Patton's Additional Continental Regiment was an American infantry unit that existed for two years during 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 major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

. Authorized on 11 January 1777, the unit was recruited from the colonies of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Raised by Colonel John Patton in early 1777, it saw service with 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

Philadelphia Campaign The Philadelphia campaign (1777–1778) was a British effort in the American Revolutionary War to gain control of Philadelphia, which was then the seat of the Second Continental Congress. British General William Howe, after failing to draw ...

. In January 1779 the regiment was absorbed by

Hartley's Additional Continental Regiment Hartley's Additional Continental Regiment was an American infantry unit of the Continental Army that served for two years during the American Revolutionary War. The regiment was authorized in January 1777 and Colonel Thomas Hartley was appoint ...

, except for one company which joined the 1st Delaware Regiment.

History

Patton's Additional Continental Regiment was authorized on 11 January 1777 for service with the

and assigned to the main army.Wright (1989), 323 John Patton was appointed

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the regiment. Patton had distinguished himself in command of one battalion of the

Pennsylvania State Rifle Regiment The 13th Pennsylvania Regiment, also known as The Pennsylvania State Rifle Regiment and Miles's Regiment, was raised March 6, 1776, as a state militia regiment and later for service with the Continental Army. The regiment would see action dur ...

during the

New York and New Jersey 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 New Jersey, Port of New York and the state of New Jersey, fought between Kingdom ...

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

allowed the colonels of his Additional Regiments considerable authority to select their officers. Assistant Quartermaster General John Parke was named

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

while Brigade Major Peter Scull accepted the position of

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

. Patton's Additional Continental Regiment was organized in the spring of 1777 of men from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The unit had a strength of seven companies. On 22 May the regiment was assigned to the 4th Virginia Brigade, which was commanded by Charles Scott. It took part in the June 1777 campaign in Northern New Jersey and the

in late 1777. At 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 ...

on 28 June 1778, the regiment was led by Lieutenant Colonel Parke. The unit fought in

William Grayson William Grayson (1742 – March 12, 1790) was a planter, lawyer and statesman from Virginia. After leading a Virginia regiment in the Continental Army, Grayson served in the Virginia House of Delegates before becoming one of the first two U ...

's 600-man and two-gun detachment together with David Cook's company of the 3rd Continental Artillery Regiment,

Grayson's Additional Continental Regiment Grayson's Additional Continental Regiment was an American infantry unit that served for two years and three months in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Like other Additional Regiments, Grayson's remained directly under ...

, and the converged 4th,

8th 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. In mathematics 8 is: * a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2. * a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...

, and 12th Virginia Regiments under James Woods. Charles Lee ordered Grayson's detachment to lead his Advanced Guard in the approach march to Monmouth Courthouse. Lee placed Grayson, Henry Jackson's detachment and Richard Butler's detachment, and

Eleazer Oswald Eleazer Oswald (baptized bp 2 February 1750/51 – 30 September 1795) was born at Falmouth, Cornwall, in England, but moved to British America as a young man. He became apprenticed to a printer, John Holt of Williamsburg, Virginia, and marri ...

's four guns under

Anthony Wayne Anthony Wayne (January 1, 1745 – December 15, 1796) was an American soldier, officer, statesman, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his mil ...

. Between 9:30 and 10:00 AM, Wayne's group engaged in a somewhat confused skirmish with the British

rear guard A rearguard is a part of a military force that protects it from attack from the rear, either during an advance or withdrawal. The term can also be used to describe forces protecting lines, such as communication lines, behind an army. Even more ...

. At this point, the British commander Sir Henry Clinton mounted a powerful counterattack with 6,000 men and Lee lost control of his division, which began to retreat. To his amazement, Washington saw Lee's troops retreating toward him, led by Grayson's and Patton's Regiments. After Washington and his generals organized a new battle line, Lee's division regrouped behind the main body and the second half of the battle began. Patton's Regiment transferred from the 4th Virginia Brigade to the Highlands Department on 22 July 1778. The regiment ceased to exist on 13 January 1779 when it consolidated with

. The exception was Captain

Allen McLane Allan McLane (August 8, 1746 – May 22, 1829) was an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He was appointed as the first United States Marshal of Delaware in 1789, and as Customs Collector of the Port of Wilmingt ...

's Delaware company which separated from Patton's Regiment on 16 December 1778 and joined the 1st Delaware Regiment in the 3rd Virginia Brigade. On 13 July 1779, McLane's company transferred to

Lee's Legion Lee's Legion (also known as the 2nd Partisan Corps) was a military unit within the Continental Army during the American Revolution. It primarily served in the Southern Theater of Operations, and gained a reputation for efficiency, bravery on t ...

as the 4th Dismounted Troop.Wright (1989), 348–349

Service record

Notes

Bibliography

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External links

Bibliography of the Continental Army in Pennsylvania
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 ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patton's Additional Continental Regiment Military units and formations of the Continental Army Military units and formations established in 1777 Military units and formations disestablished in 1779