The Continental Army of 1776

On 4 November Congress approved the reorganization of the Main Army to consist of at least 20,000 men Organized into 26 standard infantry regiments and separate units of riflemen and artillery. Each regiment was to be reduced from ten to eight companies. Each company was to have a captain, 2 lieutenants, an ensign, 4 sergeants, 4 corporals, a fifer, a drummer, and 76 privates. Each regiment would then have a total strength of 728 officers and men. Eight companies lent themselves to better tactical deployment than ten companies in linear warfare. The new organizations would have stronger companies than those of most of the existing regiments and would save money.

Washington implemented the reorganization of the Main Army on 1 January 1776. Each infantry regiment was assigned a numerical designation based on its Col.'s relative seniority

Connecticut Line
10th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col.s Samuel H. Parsons and John Tyler; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from the 6th Connecticut Regiment; Disbanded Dec 1776
17th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Jedediah Huntington; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from the 8th Connecticut Regiment; Disbanded Dec 1776
19th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Charles Webb; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from the 7th Connecticut Regiment; Disbanded Feb 1777
20th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col.s Benedict Arnold and John Durkee; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from the 3d Connecticut Regiment ; Disbanded Feb 1777
22nd Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Samuel Wyllys; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from the 2d Connecticut Regiment ; Disbanded Dec 1776
Other Connecticut Regiments
Burrall's Connecticut Regiment	Commanded by Col. Burrall; Authorized Jan. 1776; Organized Jan. 1776; Disbanded Jan. 1777
Elmore's Connecticut Regiment	Commanded by Col. Samuel Elmore; Authorized Jan. 1776; Organized April 1776; Disbanded May 1777
Ward's Connecticut Regiment	Commanded by Col. Ward; Authorized May 1776; Organized summer 1776; Disbanded May 1777
Westmoreland Independent Companies	Commanded by Col. ?; Authorized Aug 1776; Organized Aug-Sept 1776

Pennsylvania Line
1st Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. William Thompson; Redesignated Jan. 1776 from Thompson's Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment
Other Pennsylvania Units
1st Pennsylvania Battalion	Commanded by Col.s John Bull, later by Col. John Phillip DeHaas; (see also 1775)
2d Pennsylvania Battalion	Commanded by Col.s Arthur St.Clair and Joseph Wood; Authorized Dec. 1775; Organized Jan.-Feb. 1776
3d Pennsylvania Battalion	Commanded by Col.s John Shee and Lambert Cadwallader; Authorized Dec. 1775; Organized Jan.-Mar. 1776
4th Pennsylvania Battalion	Commanded by Col. Anthony Wayne; Authorized Dec. 1775; Organized Jan.-Feb. 1776
5th (Magaw's ) Pennsylvania Battalion	Commanded by Col. Robert Magaw; Authorized Dec. 1775; Organized Jan.-Mar. 1776
6th (Irvine's ) Pennsylvania Battalion	Commanded by Col. William Irvine; Authorized Jan. 1776; Organized Jan.-Mar. 1776
Mackay's Battalion	Commanded by Col. ?; Authorized July 1776 as a frontier defense battalion; Redesignated July 1776; Organized July-Sep. 1776
Captain John Nelson's Independent Rifle Company	Commanded by Capt. John Nelson; Authorized Jan. 1776; Organized Feb.-Mar. 1776
Captain John Doyle's Independent Rifle Company	Commanded by Capt. John Doyle; Authorized July. 1776; Organized Sep. 1776
Northampton & Northumberland Defense Batalion	Commanded by ?; Authorized Aug. 1776; Redesignated Sept as the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment; Organized Sep-Dec.1776
Pennsylvania State Rifle Regiment	Commanded by ?; Authorized Mar. 1776 in the Pennsylvania State Troops; Organized Mar.-May 1776
Pennsylvania State Musketry Battalion	Commanded by ?; Authorized Mar. 1776 in the Pennsylvania State Troops; Organized Mar.-May 1776

New Hampshire Line
2nd Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. John Stark; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from the 3d New Hampshire Regiment. (see also 1775 & 1777)
5th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. James Reed; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from the 1st New Hampshire Regiment (see also 1775 & 1777)
8th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Enoch Poor; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from the 2d New Hampshire Regiment (see also 1775 & 1777)
Bedel's Regiment (aka Capt. Timothy Bedel's Company of Rangers)	Commanded by Col. Bedel; Authorized May 1775 as Capt. Timothy Bedel's Company of Rangers; Organized June 1775 as Maj. Timothy Bedel's Corps of Rangers; Expanded & reOrganized & Redesignated in the Continental Army Jan-March 1776 as Bedel's Regiment; Disbanded Jan 1777 (see also 1775)
Long's Regiment	Commanded by Col. Long; Authorized May 1776; Organized Aug.- Sep. 1776

Massachusetts Line
3rd Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Ebenezer Learned; Formed Jan 1776 from consolidating Learned's Regiment with Danielson's Regiment and Wood's Company, Cotton's Regiment(see also 1775 & 1777)
4th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col.'s John Nixon and Thomas Nixon; Formed Jan 1776 from consolidating Nixon's Regiment with Thompson's Company, Danielson's Regiment (see also 1775 & 1777)
6th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Asa Whitcomb, Formed from J. Brewer's Massachusetts Regiment
7th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. William Prescott, Formed from Prescott's Massachusetts Regiment
12th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Moses Little; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from Little's Massachusetts Regiment; Disbanded Feb. 1777 (see also 1775)
13th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Joseph Reed, Formed from Read's , Walker's and D. Brewer's /Putnam's Massachusetts Regiments, Disbanded Jan. 1777
14th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. John Glover; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from Glover's Massachusetts Regiment; Disbanded Dec. 1776 (see also 1775)
15th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. John Paterson; Formed Jan 1776 from consolidating, less Morse's (see 7th Regiment) and Watkin's Companies (see 12th Regiment), Patterson's Regiment with Sayer's and Sullivan's Companies, Scammon's Regiment (see also 1775 & 1777)
16th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Paul D. Sargent; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from Sargent's Massachusetts Regiment (see also 1775 & 1777)
18th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Edmund Phinney; Consolidated Jan 1776 with Scammon's Regiment and Watkin's Company, Paterson's Regiment (see also 1775 & 1777)
21st Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Jonathan Ward, Formed from Fellows' and Wards Massachusetts Regiments
23rd Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. John Bailey; Formed Jan 1776 from consolidating Thomas' Regiment with Cotton's Regiment (see also 1775 & 1777)
24th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. John Greaton; Formed Jan 1776 from consolidating Heath's Massachusetts Regiment with with Craft's Company, Gardner's Regiment (see also 1775 & 1777)
25th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. William Bond; Formed Jan 1776 from consolidating Gardner's Massachusetts Regiment, less Craft's Company (see 24th Regiment) with
26th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Loammi Baldwin; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from Gerrish's /Baldwin's Massachusetts Regiment (see also 1775 & 1777)
27th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Israel Hutchinson; ReOrganized and Redesignated Jan 1776 from Mansfield's /Hutchinson's Massachusetts Regiment (see also 1775 & 1777)

New York Line
1st New York Regiment	Commanded by Col.s ?; ReOrganized Feb-May 1776 from the 1st New York Regiment; Disbanded Jan. 1777
2nd New York Regiment	Commanded by Col.s ?; ReOrganized & Redesignated Apr. 1776 from the 3d New York Regiment (see also 1777)
3rd New York Regiment	Commanded by Col.s ?; ReOrganized and Redesignated Apr. 1776 from the 4th New York Regiment (see also 1777)
4th New York Regiment	Commanded by Col.s ?; Authorized Jan 1776; Organized Apr. 1776; Merged Jan 1777 with the 1st New York Regiment
Van Schaick's New York Regiment	Commanded by Col. G. Van Schaick; ReOrganized & Redesignated April 1776 from the 2d New York Regiment; (see also 1777)
Nicholson's New York Regiment	Commanded by Col. Nicholson; Authorized Jan. 1776; Organized April 1776; Disbanded Dec. 1776
Dubois' New York Regiment	Commanded by Col. Dubois; Authorized June 1776; Organized fall 1776 (see also 1777)

Rhode Island Line
9th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. James Mitchell Varnum, formed from the 1st (Varnum's ) Rhode Island Regiment
11th Continental Regiment	Commanded by Col. Daniel Hitchcock, formed from the 2d (Hitchcock's ) Rhode Island Regiment
Other Rhode Island Regiments
Lippeitt's Regiment	Commaded br Col. ? ; Authorized Jan 1776 as Babcock's Regiment; Organized Jan 1776; Redesignated May 1776 as Lippitt's Regiment; Disbanded Jan. 1777
Richmond's Regiment	Commanded by Col. ?; ReOrganized Jan 1776; Disbanded Nov 1776 (see 1775)

New Jersey Line
1st New Jersey Regiment	Commanded by Col.s William Alexander, William Winds, and Silas Newcomb
2nd New Jersey Regiment	Commanded by Col.s William Maxwell and Israel Shreve
3rd New Jersey Regiment	Commanded by Col. Elias Dayton; Authorized Jan. 1776; Organized Feb. - May. 1776
4th New Jersey Regiment	Commanded by Col.s Ephraim Martin and David Brearley; Authorized Sept. 1776; Organized Nov. 1776 - Feb. 1777

Delaware Line
1st Delaware Regiment	Commanded by Col. John Haslet

Maryland Line
Smallwood's Maryland Battalion (aka 1st Maryland Battalion)	Commanded by Col.s William Smallwood and Francis Ware; Authorized Jan. 1776 in Maryland State Troops; Organized in spring 1776; Adopted Aug 1776 into Continental Army (see also 1777)
Maryland Independent Companies	Authorized Jan. 1776 in Maryland State Troops as 7 Independent Companies; Organized in Mar 1776; Adopted Aug 1776 into Continental Army (see also 1777)

Connecticut Line
1st Virginia Regiment	Commanded by Col. Col. James Reed; ReOrganized Jan 1776 (see also 1775 & 1777)
2d Virginia Regiment	Commanded by Col. Col. William Woodford; ReOrganized Jan 1776 (see also 1775 & 1777)
3d Virginia Regiment	Commanded by Col.s Hugh Mercer and George Weedon
4th Virginia Regiment	Commanded by Col.s Adam Stephen and Thomas Elliott
5th Virginia Regiment	Commanded by Col.s William Peachy and Charles Scott
6th Virginia Regiment	Commanded by Col. Mordecai Buckner
7th Virginia Regiment	Commanded by Col.s William Dangerfield and William Crawford
8th Virginia Regiment	Commanded by Col. Col. Peter Muhlenberg
9th Virginia Regiment	Commanded by Col.s Charles Fleming and Isaac Reed

North Carolina Line
1st North Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col.s James Moore and Francis Nash; ReOrganized Jan. 1776 (see also 1775)
2d North Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col.s Robert Howe and Alexander Martin; ReOrganized Jan. 1776 (see also 1775)
3d North Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col. Jethro Sumner; Authorized Jan. 1776; Organized spring 1776
4th North Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col. Thomas Polk; Authorized March 1776; Organized spring 1776
5th North Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col. John A. Lillington; Authorized March 1776; Organized spring 1776
6th North Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col. Edward Buncombe; Authorized April 1776; Organized summer 1776
7th North Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col. James Hogan; Authorized Sept. 1776; Organized spring 1777
8th North Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col. James Armstrong; Authorized Sept. 1776; Organized spring 1777
9th North Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col. Abraham Shephard; Authorized Sept. 1776; Organized spring 1777

South Carolina Line
1st South Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col.s Christopher Gadsden and Charles C. Pinckney (see also 1775 & 1777)
2d South Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col.s William Moultrie and Isaac Motte (see also 1775 & 1777)
3d South Carolina Regiment (aka South Carolina Ranger Regiment)	Commanded by Col. William Thompson (see also 1775 & 1777)
4th South Carolina Regiment	Commanded by Col. ?; Added Beaufort and Georgetown Independent Companies of Artillery in Oct 1776; (see also 1775 & 1777)
5th South Carolina Regiment (aka 1st South Carolina Rifle Regiment)	Commanded by Col. Isaac Huger; Authorized Feb. 1776; Organized spring 1776; Adopted Mar. 1776 into Continental Army (see also 1777)
6th South Carolina Regiment (aka 2d South Carolina Rifle Regiment)	Commanded by Col. ? ; Authorized Feb. 1776; Organized spring 1776; Adopted Mar. 1776 into Continental Army (see also 1777)
Beaufort Independent Company of Artillery	Commanded by Col. ? ; Authorized Feb. 1776; Organized spring 1776; Redesignated Oct. 1776 4th Company, 4th South Carolina Regiment
Georgetown Independent Company of Artillery	Commanded by Col. ? ; Authorized Feb. 1776; Organized spring 1776; Redesignated Oct. 1776 5th Company, 4th South Carolina Regiment

Georgia Line
1st Georgia Regiment	Commanded by Col. Lachlan McIntosh; Authorized Nov 1775 as "The Georgia Regiment" ; Organized Jan-Apr 1776; Redesignated as the 1st Georgia Regiment on July 1776; (see also 1777)
2d Georgia Regiment	Commanded by Col. Joseph Habersham; Authorized July 1776; Organized in fall & winter 1776 (see also 1777)
3d Georgia Regiment	Commanded by Col. Screven; Authorized July 1776; Organized in fall & winter 1776 (see also 1777)
Georgia Regiment of Horse Rangers	see Mounted Units below

Additional Continental Regiments
1st Canadian Regiment	Commanded by Col. ?;Redesignated Jan 1776 from the Canadian Regiment; ReOrganized Dec 1776 (see also 1775 & 1777)
2d Canadian Regiment (aka Congress' Own)	Commanded by Col. ?;Authorized Jan 1776; Organized Feb 1776 (see also 1777)
German Battalion (aka 8th Maryland Regiment)	Commanded by Col. Nicholas Hussecker; Half was from pennsylvania

Artillery Units
Virginia Artillery	Commanded by Col. Charles Harrison
Gridley's /Knox's Continental Artillery Regiment	Commanded by Col.s Richard Gridley and Henry Knox's , renamed in autum of 1775 from Regiment of the Train of Artillery, Expanded with the addition of Steven's Rhode Island Train of Artillery Jan. 1776, Disbanded Jan. 1777
South Carolina Artillery Regiment (aka 4th South Carolina Regiment)
Pennsylvania State Artillery Regiment	Commanded by Col. ?
Independent Battalion of Continental Artillery	Commanded by Col. Steven
Georgia Continental Artillery Companies	Commanded by Col. ?

Mounted Units
1st Continental Light Dragoon Regiment (aka unofficially as Bland's Horse)	Commanded by Col. ?; Authorized June 1776 in Virginia State Troops as Troops of Light Horse; Organized June-Sep 1776; Redesignated June 1776 as Virginia Light Horse; Adopted Nov 1776 into the Continental Army (see also 1777)
2d Continental Light Dragoon Regiment (aka unofficially as Sheldon's Horse)	Commanded by Col. Elisha Sheldon; Authorized Dec 1776; Organized Dec 1776-June 1777 (see also 1777)
Corps of North Carolina Light Dragoons	Commanded by Col. ?;Authorized Apr 1776 in the North Carolina State Troops; Organized in spring and summer 1776; Adopted July 1776 (see also 1777)
Major Nicholas Dietrich, Baron de Ottendorf's , Corp	Commanded by Major De Ottendorf; Authorized Dec 1776 Major Nicholas Dietrich, Baron de Ottendorf's, Corp Organized Dec 1776 -June 1777 (see also 1777)
Georgia Regiment of Horse Rangers	Commanded by Col ?; Authorized in Jan 1776 as 1st & 2d Troop of Georgia Horse; Organized in spring 1776; Adopted July 1776 in Continental Army, concurrently Redesignated (see also 1777)