The 2nd Connecticut Regiment was a regiment in the
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
during the
American Revolution
The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...
. It is not to be confused with the
2nd Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment which served during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
.
History
The 2nd Connecticut was authorized in the
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
on 16 September 1776. It was organized between 1 January and April 1777 at
Danbury
Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2022 was 87,642. It is the seventh largest city in Connecticut.
Danbury is nicknamed the "Hat City ...
, Connecticut of eight companies from the counties of Fairfield, Windham, and Hartford in the state of
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
and assigned on 3 April 1777 to the 1st Connecticut Brigade of the Highlands Department which protected the southern approaches to
West Point
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...
on the
Hudson River
The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...
in New York. The regiment was reassigned to McDougall's Brigade on 12 June 1777; then three days later (15 June 1777) it was reassigned to the 2nd Connecticut Brigade.
One month later, 10 July 1777 the regiment was reassigned to 1st Connecticut Brigade. On 13 November 1777 the regiment was reassigned to the 2nd Connecticut Brigade of the Main
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
and wintered with Main Army at
Valley Forge
Valley Forge functioned as the third of eight winter encampments for the Continental Army's main body, commanded by General George Washington, during the American Revolutionary War. In September 1777, Congress fled Philadelphia to escape the B ...
in Pennsylvania. On 1 May 1779 the 2nd Connecticut Brigade was reassigned to the Highlands department and the regiment was re-organized to nine companies on 11 July 1779.
The regiment was reassigned to the Main
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
on 16 November 1779. It was reassigned to the Highland's department on 27 November 1780. On 1 January 1781 the regiment was merged with
9th Connecticut Regiment
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 (after its colonel, Samuel Blachley Webb) before being added to the Connecticu ...
, re-organized and re-designated as the
3rd Connecticut Regiment
The 3rd Connecticut Regiment was authorized on 16 September 1776 and was organized between 1 January - April 1777 of eight companies of volunteers from the counties of Windham and Hartford in the state of Connecticut.
On 3 April 1777 it was as ...
of the 1st Connecticut Brigade.
The regiment would saw action in the
New York Campaign
The New York and New Jersey campaign in 1776 and the winter months of 1777 was a series of American Revolutionary War battles for control of the Port of New York and the state of New Jersey, fought between British forces under General Sir Willia ...
,
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777, as part of the Ame ...
,
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown was a major engagement in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War. It was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania, between the British Army led by Sir William Howe, and the American Con ...
and the
Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth, also known as the Battle of Monmouth Court House, was fought near Monmouth Court House in modern-day Freehold Borough, New Jersey on June 28, 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. It pitted the Continental Army, co ...
. The regiment was furloughed 15 June 1783 at
West Point
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...
, New York and disbanded on 15 November 1783 following the evacuation of New York City by the British Army.
Commanders
*Colonel Charles Webb - 1 January 1777 to 13 March 1778 (transferred)
*Colonel
Zebulon Butler
Zebulon Butler (January 23, 1731July 28, 1795) was an American military officer and politician from Connecticut who served with the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War. He represented the Wyoming Valley (now i ...
- 13 March 1778 to 1 January 1783 (transferred)
*Colonel
Heman Swift
Heman Swift (October 14, 1733 – November 12, 1814) was a hero of the American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a ma ...
- 1 January 1783 to 15 June 1783 (furloughed and later discharged)
References
*
External links
Bibliography of Connecticut's participation in the Continental Armycompiled by the
United States Army Center of Military History
The United States Army Center of Military History (CMH) is a directorate within the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. The Institute of Heraldry remains within the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Arm ...
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2nd Connecticut Regiment