List of Continental Army Units in 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

and other Connecticut Units

• 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
• Burrall's Connecticut Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. Burrall
  • Authorized Jan. 1776
  • The regiment was organized Jan. 1776
  • Disbanded Jan. 1777
• Elmore's Connecticut Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. Samuel Elmore
  • Authorized Jan. 1776
  • The regiment was 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
  • The regiment was organized Aug-Sept 1776

Pennsylvania Line Regiments

and other Pennsylvania Units

• 1st Continental Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. William Thompson
  • Redesignated Jan. 1776 from Thompson's Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment
• 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
  • The regiment was organized Jan.-Feb. 1776
• 3d Pennsylvania Battalion
  • Commanded by Col.s John Shee and Lambert Cadwallader
  • Authorized Dec. 1775
  • The regiment was organized Jan.-Mar. 1776
• 4th Pennsylvania Battalion
  • Commanded by Col. Anthony Wayne
  • Authorized Dec. 1775
  • The regiment was organized Jan.-Feb. 1776
• 5th (Magaw's ) Pennsylvania Battalion
  • Commanded by Col. Robert Magaw
  • Authorized Dec. 1775
  • The regiment was organized Jan.-Mar. 1776
• 6th (Irvine's ) Pennsylvania Battalion
  • Commanded by Col. William Irvine
  • Authorized Jan. 1776
  • The regiment was organized Jan.-Mar. 1776
• Mackay's Battalion
  • Commanded by Col. ?
  • Authorized July 1776 as a frontier defense battalion
  • Redesignated July 1776
  • The regiment was organized July-Sep. 1776
• Captain John Nelson's Independent Rifle Company
  • Commanded by Capt. John Nelson
  • Authorized Jan. 1776
  • The regiment was organized Feb.-Mar. 1776
• Captain John Doyle's Independent Rifle Company
  • Commanded by Capt. John Doyle
  • Authorized July. 1776
  • The regiment was organized Sep. 1776
• Northampton & Northumberland Defense Batalion
  • Commanded by ?
  • Authorized Aug. 1776
  • Redesignated Sept as the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment
  • The regiment was organized Sep-Dec.1776
• Pennsylvania State Rifle Regiment
  • Commanded by ?
  • Authorized Mar. 1776 in the Pennsylvania State Troops
  • The regiment was organized Mar.-May 1776
• Pennsylvania State Musketry Battalion
  • Commanded by ?
  • Authorized Mar. 1776 in the Pennsylvania State Troops
  • The regiment was organized Mar.-May 1776

New Hampshire Line Regiments

• 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
  • The regiment was 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 Regiments

• 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)
• 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 Regiments

• 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
  • The regiment was 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
  • The regiment was organized April 1776
  • Disbanded Dec. 1776
• Dubois' New York Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. Dubois
  • Authorized June 1776
  • The regiment was organized fall 1776 (see also 1777)

Rhode Island Line Regiments

and Other Rhode Island Regiments

• 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
• Lippeitt's Regiment
  • Commaded br Col. ?
  • Authorized Jan 1776 as Babcock's Regiment
  • The regiment was 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 Regiments

• 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
  • The regiment was organized Feb. - May. 1776
• 4th New Jersey Regiment
  • Commanded by Col.s Ephraim Martin and David Brearley
  • Authorized Sept. 1776
  • The regiment was organized Nov. 1776 - Feb. 1777

Delaware Line Regiments

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

;Maryland Line Regiments

• Smallwood's Maryland Battalion (aka 1st Maryland Battalion)
  • Commanded by Col.s William Smallwood and Francis Ware
  • Authorized Jan. 1776 in Maryland State Troops
  • The regiment was 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
  • The regiment was organized in Mar 1776
  • Adopted Aug 1776 into Continental Army (see also 1777)

Virginia Line Regiments

• 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 Regiments

• 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
  • The regiment was organized spring 1776
• 4th North Carolina Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. Thomas Polk
  • Authorized March 1776
  • The regiment was organized spring 1776
• 5th North Carolina Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. John A. Lillington
  • Authorized March 1776
  • The regiment was organized spring 1776
• 6th North Carolina Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. Edward Buncombe
  • Authorized April 1776
  • The regiment was organized summer 1776
• 7th North Carolina Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. James Hogan
  • Authorized Sept. 1776
  • The regiment was organized spring 1777
• 8th North Carolina Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. James Armstrong
  • Authorized Sept. 1776
  • The regiment was organized spring 1777
• 9th North Carolina Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. Abraham Shephard
  • Authorized Sept. 1776
  • The regiment was organized spring 1777

South Carolina Line Regiments

• 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
  • The regiment was 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
  • The regiment was organized spring 1776
  • Adopted Mar. 1776 into Continental Army (see also 1777)
• Beaufort Independent Company of Artillery
  • Commanded by Col. ?
  • Authorized Feb. 1776
  • The regiment was organized spring 1776
  • Redesignated Oct. 1776 4th Company, 4th South Carolina Regiment
• Georgetown Independent Company of Artillery
  • Commanded by Col. ?
  • Authorized Feb. 1776
  • The regiment was organized spring 1776
  • Redesignated Oct. 1776 5th Company, 4th South Carolina Regiment

Georgia Line Regiments

• 1st Georgia Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. Lachlan McIntosh
  • Authorized Nov 1775 as "The Georgia Regiment"
  • The regiment was 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
  • The regiment was organized in fall & winter 1776 (see also 1777)
• 3d Georgia Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. Screven
  • Authorized July 1776
  • The regiment was 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
  • The regiment was 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
• Pennsylvania State Artillery Regiment
  • Commanded by Col. ?
• Independent Battalion of Continental Artillery
  • Commanded by Col. Steven
• Georgia Continental Artillery Companies
  • Commanded by Col. ?
• South Carolina Artillery Regiment (aka 4th South Carolina Regiment)

Mounted Units Regiments

• 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
  • The regiment was 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
  • The regiment was 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
  • The regiment was 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
  • The regiment was organized in spring 1776
  • Adopted July 1776 in Continental Army, concurrently Redesignated (see also 1777)