Examples of The Complexity of Continental Army Unit Lineage: (The Virginia, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Continental Lines)
Examples of The Complexity of Continental Army Unit Lineage: (The Virginia, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Continental Lines)
Examples of The Complexity of Continental Army Unit Lineage: (The Virginia, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Continental Lines)
The officers and men of the (old) 8th were sent to the Carolinas in 1780
as part of the 2d Virginia Detachment (Woodfords), and captured at
Charleston.
(See Woodfords Brigade, 1st, 2d, and 3d Virginia Detachments, 1780)
The handful of veterans who escaped capture were furloughed in 1783.
9th Virginia Regt. (10 companies) (Continental establishment)
December 1775-May 1780
(Soldiers enlisted for 3 years)
At the Battle of Germantown the entire regiment was surrounded and
captured, thus ending its service. An interesting result was that to
replace the loss to the Virginia line, the 1st and 2d Virginia State
regiments were sent north to serve with Washingtons army.
Note: In September 1778 the 13th Virginia, serving at Fort Pitt, was
redesignated the (new) 9th Virginia Regiment
10th Virginia Regt. (10 companies) (Continental establishment)
November 1776-May 1780 (Soldiers enlisted for 3 years)
Note: In September 1778 the 10th Virginia was renumbered as the
(new) 6th Regiment.
The (new) 6th Regiment was sent to the Carolinas in 1780 as
part of the 3d Virginia Detachment (Woodfords), and captured
at Charleston.
(See Woodfords Brigade, 1st, 2d, and 3d Virginia Detachments, 1780)
11th Virginia Regt. (10 companies) (Continental establishment)
November 1776-May 1780 (Soldiers enlisted for 3 years)
Note: In September 1778 the 11th Virginia was renumbered as the
(new) 7th Regiment.
The (new) 7th Regiment was sent to the Carolinas in 1780 as
part of the 1st Virginia Detachment (Woodfords), and captured
at Charleston.
(See Woodfords Brigade, 1st, 2d, and 3d Virginia Detachments, 1780)
12th Virginia Regt. (10 companies) (Continental establishment)
November 1776-September 1778 (Soldiers enlisted for 3 years)
Note: In September 1778 the 12th Virginia was renumbered as the
(new) 8th Regiment.
The (new) 8th Regiment was sent to the Carolinas in 1780 as
part of the 3d Virginia Detachment (Woodfords), and captured
at Charleston.
(See Woodfords Brigade, 1st, 2d, and 3d Virginia Detachments, 1780)
There was no 12th Virginia Regiment after 1778.
13th Virginia Regt. (10 companies) (Continental establishment)
November 1776-September 1778 (Soldiers enlisted for 3 years)
to be combined with the 4th Virginia Regiment. At the same time, the
depleted 5th and 11th Virginia regiments were also combined, as were
the 1st, 6th, and 10th Virginia regiments. This last consolidation was
placed under Colonel Nathaniel Gist and incorporated with his
additional Continental regiment.
In May 1779 Virginias Continental units were rearranged again, this
time by a board of field officers meeting at Middlebrook, New Jersey.
Three Virginia detachments were created out of the remnants
of the numbered Continental regiments [actually formed from
new levies and reenlisted veterans, see letters, George
Washington to Charles Scott, 6 March 1779, 5 May 1779, 25
May 1779, 28 June 1779, 8 July 1779, 27 July 1779, 17 August
1779, 19 October 1779; Charles Scott to George Washington,
22 March 1779, 24 April 1779, 28 April 1779, 12 May 1779, 18
May 1779, 10 June 1779, 20 July 1779] and formed into a brigade
under General Charles Scott. [The brigade did not come into
being until late in 1779. Recruited and formed by Scott in
Virginia, the first detachments marched to South Carolina only
when they were fully manned and equipped. The 1st
Detachment (Scotts) marched for Charleston at the end of
June 1779, while the 2d Detachment (Scotts) did not march to
join them until December 1779. The 3d Detachment was not
completed until spring, and finally marched south in May. Too
late join the Charleston garrison, Col. Abraham Bufords 3d
Virginia Detachment (Scotts) was destroyed at the Waxhaws
on 29 May 1780.]
The three official detachments that made up Scotts Virginia brigade
were organized by the summer of 1779 [partially correct, see notes
above], with the officers chosen by ballot. As Lieutenant Colonel
Gustavus Brown Wallace reported to Colonel John Cropper, the officers
for these units were:
1st Detachment (Scotts)
Colonel Richard Parker, 1st Virginia Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Hopkins, 10th Virginia Regiment
Major James Clough Anderson, 1st Virginia Regiment
2d Detachment (Scotts)
Colonel William Heth, 3d Virginia Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel Gustavus Brown Wallace, 11th Virginia Regiment
Major James Lucas, 3d Virginia Regiment
3d Detachment (Scotts)
Colonel Abraham Buford, 11th Virginia Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Ballard, 4th Virginia Regiment
Major Thomas Ridley, 6th Virginia Regiment
(Lawrence E. Babits and Joshua B. Howard, Long, Obstinate, and Bloody: The Battle of Guilford
Courthouse (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2009), 72-76.)
Field Officers
Col. John Green (in poor health after Guilford Courthouse, never
returned to command)
Lt. Col. Richard Campbell (killed at Eutaw Springs)
Maj. Smith Snead
Company Officers
Capt. John Anderson
Capt. Thomas Armistead
Capt. Thomas Barbee
Capt. William Bentley (captured at Ninety Six)
Capt. Valentine Harrison, Benjamin Lawson (died and was replaced by
Sigismund Stribling), Capt. Samuel Selden
Capt. Tarpley White.
Company Officers
Capt.
Capt.
Capt.
Capt.
Capt.
Jouett)
Capt.
Archibald Denholm
Philip Kirkpatrick
John Marks
Simon Morgan
Conway Oldham (killed at Eutaw Springs and replaced by Robert
Philip Sansum.
John B.B. Trussell, Jr., The Pennsylvania Line: Regimental Organization and
Operations, 17761783 (Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Museum and Historical
Commission, 1977), Chart, Organizational Evolution Pennsylvania
Continental Line, 188. Trussell mentions the Pennsylvania troops 1781
reorganization and field service, but did not adequately understand how
the 1781-82 provisional battalions were formed and officered, or the way in
which the battalions were reduced and incorporated when manpower
shortages necessitated doing so.
* These officers remained after the 14 July reduction to two battalions. The senior
battalion commanders are known, but it is uncertain which of the battalions the
other field officers were assigned to. This arrangement is based on precedent and
commission dates.
** Battalion command changed with the return to Pennsylvania of Colonels Stewart and Butler following the
end of the Yorktown siege. This arrangement is based on a 30 November 1781 return of the three battalions. It is
possible battalion command was altered prior to the 12 March 1782 reduction to two battalions.
*** Majors Moore and Edwards had actual command of the battalions. Lt. Col.
Harmar served as Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greenes deputy adjutant general from 1
February 1782 to December 1782. In Harmars absence, Lt. Col. Mentges became
Pennsylvania brigade commander. In April 1782 Colonel Thomas Craig went north on
furlough, while Colonel Walter Stewart nominally retained command of the 1 st
Battalion. Stewart at first was on furlough, then was kept in the north for service
with the Main Army Inspector Generals officer. Neither officer returned to the
south.
++ As of 1 January 1783 the Pennsylvania line was reduced to three regiments. The
1st Regiment, formed from the two remaining provisional battalions, served in South
Carolina, while the 2nd and 3rd Regiments remained in Pennsylvania at their
regimental depots or in Philadelphia.
* * * * * * * * *
Subs.
First Regt to furnish
10
Second D[itt]o to furnish
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Sixth
6
Do,
Do,
Do,
Do,
1
1
1
1
Total
1
4
8
6
1
24
12
8
48
S[ergt].Major]. Q.M.
1
1
1
1
4
52
34
120
160
240
160
960
[Q.M. quartermaster]
First and Second Regiments are to form One Battalion
8 Comp. of 40 R[ank]. & File each,
Third & Fifth Do. One Battalion,
Fourth & Sixth Do. One Battalion,
320 men.
320
320
960
The senior Captains & Subalterns in the several Regiments are to be warned for this
Detachment. The Cloathing to equip it will be forwarded immediately to the different
Cantonments.
Lt. Hughes late Qu[arte]r Mas[ter]. to the first Brigade is transferd to the Second,
and Lt North to the first.
By Order Mar Gen, St Clair.
Jos. Harmer, Lt Col.
M[atrosses]
Artillery four Peices
four Captains four Captains Lieutt.
four Serjeants four Corporals
Eight Bombadiers eight Gunners
forty Matrosses
4
8
8
8
______________________________
4 Total 8
8
8
8
40
40
The Brigade Dispatch, vol. XXXVII, no. 2 (Summer 2007), 2-19; vol. XXXVII, no. 4
(Winter 2007), 2-15; vol. XXXVIII, no. 1 (Spring 2008), 2-21.
Appendices for Above
1. `A Smart firing commencd from from both parties : Brig. Gen. Anthony Waynes
Pennsylvania Battalions in Virginia, June to November 1781
Contents:
A. We will be much inferior to the enemy : May 31 to July 5 1781
B. A charge under a heavy fire of Grape shot : Battle of Green Springs, 6 July 1781
C. Cornwallis threatens every Devastation that fire & sword can produce :
Marching and Countermarching, 9 July to 25 August
D. The batteries were opened and fired with great success : September to November 1781
E. The Cloathing was drawn near twelve month ago :
1780-1781 Pennsylvania Clothing, Letters and Returns
http://revwar75.com/library/rees/pdfs/Virginia.pdf
2. `The British army marched out and grounded their arms : Pennsylvania Lt.
William Feltmans Diary, 26 May to 5 November 1781
http://revwar75.com/library/rees/pdfs/Feltman.pdf
3. `Pennsylvania Battalion Troop Returns, 1781-1783:
(In Camp and on Campaign in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and South Carolina)
http://revwar75.com/library/rees/pdfs/Returns.pdf
the Boston area, which until then had been unable to raise troops because of the
British occupation.
Henley's and Lee's Regiments were consolidated with Henry Jackson's
Regiment on April 9, 1779. Jackson's Regiment was allotted to the Massachusetts
Line on July 24, 1780, and officially designated the 16th Massachusetts
Regiment. The 16th Massachusetts Regiment was disbanded on January 1, 1781.
Colonel Jackson remained in service until 1784, however, and commanded the
last remaining regiment in the Continental Army.
Extra regiments
Still other Continental infantry regiments and smaller units, also unrelated to a
state quota, were raised as needed for special or temporary service. Porter's
Regiment from western Massachusetts, raised in 1776 for the defense of Canada,
was an example of such an "extra" regiment.
the campaign of 1776 Massachusetts was to provide the 3d, 4th, 6th, 7th, 12th,
13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 23d, 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th Continental
Regiments.
The reduction of the Massachusetts Line from an establishment of 16,468
officers and men in 275 companies to an establishment of 11,648 officers and
men in 128 companies required a difficult reorganization.
The numbered Continental regiments raised in Massachusetts were widely
scattered in the campaign of 1776. In April, following the British evacuation of
Boston, five regiments (the 6th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 27th) were ordered to
remain in Massachusetts, four of them occupying Boston. Three of these
regiments (the 14th, 16th, and 27th) joined the Main Army in July. The 6th and
18th regiments joined the Northern Army in August, and never rejoined the Main
Army. Of the eleven regiments that moved to New York City in April, three
regiments (the 15th, 24th, and 25th) were ordered to Canada as reinforcements.
One of these regiments (the 15th) rejoined the Main Army in November, and
served at Trenton and Princeton. The 24th and 25th regiments, that had served in
the Northern theater, also rejoined the Main Army in November, but marched
directly to the army's winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey. Finally, the 7th
Continental Regiment, which served in Parsons' Brigade, was assigned to the
Highlands Department in November.
3d Continental Regiment
The 3d Continental Regiment was formed by consolidating the remnant of
Danielson's Regiment, and the remnant of Wood's Company, Cotton's Regiment,
with the remnant of Learned's Regiment. Colonel Ebenezer Learned commanded
this regiment throughout 1776. As a regiment on the right wing of the army at
Boston, it was ordered to furnish details for the Fortification of Dorchester
Heights. Learned's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York
City in April. It served at Trenton and Princeton.
4th Continental Regiment
The 4th Continental Regiment was formed by consolidating the remnant of
Thompson's Company, Danielson's Regiment, with the remnant of Nixon's
Regiment. Colonel John Nixon commanded this regiment until August 9, 1776, the
date on which he was made a Continental brigadier general. On that date the
regiment's next senior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Nixon, assumed
command with the rank of colonel. Nixon's regiment remained with the Main
Army, moving to New York City in April. It served at Trenton and Princeton.
6th Continental Regiment
The 6th Continental Regiment was formed by consolidating the remnants of
Soul's Company, Fellows' Regiment, and Danforth's Company, David Brewer's
Regiment, with the remnant of Jonathan Brewer's Regiment. However, Jonathan
Brewer left the service, and command of this regiment was given to Colonel Asa
Whitcomb, whose old regiment, the 5th Massachusetts Regiment, was disbanded.
As a regiment on the right wing of the army at Boston, it was ordered to furnish
details for the Fortification of Dorchester Heights. Whitcomb's regiment occupied
Boston in April 1776. In August it was ordered to northern New York to oppose
Carleton's counteroffensive, and never rejoined the Main Army.
7th Continental Regiment
The 7th Continental Regiment was formed by consolidating the remnants of
Darby's and Nowell's Companies, Scammon's Regiment, and the remnant of
Morse's Company, Paterson's Regiment, with the remnant of Prescott's Regiment.
Colonel William Prescott commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Prescott's
regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. In
November it was stationed in the Hudson Highlands.
12th Continental Regiment
The 12th Continental Regiment was formed from the remnant of Little's
Regiment. The old regiment had to be reduced from ten companies to eight.
Colonel Moses Little commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Little's regiment
remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. It served at
Trenton and Princeton.
13th Continental Regiment
The 13th Continental Regiment was formed by consolidating the remnants of
Walker's Regiment and David Brewer's Regiment with the remnant of Read's
Regiment. Colonel Joseph Read commanded this regiment throughout 1776. As a
regiment on the right wing of the army at Boston, it was ordered to furnish
details for the Fortification of Dorchester Heights. Read's regiment remained with
the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. It served at Trenton and
Princeton.
14th Continental Regiment
The 14th Continental Regiment was formed from the remnant of Glover's
Regiment. The old regiment had to be reduced from ten companies to eight.
Colonel John Glover commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Glover's
regiment continued to be stationed at Beverly until July, when it was ordered to
join the Main Army at New York City. The regiment served at Trenton.[101]
15th Continental Regiment
The 15th Continental Regiment was formed by consolidating the remnants of
Sayer's and Sullivan's Companies, Scammon's Regiment, with the remnant of
Paterson's Regiment (less the remnants of Morse's and Watkins' Companies).
Colonel John Paterson commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Paterson's
regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. In the
same month it was ordered to reinforce the American army in Canada. In
November the regiment rejoined the Main Army and served at Trenton and
Princeton.
16th Continental Regiment
The 16th Continental Regiment was formed from the remnant of Sargent's
Regiment. The old regiment had to be reduced from ten companies to eight.
Colonel Paul Dudley Sargent commanded this regiment throughout 1776.
Sargent's regiment occupied Boston in April 1776. It was ordered to join the Main
Army at New York City in July. The regiment served at Trenton and Princeton.
18th Continental Regiment
The 18th Continental Regiment was formed by consolidating the remnants of
Scammon's Regiment and Watkins' Company, Paterson's Regiment, with the
remnant of Phinney's Regiment. Colonel Edmund Phinney commanded this
regiment throughout 1776. Phinney's regiment occupied Boston in April 1776. In
August it was ordered to northern New York to oppose Carleton's
counteroffensive, and never rejoined the Main Army.
21st Continental Regiment
The 21st Continental Regiment was formed by consolidating the remnant of
Fellows' Regiment, and the remnants of Benson's and Bradford's Companies,
Cotton's Regiment, with the remnant of Ward's Regiment. Colonel Jonathan Ward
commanded this regiment throughout 1776. As a regiment on the right wing of
the army at Boston, it was ordered to furnish details for the Fortification of
Dorchester Heights. Ward's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to
New York City in April. It served at Trenton and Princeton.
the term Continental Line was now broadened to include the lines of all the
states.
1st Massachusetts Regiment (1777)
The 1st Massachusetts Regiment (Vose's Regiment) was formed by consolidating
two companies formed from the 6th Continental Regiment, and two companies
formed from the 18th Continental Regiment, with the remnant of the 15th
Continental Regiment.[126] The commanding officer, Colonel Joseph Vose, had
been the major of Greaton's Regiment in 1775 and the lieutenant colonel of the
24th Continental Regiment in 1776. As the 15th Continental Regiment,
reorganizing as the 1st Massachusetts Regiment, it served in St. Clair's Brigade
at Princeton. Reorganization was completed in the spring of 1777, and the
regiment was ordered to Peekskill in the Highlands. On July 10, 1777 it was
assigned to the 2d Massachusetts Brigade under Brigadier General Glover. The
regiment served in the Saratoga campaign, then marched south to join
Washington in the Middle Department. It served in the Philadelphia campaign and
wintered at Valley Forge. In 1778 it served in the Monmouth campaign, then at
Rhode Island. Following Rhode Island the regiment was stationed in the
Highlands, but in 1781 its light company was assigned to Lieutenant Colonel
Elijah Vose's Battalion, Corps of Light Infantry, which served in the Yorktown
campaign. The regiment was disbanded at West Point, New York, on November 3,
1783.
2d Massachusetts Regiment (1777)
The 2nd Massachusetts Regiment (Bailey's Regiment) was formed by
consolidating the remnants of the 7th Continental Regiment; Peters' Company,
13th Continental Regiment; and Clap's Company, 21st Continental Regiment;
with the remnant of the 23d Continental Regiment. (Peters' and Clap's
Companies were reorganized, respectively, as Warren's and Dunham's
Companies, Bailey's Regiment). The commanding officer, Colonel John Bailey,
had been the lieutenant colonel, later the colonel, of Thomas's Regiment in 1775
and colonel of the 23d Continental Regiment in 1776. As the 23d Continental
Regiment, reorganizing as the 2d Massachusetts Regiment, it served in Glover's
Brigade at Princeton. Reorganization was completed in the spring of 1777, and
the regiment was ordered to the Northern Department. In the summer of 1777 it
was assigned to the 4th Massachusetts Brigade under Brigadier General Learned.
The regiment retreated toward Saratoga after the American evacuation of Fort
Ticonderoga in July, and marched under Arnold to the relief of Fort Stanwix in
August. Following the Saratoga campaign the regiment marched south to join
Washington in the Middle Department. It served in the Philadelphia campaign and
wintered at Valley Forge. In 1778 it served in the Monmouth campaign. After
November 1778 the regiment was stationed in the Highlands, but in 1781 its light
company was assigned to Lieutenant Colonel Elijah Vose's Battalion, Corps of
Light Infantry, which served in the Yorktown campaign. The regiment was
disbanded at West Point, New York, on November 3, 1783.
3d Massachusetts Regiment (1777)
The 3rd Massachusetts Regiment (Greaton's Regiment) was formed by
consolidating the remnant of the 25th Continental Regiment with the remnant of
the 24th Continental Regiment (less the remnants of Bent's and Whiting's
Companies; the latter were reorganized as Fairfield's and Pillsbury's Companies,
Wigglesworth's Regiment). The commanding officer, John Greaton, had been the
lieutenant colonel of Heath's Regiment, and its commander, in 1775. In 1776 he
commanded the 24th Continental Regiment.
1778-1779 reorganization
While the Main Army, that portion of Washington's army under his
immediate command, was in winter quarters at Valley Forge, the Congress
acted to reduce the size and increase the tactical efficiency of the Continental
Army. On May 27, 1778, it resolved that the number of infantry regiments be
reduced from 88 to 80. The quota of regiments assigned to the states was 3
from New Hampshire, 15 from Massachusetts, 2 from Rhode Island, 8 from
Connecticut, 5 from New York, 3 from New Jersey, 11 from Pennsylvania, 1
from Delaware, 8 from Maryland, 11 from Virginia, 6 from North Carolina, 6
from South Carolina, and 1 from Georgia. Under this reorganization, the
Massachusetts quota was unchanged.
The official establishment of a regiment was reduced to 582 officers and
men. Each regiment was to consist of nine rather than eight companies. The
ninth company was to be a company of light infantry, and was to be kept up
to strength by drafting men from the regiment's eight other companies if
necessary. During the campaigning season, the light infantry companies of
the regiments in a field army were to be combined into a special corps of
light infantry.
Because the Continental Congress passed this resolve at the beginning of
the campaigning season, it was nearly a year before this reorganization was
completed. The reorganization of the Continental Line was finalized on March
9, 1779.
On July 24, 1780, Henry Jackson's Additional Continental Regiment
was officially redesignated the 16th Massachusetts Regiment.
1781 reorganization
In October 1780, the Continental Congress, in consultation with General
Washington, passed resolutions providing for what would be the last
reorganization of the Continental Army before its final disbandment. The
Congress determined that on January 1, 1781, the Continental Line was to be
reduced from 80 regiments to 50. The quota of regiments assigned to the
states was 2 from New Hampshire, 10 from Massachusetts, 1 from Rhode
Island, 5 from Connecticut, 2 from New York, 2 from New Jersey, 6 from
Pennsylvania, 1 from Delaware, 5 from Maryland, 8 from Virginia, 4 from
North Carolina, 2 from South Carolina, and 1 from Georgia. In addition, 1
regiment (Colonel Moses Hazen's Canadian Regiment) was to be raised at
large.
Under this reorganization, the Massachusetts quota was reduced from
fifteen regiments to ten. Accordingly, the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and
16th Massachusetts Regiments were disbanded on January 1, 1781.
The official establishment of an infantry regiment was increased to 717
officers and men. Each regiment continued to have nine companies, including
a light infantry company, but the companies were made larger. For the first
time, each regiment was to have a permanent recruiting party of 1
lieutenant, 1 drummer, and 1 fifer. Thus, there were to be ten recruiting
parties in Massachusetts to systematically find and forward recruits to the
Massachusetts regiments in the field.
Peace negotiations
The prolonged period of peace negotiations following the surrender of Lord
Cornwallis at Yorktown, on October 19, 1781, presented the Continental
Congress with the dilemma of keeping up a military force until the definitive
peace treaty was signed, even though the national finances were exhausted.
On August 7, 1782, the Continental Congress resolved that the states should
reduce their lines on January 1, 1783. Each regiment retained in service was
then to contain not less than 500 rank and file.
The preliminary peace treaty was signed on November 30, 1782.
1783 reorganization
On January 1, 1783, the 9th Massachusetts Regiment was disbanded at
West Point and the 10th Massachusetts Regiment was disbanded at
Verplanck's Point, New York, reducing the Massachusetts Line to eight
regiments.
Great Britain signed preliminary articles of peace with France and Spain on
January 20, 1783, and, on February 4, 1783, Britain announced the cessation
of hostilities. The Continental Congress received the text of the preliminary
peace treaty on March 13, 1783, and proclaimed the cessation of hostilities
on April 11, 1783. It ratified the preliminary peace treaty on April 15, 1783.
In General Orders issued at Newburgh, New York, April 18, 1783,
Washington announced that the armistice would go into effect at noon, April
19, 1783 - the eighth anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord.
Demobilization
The 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Massachusetts Regiments were placed on
furlough on June 12, 1783, and were never recalled to active duty.
The final treaty of peace was signed in Paris on September 3, 1783. On
October 18, 1783, the Continental Congress proclaimed that Continental
troops on furlough were to be discharged on November 3, 1783. The Main
Army, with the exception of a small observation force in the Hudson
Highlands under the command of General Henry Knox, was disbanded on
November 3, 1783. The disbanded units included the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th
Massachusetts Regiments. After this date no part of the Massachusetts Line
remained in the field, although the four furloughed regiments were still not
formally disbanded.
The Northern Army was disbanded on November 5, 1783, and the Southern
Army was disbanded on November 15, 1783. On the latter date the
furloughed 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Massachusetts Regiments were formally
disbanded, and the Massachusetts Line ceased to exist.
New York City was evacuated by British troops on November 25, 1783. The
British fleet left New York City on December 4, 1783, and on the same day
Washington bid farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern.
First American Regiment of 1784