The 1st Virginia Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Virginia Line that served with 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 ...

History

Origins

The regiment originated from the Charles City-Henrico County Regiment of Militia founded in 1652. During the French and Indian War, the Virginia Regiment was organized and was the only colonial regiment incorporated into the British line (1754-1763) and saw action at the Battle of Jumonville Glen, Fort Necessity, and the Braddock and Forbes expeditions. Its most notable Commander was Colonel George Washington.

Involvement in American Revolutionary War

With the heightened political tensions of the 1770s, the regiment was raised again, on July 17, 1775, at

Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It had a population of 15,425 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern par ...

. As the primary state militia unit, the Virginia regiment later saw service with the (

U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

)

. The regiment saw action at the Battle of Great Bridge,

New York Campaign New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

Battle of Trenton The Battle of Trenton was a small but pivotal American Revolutionary War battle on the morning of December 26, 1776, in Trenton, New Jersey. After General George Washington's George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, crossing of the ...

, Battle of Princeton, Battle of Brandywine,

Battle of Germantown The Battle of Germantown was a major engagement in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War. It was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania, between the British Army led by Sir William Howe, and the American ...

Battle of Monmouth The Battle of Monmouth, also known as the Battle of Monmouth Court House, was fought near the Village of Monmouth Court House, New Jersey, Monmouth Court House in modern-day Freehold Borough, New Jersey and Manalapan, New Jersey, Manalapan, on J ...

Battle of Stony Point A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

and 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 ...

. Most of the regiment was captured at Charlestown, South Carolina, on May 12, 1780, by the British and the regiment was formally disbanded on November 15, 1783.

Later years

During the

Mexican American War Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

1846–1848, the 19th regiment of the Virginia Militia was mustered into Federal Service and renamed the 1st Virginia Volunteers. However, this regiment did not have the regimental lineage of the original Virginia Regiment, but was instead descended from the Richmond City Regiment. During the American Civil War (1861-1865) there was a 1st Virginia Infantry raised in the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fi ...

, but disbanded after the war. Today the 276th Engineer Battalion (United States) of the

Virginia National Guard The Virginia National Guard is part of the National Guard of the United States, a dual federal-state military reserve force. It consists of the Virginia Army National Guard and Virginia Air National Guard. (The Virginia State Defense Force i ...

maintains the regimental lineage of the 1st Virginia Volunteers. The regimental lineage of the Colonial, the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

, and the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

1st Virginia Regiment is maintained in the Department of Military Affairs by the Office of the State Adjutant General of the

Commonwealth of Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, in the Virginia Defense Force.

External links

Valley Forge Legacy: The Muster Roll Project, 1st Virginia Regiment
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 ...

Edmund Dickinson portrait and biography-copyrighted for reference onlyRecreated First Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line, (CTL) organization)Recreated First Virginia Regiment, Revolutionary War (video)

The Recreated First Virginia Regiment's Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier Ceremony (video)The Recreated First Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line, Mount Vernon 4th of July Demonstration 2010 (video)"Captain John (Don) Drewry, Recreated First Virginia Regiment, Continental Army (video)
{{Authority control 1st Virginia Regiment Military units and formations established in 1775 Military units and formations disestablished in 1783

History

Origins

Involvement in American Revolutionary War

Later years

See also

External links