service expired in June 1779, the Rhode Island General Assembly decided to retain only one regiment of 630 men under the command of Colonel Topham. This regiment was augmented by a Corps of Light Infantry of about 270 men organized into four companies commanded by Colonel Barton. The Corps of Light Infantry was disbanded in February 1780 with its soldiers being reassigned to either Topham's regiment of infantry or Elliot's regiment of artillery. In July 1780, Topham's regiment was re-enlisted for three months but was, apparently, disbanded in October 1780 as it does not appear in the state's records after that date.
Captain William Jones was a member of the regiment who later became a captain in the United States Marine Corps and served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1811 to 1817.
Captain Arthur Fenner served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1790 to 1805.
Captain Simeon Martin later served as Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island.
Quartermaster Benjamin Bourne was elected as a United States Representative and served as a federal judge on the Eastern Circuit.
James Mitchell Varnum was an American legislator, lawyer, general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and a pioneer to the Ohio Country. "The career of Gen. Varnum was active, but brief. He graduated at twenty; was admitted to the bar at twenty-two; entered the army at twenty-seven; resigned his commission at thirty-one; was member of Congress the same year; resumed practice at thirty-three, and continued four years, was elected to Congress again at thirty-seven; emigrated to the west at thirty-nine, and died at the early age of forty." James Mitchell Varnum was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati of the State of Rhode Island.
The 1st New Hampshire Regiment was an infantry unit that came into existence on 22 May 1775 at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. John Stark was the regiment's first commander. The unit fought at Chelsea Creek and Bunker Hill in 1775. On 1 January 1776, while engaged in the Siege of Boston, the unit was renamed the 5th Continental Regiment. In the spring it was sent to Canada where the New Hampshire soldiers fought at Trois-Rivières and later helped defend the area around Lake Champlain. Late in the year, the 5th Continental Regiment was transferred south to George Washington's main army where it fought at Trenton.
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 1776.
The 9th Connecticut Regiment was a regiment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. It was first called Webb's Additional Continental Regiment before being added to the Connecticut Line in 1780. It saw action at Setauket in 1777, Rhode Island in 1778, and Springfield, New Jersey, in 1780, and was generally active in the defense of Connecticut, southern New York, and northern New Jersey. It was merged into the reorganized 2nd Connecticut Regiment in January 1781.
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.
Israel Angell was a Continental Army officer of the American Revolutionary War.
William Barton (1748—1831) was an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War who retired with the rank of colonel. He later served as adjutant general of the Rhode Island militia.
Christopher Greene was an American legislator and soldier. He is best known for leading the spirited defense of Fort Mercer in the 1777 Battle of Red Bank, and for leading the African American 1st Rhode Island Regiment during the American Revolutionary War, most notably with distinction in the 1778 Battle of Rhode Island. He was killed in May 1781 at the Battle of Pine's Bridge by Loyalists, possibly because he was known to lead African American troops.
Jeremiah Olney was born into an old family from Rhode Island. He formed a company of infantry from that state at the start of the American Revolutionary War. After serving as captain in 1776, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel at the beginning of 1777. As second-in-command of the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment, he fought at Red Bank. After its commander was wounded early in the action, he led Varnum's brigade in bitter fighting at Monmouth in June 1778.
Christopher Lippitt was a prominent Revolutionary War officer and founder one of the earliest textile mills in Rhode Island.
Church's Regiment was a unit of the Continental Army raised in Rhode Island which served from May 3, 1775 to December 31, 1775 in the American Revolutionary War.
Richmond's Regiment was a regiment formed by the state of Rhode Island in November 1775, during the American Revolution for the defense of the state against an attack by the British.