1776 Establishment
On November 4, 1775, the Continental Congress resolved that on January 1, 1776, the Continental Army, exclusive of artillery and extra regiments, was to consist of 27 infantry regiments. The troops were to be enlisted to serve until December 31, 1776. The quota of regiments assigned to the states was 1 from Pennsylvania, 3 from New Hampshire, 16 from Massachusetts, 2 from Rhode Island, and 5 from Connecticut.
Each regiment was to have an official establishment of 728 officers and men in eight companies. The regiments were to receive numbers instead of names. For the campaign of 1776 Massachusetts was to provide the 3d, 4th, 6th, 7th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 23d, 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th Continental Regiments.
The reduction of the Massachusetts Line from an establishment of 16,468 officers and men in 275 companies to an establishment of 11,648 officers and men in 128 companies required a difficult reorganization.
The numbered Continental regiments raised in Massachusetts were widely scattered in the campaign of 1776. In April, following the British evacuation of Boston, five regiments (the 6th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 27th) were ordered to remain in Massachusetts, four of them occupying Boston. Three of these regiments (the 14th, 16th, and 27th) joined the Main Army in July. The 6th and 18th regiments joined the Northern Army in August, and never rejoined the Main Army. Of the eleven regiments that moved to New York City in April, three regiments (the 15th, 24th, and 25th) were ordered to Canada as reinforcements. One of these regiments (the 15th) rejoined the Main Army in November, and served at Trenton and Princeton. The 24th and 25th regiments, that had served in the Northern theater, also rejoined the Main Army in November, but marched directly to the army's winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey. Finally, the 7th Continental Regiment, which served in Parsons' Brigade, was assigned to the Highlands Department in November.
| Name | Colonel | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 033rd Continental | LearnedEbenezer Learned | This regiment was formed by consolidating the remnant of Danielson's Regiment, and the remnant of Wood's Company, Cotton's Regiment, with the remnant of Learned's Regiment. Colonel Ebenezer Learned commanded this regiment throughout 1776. As a regiment on the right wing of the army at Boston, it was ordered to furnish details for the Fortification of Dorchester Heights. Learned's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. It served at Trenton and Princeton. It was designated the 4th Massachusetts Regiment in the 1777 establishment. |
| 044th Continental | NixonJohn Nixon Thomas Nixon |
This regiment was formed by consolidating the remnant of Thompson's Company, Danielson's Regiment, with the remnant of Nixon's Regiment. Colonel John Nixon commanded this regiment until August 9, 1776, the date on which he was promoted to brigadier general. On that date the regiment's next senior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Nixon, assumed command with the rank of colonel. Nixon's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. It served at Trenton and Princeton. It was designated the 6th Massachusetts Regiment in the 1777 establishment. |
| 066th Continental | WhitcombAsa Whitcomb | This regiment was formed by consolidating the remnants of Soul's Company, Fellows' Regiment, and Danforth's Company, David Brewer's Regiment, with the remnant of Jonathan Brewer's Regiment. However, Jonathan Brewer left the service, and command of this regiment was given to Colonel Asa Whitcomb, whose old regiment was disbanded. As a regiment on the right wing of the army at Boston, it was ordered to furnish details for the Fortification of Dorchester Heights. Whitcomb's regiment occupied Boston in April 1776. In August it was ordered to northern New York to oppose Carleton's counteroffensive, and never rejoined the Main Army. It was designated the 13th Massachusetts Regiment in the 1777 establishment. |
| 077th Continental | PrescottWilliam Prescott | This regiment was formed by consolidating the remnants of Darby's and Nowell's Companies, Scammon's Regiment, and the remnant of Morse's Company, Paterson's Regiment, with the remnant of Prescott's Regiment. Colonel William Prescott commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Prescott's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. In November it was stationed in the Hudson Highlands. It was disbanded at the end of 1776, with some remnants joining the 2nd Massachusetts Regiment. |
| 1212th Continental | LittleMoses Little | This regiment was formed by reducing Little's Regiment from ten companies to eight. Colonel Moses Little commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Little's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. It served at Trenton and Princeton. It was disbanded afterward. |
| 1313th Continental | ReadJoseph Read | This regiment was formed by consolidating the remnants of Walker's Regiment and David Brewer's Regiment with the remnant of Read's Regiment. Colonel Joseph Read commanded this regiment throughout 1776. As a regiment on the right wing of the army at Boston, it was ordered to furnish work details for the Fortification of Dorchester Heights. Read's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. It served at Trenton and Princeton. It was disbanded afterward. |
| 1414th Continental | GloverJohn Glover | This regiment was formed from by reducing Glover's Regiment from ten companies to eight. Colonel John Glover commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Glover's regiment continued to be stationed at Beverly until July, when it was ordered to join the Main Army at New York City. The regiment served at Trenton, and played significant roles in the aftermath of the Battle of Long Island and Washington's crossing of the Delaware. It was disbanded at the end of 1776. |
| 1515th Continental | PatersonJohn Paterson | This regiment was formed by consolidating the remnants of Sayer's and Sullivan's Companies, Scammon's Regiment, with the remnant of Paterson's Regiment (less the remnants of Morse's and Watkins' Companies). Colonel John Paterson commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Paterson's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. In the same month it was ordered to reinforce the American army in Canada. In November the regiment rejoined the Main Army and served at Trenton and Princeton. It was designated the 1st Massachusetts Regiment in the 1777 establishment. |
| 1616th Continental | SargentPaul Dudley Sargent | This regiment was formed by reducing Sargent's Regiment from ten companies to eight. Colonel Paul Dudley Sargent commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Sargent's regiment occupied Boston in April 1776. It was ordered to join the Main Army at New York City in July. The regiment served at Trenton and Princeton. It was designated the 8th Massachusetts Regiment in the 1777 establishment. |
| 1818th Continental | PhinneyEdmund Phinney | This regiment was formed by consolidating the remnants of Scammon's Regiment and Watkins' Company, Paterson's Regiment, with the remnant of Phinney's Regiment. Colonel Edmund Phinney commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Phinney's regiment occupied Boston in April 1776. In August it was ordered to northern New York to oppose Carleton's counteroffensive, and never rejoined the Main Army. It was designated the 12th Massachusetts Regiment in the 1777 establishment. |
| 2121st Continental | WardJonathan Ward | This regiment was formed by consolidating the remnant of Fellows' Regiment, and the remnants of Benson's and Bradford's Companies, Cotton's Regiment, with the remnant of Ward's Regiment. Colonel Jonathan Ward commanded this regiment throughout 1776. As a regiment on the right wing of the army at Boston, it was ordered to furnish details for the Fortification of Dorchester Heights. Ward's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. It served at Trenton and Princeton. It was disbanded afterward. |
| 2323rd Continental | BaileyJohn Bailey | This regiment was formed by consolidating the remnant of Cotton's Regiment (less the remnants of Benson's, Bradford's, Mayhew's, and Wood's Companies) with the remnant of Bailey's Regiment. Colonel John Bailey commanded this regiment throughout 1776. As a regiment on the right wing of the army at Boston, it was ordered to furnish details for the Fortification of Dorchester Heights. Bailey's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. It served at Trenton and Princeton. It was designated the 2nd Massachusetts Regiment in the 1777 establishment. |
| 2424th Continental | GreatonJohn Greaton | This regiment was formed by consolidating the remnant of Crafts' Company, Bond's Regiment, with the remnant of Greaton's Regiment. Colonel John Greaton commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Greaton's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. In the same month it was ordered to reinforce the American army in Canada. The regiment rejoined the Main Army in November, marching directly to Morristown. It was designated the 3rd Massachusetts Regiment in the 1777 establishment. |
| 2525th Continental | BondWilliam Bond Ichabod Alden |
This regiment was formed by consolidating the remnants of Mayhew's Company, Cotton's Regiment, and Egery's Company, Danielson's Regiment, with the remnant of Bond's Regiment (less the remnant of Crafts' Company). Colonel William Bond commanded this regiment until his death on August 31, 1776. The regiment's next senior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ichabod Alden, held command until the end of the year. Bond's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. In the same month it was ordered to reinforce the American army in Canada. The regiment rejoined the Main Army in November, marching directly to Morristown. The regiment was disbanded at the end of 1776. |
| 2626th Continental | BaldwinLoammi Baldwin | This regiment was formed from by reducing Gerrish's Regiment from ten companies to eight. This regiment was commanded by Colonel Loammi Baldwin, who was promoted to that rank on January 1, 1776. Baldwin's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. It served at Trenton and Princeton. It was designated the 9th Massachusetts Regiment in the 1777 establishment. |
| 2727th Continental | HutchinsonIsrael Hutchinson | This regiment was formed from by reducing Mansfield's Regiment from ten companies to eight. This regiment was commanded by Colonel Israel Hutchinson, who was promoted to that rank on January 1, 1776. Hutchinson's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. It served at Trenton and Princeton. It was designated the 5th Massachusetts Regiment in the 1777 establishment. |
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