Gist's Additional Continental Regiment was an American infantry unit that served for four years in the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

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 the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. Authorized in January 1777, the unit was intended to be made up of four companies of light infantry and 500 Indian scouts. In practice, only three companies were recruited from the colonies of Virginia and Maryland.

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

appointed noted frontiersman

Nathaniel Gist Nathaniel Gist (15 October 1733 – 1812) was born in Maryland and fought during the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. He was reputed by Wurteh Watts to be the father of Sequoyah, the famous Cherokee. Like his father Chris ...

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), 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 colon ...

in command. Two companies commanded by Captains John Gist and Joseph Smithand were attached to the

3rd Maryland Regiment The 3rd Maryland Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. It served from 1776 to 1783, mostly in the Middle Atlantic Region of the conflict. Background The 3rd Maryland Regiment was org ...

while one company commanded by Captain Samuel Lapsley was attached to the 12th Virginia Regiment during the

Philadelphia Campaign The Philadelphia campaign (1777–1778) was a British military campaign during the American Revolutionary War designed to gain control of Philadelphia, the Revolutionary-era capital where the Second Continental Congress convened, formed the ...

in summer and fall 1777, and at

Monmouth Monmouth ( or ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Monmouthshire, Wales, situated on where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. The population in the 2011 census was 10,508, rising from 8 ...

in June 1778. In April 1779 the regiment absorbed

Grayson's Additional Continental Regiment Grayson's Extra Continental regiments and Additional Continental regiments, 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. Li ...

and

Thruston's Additional Continental Regiment Thruston's Additional Continental Regiment was an American infantry unit that served for a little more than two years in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Authorized in March 1777, four companies were organized in Virgi ...

. The consolidated regiment was reorganized as eight companies and a month later was assigned to the 1st Virginia Brigade. The regiment was probably involved in

Light Horse Harry Lee Henry Lee III (January 29, 1756 – March 25, 1818) was an early American Patriot and politician who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia Representative to the United States Congress. Lee's service during the American ...

's Paulus Hook Raid in August 1779. In December 1779, the unit was transferred from the main army to the Southern Department. In May 1780, Gist and his regiment were captured at 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 British ...

. The unit was officially disbanded on 1 January 1781.

History

The 13 January 1777 letter from

to Gist with orders to form the regiment is preserved. Since it gives an idea of the conditions under which the Additional regiments were raised, it is worth reproducing in full.

Sir: You are hereby authorized and Impowered to raise four Companies of Rangers upon the Continental pay, Rank, and establishment. To enable you to do this, you are furnished with a Warrant for 3,000 Dollars to recruit with; part of the bounty to be given at the time of Inlisting, and the other part when the men join the Battalion or Corps they belong to.

That you may not be restricted in the choice of Officers fit for this kind of Service, I leave the Nomination of them (that is for the four Companies) to yourself, reserving to myself a Negative upon any improper choice as in other Cases.

You are to delay no time in forwarding these Companies to the Army (under my immediate Command) as fast as possible where they will be received and provided with necessaries, you are to keep me duly advised of your proceedings that I may know in what time to expect your assistance, When you consider the advanced Season, and compare it with the time we shall undoubtedly be called into the Field I am perswaded it will be a powerful argument in favour of your every exertion to raise the Men. Wishing you success in it, I am, etc.Washington Writings, ''Nathaniel Gist: 13 January 1777''
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Service record

Notes

Bibliography

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gist's Additional Continental Regiment Military units and formations of the Continental Army Virginia regiments of the Continental Army Military units and formations established in 1777 Military units and formations disestablished in 1781