1775 Establishment
On April 23, 1775, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress voted to raise a volunteer force of 13,600 men, and it called upon the other New England colonies for assistance in raising an army of 30,000 men. The Massachusetts provincials were raised in the spring of 1775 and were eventually formed into twenty-six infantry regiments. Massachusetts also took responsibility for a twenty-seventh regiment, originally raised in New Hampshire. Massachusetts regiments had an official establishment of 599 officers and men in ten companies (but five regiments had an eleventh company). The troops were enlisted to serve until December 31, 1775. The commissions of all Massachusetts officers were dated May 19, 1775. Subsequently the regiments were numbered, although in Massachusetts the regiment was commonly identified by the name of its colonel.
The New England delegates to the Continental Congress urged that the Congress assume responsibility for the provincial troops of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, that were blockading Boston. This was done on June 14, 1775, and these troops were designated the Continental Army. George Washington was selected as commander in chief of this force, and all other Continental Army troops, the following day.
In an effort to weld the separate New England armies into a single "Continental" Army, on August 5, 1775, General Washington ordered that a board be convened to determine the rank of the regiments at Boston. The board was to consist of a brigadier general as moderator and six field officers as members. It completed its task on August 20, 1775, and reported its decision to Washington. The regiments of infantry in the Continental Army were accordingly numbered without reference to their colony of origin. There were thirty-nine "Regiments of Foot in the Army of the United Colonies." In General Orders, Washington often referred to his regiments by these numbers; and they appear in the strength reports compiled by Adjutant General Horatio Gates.
| Name | Colonel | Massachusetts Number | Continental Number | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward's | WardArtemas Ward Jonathan Ward |
01 !1st | 32 !32nd | This regiment was initially commanded by General Artemas Ward of Shrewsbury, who was the commanding general of the Massachusetts Bay provincial forces. His general authority over the troops from the other New England colonies was acknowledged, and he commanded the patriot army at Boston until the arrival of George Washington at Cambridge on July 3, 1775. On June 17, 1775, Ward was made a major general in the Continental Army - the first appointment in that grade. Command of the regiment passed to its next senior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Ward, of Southborough, who was promoted to the rank of colonel on that date. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 21st Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Thomas' Bailey's |
ThomasJohn Thomas John Bailey |
02 !2nd | 35 !35th | This regiment was initially commanded by General John Thomas, of Kingston, who was the lieutenant general (second in command) of the Massachusetts Bay provincial forces. Thomas was made a Continental brigadier general on June 22, 1775. The regiment's lieutenant colonel, John Bailey, of Hanover, then assumed command. Bailey was promoted to the rank of colonel on July 1, 1775, and the regiment became Bailey's Regiment. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 23rd Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Walker's | WalkerTimothy Walker | 03 !3rd | 22 !22nd | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Timothy Walker, of Rehoboth, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was merged into Read's Regiment in December 1775. |
| Cotton's | CottonTheophilus Cotton | 04 !4th | 16 !16th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Theophilus Cotton, of Plymouth, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was disbanded at the end of 1775, when its companies were divided amongst other Massachusetts regiments. Cotton continued to serve in the Massachusetts militia. |
| Whitcomb's | WhitcombAsa Whitcomb | 05 !5th | 23 !23rd | This regiment contained eleven companies and had an official establishment of 658 officers and men. It was commanded by Colonel Asa Whitcomb, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment at the end of 1775. Whitcomb took command of the 6th Continental Regiment in 1776. |
| Read's | ReadJoseph Read | 06 !6th | 20 !20th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Joseph Read, of Uxbridge, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 13th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Mansfield's | MansfieldJohn Mansfield | 07 !7th | 19 !19th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel John Mansfield, of Lynn, who left the service on September 15, 1775. From then until the end of the year the regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Israel Hutchinson, of Danvers. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 27th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Danielson's | DanielsonTimothy Danielson | 08 !8th | 18 !18th | This regiment contained eleven companies and had an official establishment of 658 officers and men. It was commanded by Colonel Timothy Danielson, of Brimfield, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment at then end of 1775. Most of the regiment was consolidated into Learned's Regiment, which became the 3rd Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Prescott's | PrescottWilliam Prescott | 09 !9th | 10 !10th | This regiment contained eleven companies and had an official establishment of 658 officers and men. It was commanded by Colonel William Prescott, of Pepperell, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 7th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Frye's | FryeJames Frye | 10 !10th | 01 !1st | This regiment was commanded by Colonel James Frye, of Andover, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment at the end of 1775. |
| Bridge's | BridgeEbenezer Bridge | 11 !11th | 27 !27th | This regiment contained eleven companies and had an official establishment of 658 officers and men. It was commanded by Colonel Ebenezer Bridge, of Billerica, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment at the end of 1775. |
| Paterson's | PatersonJohn Paterson | 12 !12th | 26 !26th | This regiment contained eleven companies and had an official establishment of 658 officers and men. It was commanded by Colonel John Paterson, of Lenox, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 15th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Scammon's | ScammonJames Scammon | 13 !13th | 30 !30th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel James Scammon. His regiment was raised in what were then known as the "eastern counties," the present state of Maine. Scammon served as colonel of the regiment until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment at the end of 1775. Its companies were then divided among three other regiments, principally the 18th Continental Regiment. |
| Learned's | LearnedEbenezer Learned | 14 !14th | 04 !4th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Ebenezer Learned, of Oxford, who served as colonel until the end of the year.It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 3rd Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Gardner's Bond's |
GardnerThomas Gardner William Bond |
15 !15th | 37 !37th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Thomas Gardner. He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, and died July 3, 1775. On that date the regiment's commander, Lieutenant Colonel William Bond, was promoted to the rank of colonel. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 25th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Nixon's | NixonJohn Nixon | 16 !16th | 05 !5th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel John Nixon, of Framingham and Sudbury, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 4th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Fellows' | FellowsJohn Fellows | 17 !17th | 08 !8th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel John Fellows, of Sheffield, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment at the end of 1775. Most of its companies were consolidated into Ward's Regiment, which became the 21st Continental Regiment. |
| Doolittle's | DoolittleEphraim Doolittle | 18 !18th | 24 !24th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Ephraim Doolittle, who left the service in October 1775. Command of the regiment passed to its next senior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Holden, of Princeton. It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment at the end of 1775. |
| BrewerJJ. Brewer's | BrewerJJonathan Brewer | 19 !19th | 06 !6th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Jonathan Brewer, of Waltham, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 6th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| BrewerDD. Brewer's | BrewerDDavid Brewer | 20 !20th | 09 !9th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel David Brewer, of Palmer, who was dismissed from the service on October 24, 1775. The next senior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Rufus Putnam, of Brookfield, assumed command of the regiment and served until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment at the end of 1775. Most of its companies were consolidated into Read's Regiment, which became the 13th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Heath's Greaton's |
William Heath John Greaton |
21 !21st | 36 !36th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel William Heath, of Roxbury. Heath was made a Continental brigadier general on June 22, 1775, and command of the regiment passed to Lieutenant Colonel John Greaton. Greaton was promoted to the rank of colonel on July 1, 1775, and the regiment became Greaton's Regiment. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 24th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Woodbridge's Regiment of Militia | WoodbridgeBenjamin Ruggles Woodbridge |
22 !22nd | 25 !25th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge, of South Hadley, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment at the end of 1775. Woodbridge remained active in the Massachusetts militia. |
| Glover's | GloverJohn Glover | 23 !23rd | 21 !21st | This regiment was commanded by Colonel John Glover, of Marblehead, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment. In December 1775, Glover's Regiment was stationed at Beverly to defend the naval base located there. The regiment was designated the 14th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Little's | LittleMoses Little | 24 !24th | 17 !17th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Moses Little, of Newbury, who served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 12th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Gerrish's | GerrishSamuel Gerrish | 25 !25th | 38 !38th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Samuel Gerrish, of Newbury, who was dismissed from the service on August 19, 1775. Command of the regiment passed to its next senior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Loammi Baldwin, of Woburn. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 26th Continental Regiment (with Baldwin promoted to colonel) in the 1776 establishment. |
| Phinney's | PhinneyEdmund Phinney | 26 !26th | 31 !31st | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Edmund Phinney, whose regiment was raised in the present state of Maine. Phinney served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 18th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
| Sargent's | SargentPaul Dudley Sargent | 27 !27th | 28 !28th | This regiment was commanded by Colonel Paul Dudley Sargent, of Amherst, New Hampshire. Sargent served as colonel until the end of the year. It served in the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 16th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment. |
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