Fifth Virginia Regiment on the Continental Line

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Sources

• Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties
• Library of Virginia Catalog
• William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Volume 5
• The Continental Army, Robert K. Wright, Center of Military History, United States Army: Washington (2006).
• Orderly Book of the Company of Captain George Stubblefield, Fifth Virginia Regiment
• Orderly Book of Brigadier General Peter Muhlenberg
• Journal of the American Revolution
• Revolutionary War New Jersey
• United States Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783
• Historical Military Records
• Kentucky Revolutionary War Warrants Database
• Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washington by his adopted son George Washington Parke Custis
• Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters
• Valley Forge Muster Roll Project
• Find A Grave
• WikiTree
• Wikipedia

Formation

In December 1775, the Virginia General Assembly voted to increase the size of the military forces from two regiments to nine regiments. These new regiments were to be comprised of ten companies of sixty men each, three companies to be riflemen and act as light infantry. On December 29, the Continental Congress requested the Commonwealth of Virginia to furnish six battalions for use by the Continental Army.

Deployment

1776

On February 13, the nine Virginia regiments were adopted by the Continental Congress for Continental service. In February and March, the Captains and Subaltern Officers for same were commissioned. The Fifth Regiment was initially assigned the area between the Potowmach and Rappahannock rivers for security:

• Mar 3-28: Encamped at Williamsburg
• Mar 29-Apr 20: Encamped at Richmond Courthouse
• Apr 21-May 29: Encamped at Suffolk
• May 30-Jun 3: Encamped at Kemp's Landing
• Jun 4-Jul 10: Encamped at Norfolk

The regiment left Virginia to join the bulk of George Washington's forces in late July. For the rest of the year, their disposition was as follows:

• Aug: Encamped at Morristown
• Oct 22-30: Encamped at White Plains
• Oct 28: Battle of White Plains
• Oct 31: Encamped at North Castle
• Dec 1-2: Encamped at Kingston
• Dec 2-3: Encamped at Princeton
• Dec 3-8: Encamped at Trenton
• Dec 8-24: Encamped at Morrisville
• Dec: 26 Battle of Trenton

1777

In 1777, the Fifth Virginia Regiment's disposition was as follows:

• Jan 2: Battle of Assunpink Creek
• Jan 3: Battle of Princeton
• Jan 6: Encamped at Morristown
• Feb 8 Battle of Quibbletown
• May 28-Jul 2: Encamped at Middle Brook
• Aug: Encamped at Chadds Ford
• Sep 3: Battle of Cooch's Bridge
• Sep 11: Battle of Brandywine
• Sep 12: Encamped at Gulph Mills
• Sept 13: Encamped at Germantown
• Sep 16: Battle of the Clouds
• Oct 4: Battle of Germantown
• Oct 5-20: Encamped at Ambler
• Oct 20-Nov 2: Encamped at Dawesfield
• Nov 2-Dec 8: Encamped at White Marsh
• Dec 5-8: Battle of White Marsh
• Dec 19-31: Encamped at Valley Forge

1778

The Fifth Virginia began the year in its encampment at Valley Forge, not disembarking until June 18. Thereafter:

• Jun 20: Encamped at New Hope
• Jun 22: Encamped at Lambertville
• Jun 23-24: Encamped at Hopewell
• Jun 25: Encamped at Kingston
• Jun 26: Encamped at Cranbury
• Jun 28: Battle of Monmouth
• Jun 29: Encamped at Englishtown
• Aug 4-Encamped at White Plains
• Nov 30-Sep 21: Encamped at Middle Brook

Reorganization

In September, the Virginia Line was reduced from fifteen regiments to eleven, with the Fifth Regiment absorbed by the Third Virginia Regiment.

Companies

• Captain Richard Anderson's Company
  
• Captain John Blackwell's Company (1778)
  
• Captain Reuben Briscoe's Company (1778)
  
• Captain Samuel Colston's Company
  
• Captain Ralph Faulkner's Company
  
• Captain Henry Fauntleroy's Company (1776-1778)
  
• Captain William Fowler's Company
  
• Major Thomas Gaskins's Company
  
• Captain John Fenton Mercer's Company (1778)
  
• Captain William Moseby's Company
  
• Captain Valentine Petyton's Company (1778)
  
• Captain John Pleasants' Company (1776)
  
• Captain Robert Powell's Company (1778)
  
• Captain Andrew Russell's Company
  
• Captain Gross Scruggs's Company (1776-1778)
  
• Captain George Stubblefield's Company (1776)
  
• Captain Henry Terrell's Company
  

Soldiers