Forman's Additional Continental Regiment was an American infantry unit that served for little more than 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 ...

. Authorized on 11 January 1777, the unit was recruited from southern New Jersey and Maryland. Raised by Colonel David Forman in early 1777, it saw service with the Continental Army in 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 ...

of 1777 and 1778. In April 1779 the regiment was absorbed by

Spencer's Additional Continental Regiment Spencer's Additional Continental Regiment, sometimes referred to as the 5th New Jersey Regiment, was an American infantry unit that served for four years in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The Continental Congress a ...

History

Forman's Additional Continental Regiment came into being on 11 January 1777 for service with the Continental Army and was assigned to the Main Army.Wright (1989), 321 The unit was one of 16 so-called Additional Continental Regiments. David Forman, previously the

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 a Regiment of New Jersey State Troops (Levy), was appointed commander.

Samuel Griffin Samuel Griffin (April 20, 1746November 23, 1810) was a lawyer, soldier and politician from Virginia. Following his service during the American Revolutionary War as a Continental Army officer, Griffin served as mayor of Williamsburg, Virginia, ...

had begun organizing the regiment but refused the command when he found that he would not be promoted to the rank of General. When Forman took over, he continued Griffin's initial work. As usual with the Additional Regiments, George Washington gave Forman wide authority to choose his own officers. The regiment's field officers were Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Henderson who served from 12 January 1777 to October 1777, and Major William Harrison who served from 1 May 1777 to 1 July 1778.Heitman, 24 Forman's Additional Regiment was recruited in the spring of 1777 from men of southern New Jersey and Maryland. The majority of recruits and officers hailed from

Monmouth County, New Jersey Monmouth County () is a county located on the coast of central New Jersey. The county is part of the New York metropolitan area and is situated along the northern half of the Jersey Shore. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population ...

, due to their affiliation with Forman in civilian life. The unit had a strength of four companies due to its limited success in offering payment bonuses and other incentives to join, something commonplace for all of the Continental Additional Regiments. Receiving captured British uniforms in April 1777 from ship's seized in Raritan Bay, NJ, Forman's men appeared more like their enemy than their own compatriots in the rest of the Continental Army. The Regiment participated in the brief campaign in Northern New Jersey in June 1777, serving as scouts along the Raritan Bay and North Jersey coastline and as a defense/workforce for the newly established Continental Salt Works in Monmouth County, NJ. The regiment's first action was at the

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 C ...

on 4 October 1777, serving in

William Smallwood William Smallwood (1732February 14, 1792) was an American planter, soldier and politician from Charles County, Maryland. He served in the American Revolutionary War, rising to the rank of major general. He was serving as the fourth Governor ...

's 1,500-strong left flank column, which was composed mostly of Maryland and New Jersey militia. Forman, who held a brigadier general's commission in the militia, commanded all 600 New Jersey militia troops that were present. Among the New Jersey soldiers under Forman, more than one observer distinguished between the militia and "General Forman's Red Coats". This account by Major

Asher Holmes Asher Holmes (February 16, 1740 – June 20, 1808) was an American politician and veteran of the American Revolution. Early life and family He was born to Samuel and Hulda Holmes (nee. Mott). His birthplace was a plantation called the Scotchester ...

of the 1st Regiment of the Monmouth County Militia reinforces the issuance of captured British uniforms earlier that year for Forman's Regiment. Likewise of note, Smallwood's Maryland militia included a portion of "enlisted men", who were assumed to be Continentals. The left flank column overran a few outposts, but finally were driven off by the

Queen's Rangers The Queen's Rangers, also known as the Queen's American Rangers, and later Simcoe's Rangers, were a Loyalist military unit of the American Revolutionary War. Formed in 1776, they were named for Queen Charlotte, consort of George III. The Queen ...

and the grenadier and light companies of the

Brigade of Guards The Brigade of Guards was an administrative formation of the British Army from 1856 to 1968. It was commanded by the Major-General commanding the Brigade of Guards and was responsible for administering the guards regiments. After the Second Wor ...

by the end of the day's fighting. Forman's "Red Coats" and the other Maryland "enlisted men" appear to have performed well during their rear guard movements when they helped cover the withdrawal of the entire militia column. After the Battle of Germantown, Forman's Regiment returned to New Jersey with the NJ Militia Brigade under Forman's command. Forman's orders from Washington and New Jersey's Governor

William Livingston William Livingston (November 30, 1723July 25, 1790) was an American politician who served as the first governor of New Jersey (1776–1790) during the American Revolutionary War. As a New Jersey representative in the Continental Congress, he sig ...

desired him to remain in NJ with the hopes of raising close to 2,000 militia volunteers for temporary Continental service before the end of the year. With nowhere to garrison the men of his regiment, Forman dispatched his troops back to his Salt Works in Monmouth County, NJ where they worked and protected the site from raiding British and Loyalist troops. Following the

Battle of Red Bank The Battle of Red Bank was a battle fought on October 22, 1777 during the American Revolutionary War in which a British and Hessian force was sent to take Fort Mercer on the left bank (or New Jersey side) of the Delaware River just south of Ph ...

on October 22, 1777, three-quarters of Forman's Regiment were sent as reinforcements to

Fort Mercer Fort Mercer was a earthen fort on the Delaware River on its New Jersey shore constructed by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Built by Polish engineer Thaddeus Kosciuszko under the command of George Washington, Fort ...

and in pursuit of the remaining British and German troops east of the Delaware River. Although too late to help the Continental garrison at

Fort Mifflin Fort Mifflin, originally called Fort Island Battery and also known as Mud Island Fort, was commissioned in 1771 and sits on Mud Island (or Deep Water Island) on the Delaware River below Philadelphia, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia International ...

, Forman's men remained in the Fort Mercer garrison until mid-November before they crossed the Delaware River and joined the Continental Army at White Marsh, Pennsylvania. Although taking no part in the

Battle of White Marsh The Battle of White Marsh or Battle of Edge Hill was a battle of the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought December 5–8, 1777, in the area surrounding Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania. The battle, which took the form ...

the men of Forman's Regiment do appear on the Regimental Muster Rolls of the Continental Army when they move from White Marsh to the winter encampment at

Valley Forge Valley Forge functioned as the third of eight winter encampments for the Continental Army's main body, commanded by General officer, General George Washington, during the American Revolutionary War. In September 1777, Congress fled Philadelphi ...

. Forman's Additional Regiment remained at Valley Forge until it took part in the Monmouth Campaign in June 1778. The regiment is not listed in Brendan Morrissey's order of battle, due to the regiment's attachment to Colonel Israel Shreve's

2nd New Jersey Regiment The 2nd New Jersey Regiment was raised, on 9 October 1775, at Trenton, New Jersey, for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel William Maxwell. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Trois-Rivières, Battle of V ...

in early April 1778. At this time Forman was under investigation by NJ's governor William Livingston over his rank and responsibilities in the state militia and his handling of the Continental Salt Works in

Manasquan, New Jersey Manasquan (, ) is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, on the Jersey Shore. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 5,938, an increase of 41 (+.7%) from the 2010 census count of 5,897, whic ...

. Forman officially retired from the NJ State Militia and devoted his time strictly with the Continental Army for the coming campaign year after being unable to resolve differences with Livingston. Forman personally served on Charles Lee's staff during the battle on 28 June.Morrissey, 44 & 85 On 1 April 1779, the remaining soldiers joined

and Forman's Regiment ceased to exist. Another source states that the regiment was dissolved on 1 July 1778 and the men transferred to the

New Jersey Line The New Jersey Line was a formation within the Continental Army. A "New Jersey Line" was the quota of numbered infantry regiments that the Congress of the Confederacy assigned to New Jersey at various times. New Jersey Line, 1776 The first two ...

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 A ...

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