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
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
at various times by the
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...
. 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.
Composition
On November 4, 1775, the Continental Congress created the "second establishment" of the Continental Army, which served in the campaign of 1776. On the same day, Congress also voted to maintain two infantry battalions in South Carolina and one infantry battalion in Georgia. The units which formed part of the Georgia line were:
[Wright, pp. 312–315.][Berg, pp. 45–47.][Smith, Kiley, and Black, pp. 79, 90, 99, 107, 111.]
*
Georgia Regiment of Horse Rangers
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 org ...
(1776–1780 (captured in Charleston, disbanded 1781))
*
Georgia Regiment (1775–1776)
**
1st Georgia Regiment
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.
History
On 4 November 1775, the Georgia Regiment was authorised in the Continental Army, and organise ...
(1776–1780, captured in Charleston)
***
Georgia Regiment (1781–1783)
***
Georgia Battalion (1783)
*
2nd Georgia Regiment (1776–1780, captured in Charleston, disbanded 1781)
*
3rd Georgia Regiment (1776–1780, captured in Charleston, disbanded 1781)
*
4th Georgia Regiment (1777–1780, captured in Charleston, disbanded 1781)
When more than two of the line infantry regiments above were grouped, they formed part of what became known as the Georgia Brigade. This brigade was only used a select few times, as most regiments were captured during the
Siege of Charleston
The siege of Charleston was a major engagement and major British victory in the American Revolutionary War, fought in the environs of Charles Town (today Charleston), the capital of South Carolina, between March 29 and May 12, 1780. The Britis ...
.
References
*
Robert K. Wright Jr.
Robert K. Wright Jr. (born 1946) is an American military historian and author.
After growing up in Connecticut, he graduated in 1968 with a degree in history from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. He entered the Army, serv ...
, ''The Continental Army'', 2006 United States Army Center of Military History, Washington District of Columbia, United States of America.
*
Lucian Lamar Knight
Lucian Lamar Knight (February 9, 1868 – November 19, 1933) was an American journalist, editor, author, and historian. He was the founder of the Georgia Archives. In 1919, in recognition of his work in history, he was made a Fellow of the Roya ...
, ''Georgia's Roster of the Revolution'', 1920 Index Printing Company, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
* Frank Berg, ''Encyclopedia of Continental Army Units Battalions, Regiments, and Independent Corps'', 1972 Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America. .
*
Digby Smith
Digby Smith (born 1 January 1935) is a British military historian. The son of a British career soldier, he was born in Hampshire, England, but spent several years in India and Pakistan as a child and youth. As a "boy soldier", he entered train ...
, Kevin E. Kiley, and
Jeremy Black, ''An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Uniforms of the American War of Independence'', 2017 Lorenz Books, London, United Kingdom. .
External links
Georgia RosterGeorgia Roster
compiled 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 ...
{{Continental Army
Georgia regiments of the Continental Army
1775 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies