The World Turned Upside Down - 9th Pennsylvania Continental Regiment.

 

The 9th Pennsylvania Regiment was authorised on September 16th, 1776, by the Continental Congress as part of the expansion of the Continental Army's Pennsylvania Line to bolster forces amid escalating British threats and assigned to the main army on December 27th, 1776, comprising eight companies of volunteers recruited primarily from Lancaster, Cumberland, Westmoreland, Chester, Philadelphia, and other Pennsylvania counties during the spring of 1777 organisation at Philadelphia.

Volunteers were recruited primarily from Lancaster, Cumberland, Westmoreland, Chester, Philadelphia, and other Pennsylvania counties, and organised in the spring of 1777 at Philadelphia.

This authorisation followed the reorganisation of Pennsylvania's contributions to the national army, aiming to raise additional infantry regiments for three-year enlistments or the duration of the war. Colonel James Irvine, a veteran of earlier campaigns including the failed invasion of Canada, was appointed to lead the regiment in late 1776, though he resigned in June 1777 as he transferred to command the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment shortly after organisation in spring 1777. 

The companies were designated under captains Bowen, Davis, Erwin, Gourley, Grant, Henderson, McClellan, and Nichols, and by August 1777, shortly after establishment, the regiment's payroll recorded 332 officers and enlisted men across its companies, indicating a modestly understrength unit compared to the theoretical 600-800 men per regiment, with variations by company (e.g., Erwin's at 61 total, Grant's at 20).

The situation map of opposing forces in the spring of 1777 when the the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment was being raised in Philadelphia.
Map from Philadelphia 1777, Taking the Capital - Osprey Campaign.

Lieutenant Colonel George Nagel assumed effective command during this formative phase, supported by Major Matthew Smith, as the unit integrated into Brigadier General Thomas Conway's 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade within Lord Stirling's division for the 1777 campaign.

9th Pennsylvania Continental Regiment.
An illustration from the Blandford Press, Mollo & McGregor book
'Deserter descriptions for the regiment in Pennsylvania during
the spring of 1777 mention new brown coats, turned up with red,
and in one case a light infantry cap is mentioned.'

Equipment issuance was rudimentary and inconsistent at formation, prioritising arms over uniforms amid supply shortages from British blockades and domestic production limits, that saw soldiers receiving smoothbore flintlock muskets (often Pennsylvania-made Committee of Safety models or imported French Charlevilles), bayonets, cartridge boxes holding 20-30 rounds, knapsacks, and haversacks for rations; sidearms such as hangers were issued to officers.

Uniforms typically comprised linen hunting shirts or frocks, woollen overalls, leather or felt caps, and leather accoutrements, with regimental coats (reportedly brown faced with red) with returns from 1777 indicating frequent deficiencies in blankets, tents, and ammunition, compelling reliance on state provisions or foraging.

Colonel Richard Butler, assumed command on June 7th, 1777, and would lead the unit through the Philadelphia Campaign at the battles of Brandywine (September 11th, 1777), Germantown (October 4th, 1777), and Monmouth (June 28th, 1778), during which the regiment experienced high attrition.

Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Smith served as second-in-command, particularly during the Valley Forge winter encampment (1777–1778), where he oversaw training and morale amid harsh conditions affecting the regiment's approximately 150 effectives; and he would be notable for representing enlisted grievances during the Pennsylvania Line Mutiny (January 1st, 1781), petitioning Congress for back pay and enlistment reforms while maintaining regimental cohesion under Butler.

Major Francis Nichols, promoted from captaincy in late 1776, was also a key officer in the unit, supporting field operations and later rising to lieutenant colonel. 

The regiment mustered approximately 332 officers and men by August 1777, though effective combat strength was lower due to detachments, illness, and desertions, estimated at around 239 present for duty, and Conway's 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade, noted for its discipline under rigorous training, formed part of the American defensive line along Brandywine Creek in Chester County to protect the rebel capital.

Brigadier General Thomas Conway 

Division: Major General William Alexander (Lord Stirling)

3rd Pennsylvania Brigade: Brigadier General Thomas Conway (950)

3rd Pennsylvania Regiment (150 all ranks)

6th Pennsylvania Regiment (200 all ranks)

9th Pennsylvania Regiment (193 all ranks)

12th Pennsylvania Regiment (231 all ranks)

Spencer's Additional Regiment (186 all ranks)

I covered the movements and actions of Conway's brigade in my showcase post looking at the 9th's sister regiment in the brigade, 3rd Pennsylvania Continental Regiment, link below.

JJ's Wargames: The World Turned Upside Down - 3rd Pennsylvania Continental Regiment.

Suffice to say in their action they and the other regiments in 3rd Brigade took the brunt of Cornwallis's flank attack, and their discipline was tested on September 11th, 1777. 

New Light on Battle Casualties: The 9th Pennsylvania Regiment at Brandywine - Journal of the American Revolution

As documented by historian Patrick A. Hannum (link above):

Conway’s Brigade consisted of the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th Pennsylvania regiments. Conway, an Irish Catholic, had served in the French Army gaining combat experience against Frederick the Great prior to traveling to North America to serve with American forces in the Revolution. Conway was not well liked by his officers possibly because he trained and regularly drilled the brigade, turning it into one of the best disciplined units in the Continental Army.

Hannum describes the the fight above Birmingham:

The entire fight lasted about one hour and forty minutes with the close fight for Battle Hill lasting fifty-one minutes “almost Muzzle to Muzzle.” General Conway, a veteran of European wars and the 9th Pennsylvania’s brigade commander, indicated that he “never saw so close and severe a fire.”

The 9th suffered decimating losses, 40 casualties [8 KIA, 16 Wounded, 16 missing], and the fact that Conway's men remained combat effective even as they were eventually driven from the field is praiseworthy indeed.

Leading Hannum to state:

Conway and the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade passed the test, and as a result of the unit’s performance at Brandywine, Washington selected the brigade as a lead unit in the American attack at Germantown on October 4, 1777.

The Battle of Germantown, October 4th 1777.
Map illustrating the position of the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade under Conway on the extreme right of Sullivan's line.

At Germantown the regiment contributed to initial successes, driving a British unit over a mile from its position in foggy conditions, demonstrating the brigade's honed discipline from prior actions. However, fog, friendly fire, and British reinforcements led to an American withdrawal after three hours of fighting.

Following Germantown, Howe's forces consolidated in Philadelphia, while Washington manoeuvred to harass British supply lines, but by December 19th, 1777, the regiment, reduced to 229 assigned men with 146 fit for duty, encamped at Valley Forge for the winter, enduring severe shortages amid the campaign's culmination.

Valley Forge - Keith Rocco

The 9th Pennsylvania left Valley Forge with 212 assigned, 117 fit for duty, part of the Continental Army's Pennsylvania Line under Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, participating in the Battle of Monmouth on June 28th, 1778, contributing to the counterattack that helped repel British forces.

The attack on Clinton's rearguard by the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade.

Monmouth Maps from the Book Fatal Sunday - Friends of Monmouth Battlefield

Following Monmouth, the 9th Regiment encamped with the main army at White Plains, New York, through late 1778, engaging in routine patrols and the defence of fortifications to counter British foraging expeditions in Westchester County. The regiment's role remained defensive, focused on denying British access to resources in the neutral ground between American and British lines, as documented in Wayne's correspondence noting the unit's readiness for rapid response to incursions.

By early 1779, the 9th Pennsylvania shifted to support operations around New York Harbour, and throughout these Mid-Atlantic engagements, the 9th maintained discipline despite supply shortages, contributing to the Continental Army's strategy of attrition against British forces entrenched in New York City.

Morristown, New Jersey 1780, illustration by Keith Rocco.

The winter of 1779/1780 was one of the worst on record, and the American army in its winter quarters in Morristown suffered immensely. To make matters worse Washington was forced to detach and send south the Virginia and North Carolina Line in December 1779 and early January 1780, and in April the Maryland and Delaware Line, leaving him short of two of his best divisions in the campaigning year ahead.

When the spring 1780 campaigning season opened the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment found itself part of Major General Greene's Pennsylvania Division as part of the 2nd Brigade, composed of:

3rd Pennsylvania Regiment - 221/310 (fit for duty/assigned)

5th Pennsylvania Regiment - 199/274

6th Pennsylvania Regiment - 132/207

9th Pennsylvania Regiment - 120/179

While elements of the 9th Pennsylvania participated in the Battle of Green Springs on July 6th, 1781, where Wayne's aggressive probe against a superior British force at James City County, Virginia, resulted in heavy American casualties but successfully screened Lafayette's main army from pursuit, the regiment's independent existence effectively ended amid the Pennsylvania Line mutiny of January 1781, after which it was consolidated on January 17th with the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment; the merged unit was redesignated the 5th Pennsylvania and saw portions furloughed at Trenton, New Jersey, while others were retained for active duty.

The 5th Regiment was disbanded on January 1st, 1783, at Philadelphia, with veterans mustered out or transferred to provisional units.

My 9th Pennsylvania Continental Regiment are based on the Mollo/McGregor illustration seen above using the plastic Continental Infantry from Perry Miniatures and sporting a buff divisional Colour from GMB Flags, and another Gostelowe Colour from Flags of War, Gostelowe Standard No. 2, 'We Are Always Ready', these extras together with a set of low profile sabot bases from Supreme Littleness Designs.

As will be seen from the historical narrative, Conway's 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade, barely numbered a thousand men all ranks among its five regiments in time for the Philadelphia Campaign and with British regiments often numbering 300 men or more in brigades of four regiments, the wargamer, modelling Continental Regiments, faces an interesting compromise as to how to best represent these formations on the table.

In my case I consider the probability that Continental commanders very likely fielded combined regiments, much like their Crown opponents would do when numbers forced such a compromise to field formed units in line capable in strength to contest ground, something that skirmishers, the other employment for small groups of troops, are unable to do against formed opponents.

Thus my 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade will see this unit standing in for the combined strength of the 9th and 12th Pennsylvania Regiments as seen below, numbering some 424 men in the 20-figure unit modelled, with the next unit to feature from the brigade being Spencer's Additional Regiment, before work turns to Ogden's New Jersey men.

However before any of that, my work will turn back towards the British spearhead elite units with upcoming showcase posts for the British Second Combined Light Infantry Battalion, the Combined Guards Light Companies, and the First Combined Guards Battalion.

As always more anon.

JJ

The Battle of Tapae, 101 AD, using Three Ages of Rome - Preparation and Planning.

 

Next month I am planning to give the Roman-Dacians a run out and to entertain my two lads, Tom and Will, and their friends, some new to historical wargaming and with Will having a particular affection for ancients; with a planned scenario based on the historical Battle of Tapae and allowing me to try out a set of rules I've had in my collection for a few years now, Three Ages of Rome from Helion Wargames, written by Philip Garton.

The rules fit perfectly with my collection of figures with, as their title suggests they being designed specifically for and covering the three ages of Imperial Rome, namely the Expansion of Rome's Imperial Empire, 70-30 BC, The Establishment and Consolidation of the Empire, 30 BC to 200 AD and the Decline of Empire, 200 AD to 450 AD.

They are titled as 'fast play for exciting ancient battles', with the first part of that sentence not often being an aspect that would normally excite my interest, as my experience of many 'fast-play' rules has been regularly underwhelming, given the often fast-play aspect is gained at the expense of losing period feel and detail and the erring towards the 'game' aspect rather than the 'simulation' I prefer my rules to lean to.

The last time the Romano-Dacians were out on the table was in December 2019 with this river crossing scenario using Augustus to Aurelian rules with Will, Ben and Tom.
JJ's Wargames: Augustus to Aurelian - River Crossing

So the fact that 'Three Ages of Rome' has made it to a play test, for which I have some eager guinea-pigs to humour my interest, reflects my impression that these rules might have struck a balance on the game-simulation spectrum that warrants further investigation with a game.

This scenario is based on one of the six scenarios contained in the rules covering the three periods, slightly adapted for my table and collection, with the rules composed specifically for 15mm but with the simple adaption of increasing all measurements by 50% for use with 28mm.

The chaps have had the following briefing:

The Battle of Tapae, 101 AD

Since the reign of Augustus, the Dacian frontier had been relatively peaceful. Although there had been periods of skirmishing, there had been no open warfare. This changed dramatically in 88 AD when the Dacians, under King Duras, invaded the Roman province of Moesia. The Roman Emperor Domitian immediately responded but his general, Cornelius Fuscus, was defeated at the first Battle of Tapae by the Dacian Decebalus. Another Roman general, Tettius Julianus, was more successful and the subsequent peace treaty lasted for a decade.

Decebalus continued to undermine the security of the Dacian frontier. He made alliances with other tribes to put pressure on the Romans. The new Emperor, Trajan, needed time to organise an army to respond to this renewed threat. By 101 he was ready to launch his own offensive. His army followed much the same route into Dacia as it had 13 years before.

The road to Tapae follows a valley directly towards the Dacian capital, Sarmizegethusa Regia. Decebalus decided to block the Roman advance at this point. No one has found any contemporary documents describing the course of this battle. What is known is that it was hard fought. It has been said that a thunderstorm broke out which was interpreted in opposite ways by the two sides. The Romans took it as a sign that Mars, their god of war was arriving for their side. The Dacians took it that their gods were dissatisfied. Whatever the truth, the Dacian army eventually gave way, leaving the route to their capital open.

It was to take five more years of hard campaigning before Trajan could claim control over his new Dacian province. A few years later, Trajan commissioned the building of one of the most famous Roman monuments. Trajan’s Column stands both as a monument to Trajan’s achievements, and also a reminder to everyone of the power of Rome.

Early Imperial Roman Army

Objective

The aim is to break the will of the Dacian Army and force it to retreat. A secondary objective is to exhaust any Dacian command without exhausting any Roman command. This would be a minor victory.

Dacian Army

Objective

The aim is to break the will of the Roman Army and force it to retreat.

The Battle of Tapae, 101 AD, Commander Ratings

Trajan, born Marcus Ulpius Traianus on 18th September AD 53 in Italica, Hispania Baetica (modern Andalusia, Spain), was the first Roman emperor born outside Italy. He came from a family with a strong military tradition; his father, also Marcus Ulpius Traianus, was a distinguished general and senator who served in the Jewish War and became consul. Trajan received a comprehensive education in rhetoric, philosophy, and Roman law, and began his military career as a tribune under his father, later commanding the Seventh Legion in northern Spain.

Trajan gained prominence during the reign of Domitian, serving as a legatus in Germania and Hispania, and later as governor of Upper Germany and Pannonia. Following Domitian’s assassination, Emperor Nerva, facing a succession crisis and pressure from the army, adopted Trajan as his heir in AD 97 due to his military reputation and popularity with the legions. Trajan became emperor in AD 98 upon Nerva’s death, marking the beginning of his rule as the second of the Five Good Emperors.

Trajan is celebrated for his military campaigns, particularly the Dacian Wars (101–106 AD), which resulted in the conquest of Dacia and the acquisition of vast wealth for Rome. He also expanded the empire eastward, annexing Arabia, Armenia, and Mesopotamia, reaching the Persian Gulf, and briefly surpassing the territorial limits of previous emperors. His victories earned him the honorific title Dacicus and solidified his reputation as a soldier-emperor.

Trajan’s Experience Rating = Veteran

 

Pietas and Catus have four or more years experience in military command and will roll a D6 to determine their Experience Rating, 1 = Politico, 2-4 = Normal, 5-6 = Veteran

Decebalus was the last king of Dacia, ruling c. 87–106 AD, who unified Dacian tribes and resisted Roman conquest under emperors Domitian and Trajan. Noted for strategic skill, fortifications at Sarmizegethusa Regia, and use of the falx weapon, he won early victories like the ambush of Cornelius Fuscus but was defeated in two major wars (101–102, 105–106 AD). Pursued after the fall of his capital, he committed suicide rather than be captured, becoming a celebrated symbol of courage in Romanian history.

Decebalus’ Experience Rating = Normal

Scorisicus has four or more years experience in military command and will roll a D6 to determine his 

Experience Rating, 1 = Politico, 2-4 = Normal, 5-6 = Veteran

Needless to say, I am by no means the first person to try these rules, part of a series written by Phil Garton for Helion, and in the best traditions of the best way of walking through a minefield, namely follow in the footsteps of someone who has already made it through to the other side, I have naturally trawled through various other blog posts covering them and their playability as well as joining the small Facebook Group page in anticipation of setting up this game and garnering a few House Rules and adaptions that have come forth from more experienced users of the rules.

Three Ages of Rome | Groups | Facebook

I intend to make best use of those House Rules many of which covered off a few of the aspects I had already noted to make changes to, and incorporating a better QRS than the one contained in the rules, they being far more encompassing for all the aspects of play that might crop up, together with my own page references to the rule book, should I need to clarify a point for the chaps playing.

So there we are, a little diversion from all things American War of Independence orientated and a game that will not only be the first one to be played in my refurbished room, but one I'm hoping might lead to other ideas for my Romans and Dacians going forward into 2027.

As always more anon.

JJ

The World Turned Upside Down - 3rd Pennsylvania Continental Regiment.

 

The Continental Congress authorised the raising of four additional battalions in Pennsylvania on December 9th, 1775, to serve in the Continental Army, following the model of an existing battalion already formed in the colony. These units were to consist of infantry companies enlisted for one-year terms, with recruitment directed by the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety, and on December 15th, 1775, Congress further resolved that the Committee recommend field officers and appoint lower-ranking ones for these battalions.

Colonel Arthur St. Clair.

One of these, designated the 2nd Pennsylvania Battalion, was placed under the command of Colonel Arthur St. Clair, who received his commission on January 3rd, 1776, and recruitment drew from Pennsylvania volunteers across counties such as Northampton and Westmoreland, forming eight companies of infantry equipped with standard Continental arms and provisions, including hunting shirts or coats, haversacks, canteens, and tomahawks. Initial enlistments emphasized volunteers motivated by the defence of American liberty, with pay structured to include an advance for equipment deductions from monthly wages until repaid.

The battalion mustered initially in locations like Carlisle, Pennsylvania, reaching a total strength of approximately 728 officers and men by late April 1776, as reported in a general return at New York during its march northward., and as part of the emerging Pennsylvania Line, the Continental Army's organized contribution from the state, the 2nd Pennsylvania Battalion joined other Pennsylvania units in the Fourth Brigade under St. Clair, tasked with northern operations.

The unit, commanded by Colonel Arthur St. Clair, arrived piecemeal at key points along the route, including Albany and Ticonderoga; four companies reached the lines before Quebec by March 30th, 1776, though too late for the main assault of December 31st, 1775, before crossing into Canada via Lake Champlain and the Richelieu River, reaching positions near Sorel by late May amid growing British reinforcements, and with a regimental return for that month showing 378 men all ranks fit for duty out of a total number of 481 men that included sick and men on detached service.

By June 1776, the regiment mustered 597 personnel across eight companies and participated in the failed offensive against British positions in Canada, including the Battle of Trois-Rivières on June 8th, 1776. As part of a force under Brigadier General William Thompson that included elements from the 4th and 6th Pennsylvania Battalions, St. Clair's men were involved in the engagement against British troops at Trois-Rivières, contributing to the American retreat from the area.

The Albany to Quebec area of operations for the 2nd Pennsylvania Battalion in 1776.

Following the defeat, the battalion joined the broader retreat from Canada, evacuating Sorel on June 14th under Major General John Sullivan and reaching Isle aux Noix by June 18th, where rampant disease—exacerbated by poor sanitation, exposure, and malnutrition—decimated its ranks, with over half the men reporting ill by late June. The unit continued southward through St. Johns and Crown Point, arriving at Fort Ticonderoga by early July, where it was brigaded under St. Clair in the Northern Department on July 20th; by August, its effective strength had dwindled to about 429 rank-and-file, reflecting cumulative losses exceeding 100 from combat, captures, desertions, and illness during the campaign.

Battle of Valcour Island - V. Zveg.
Elements of the battalion provided infantry detachments from Ticonderoga to support Brigadier General Benedict Arnold's makeshift fleet during the battle.

In October 1776, elements of the battalion provided infantry detachments from Ticonderoga to support Brigadier General Benedict Arnold's makeshift fleet during the Battle of Valcour Island on Lake Champlain, contributing to the delaying action that disrupted British naval plans despite the American vessels' ultimate defeat and scuttling. The regiment was relieved from St. Clair's Brigade on November 14th, remaining in the Northern Department through the winter amid ongoing fortifications and supply shortages.

Officer, 3rd Pennsylvania Continental Regiment.

As part of the Continental Congress's broader reorganisation of the Continental Army in late 1776, the 2nd Pennsylvania Battalion was redesignated the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment effective January 1st, 1777, with formal organisation and officer commissions dated February 15th, 1777, to standardise the numbering and structure of Pennsylvania's contributions to the national force, principally twelve infantry regiments. This change aligned the unit with the new establishment, which aimed to create a more uniform army of 88 regiments across the states, each with defined ranks and roles.

The regiment's company structure was adjusted under this establishment, initially maintaining eight companies of infantry, with one field officer per company and a total authorized strength of approximately 728 men including officers. However by 1778, following consolidation with elements of the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment, it expanded to nine companies to address manpower shortages and enhance operational flexibility, while officer ranks were rationalised to include a colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, and adjutant per regiment.

The situation at the start of 1777 when the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment joined the Main Army under Washington at Middlebrook Camp, New Jersey.
Map from Philadelphia 1777, Taking the Capital - Osprey Campaign.

General Washington and the Main Continental Army spent the early part of 1777 at Middlebrook, New Jersey, whilst the New Jersey militia harassed British foraging parties, that prompted British General Howe to strike at American forces near Bound Brook on the 13th April and launch the Danbury Raid into Connecticut on the 25th-27th April; and in June, Howe sought to bring Washington's army into battle by advancing from Amboy, that initiated the Battle of Short Hills on 26th June 1777.

Detail of a 1777 map depicting part of north-eastern New Jersey, showing the approximate movements of British and American forces that led to the Battle of Short Hills, June 26th 1777.

The 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, now numbering some 150 men all ranks was assigned to Brigadier General Anthony Wayne's 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade on May 22nd, 1777, as part of the Main Continental Army, where it served alongside the 5th, 9th, and 11th Pennsylvania Regiments. 

Thomas Conway.
Congress appointed him as a brigadier general
in the Continental Army on May 13th 1777. 
His name was used politically to describe the infighting
known as the 'Conway Cabal', an affair, caused by his
writing a letter to Horatio Gates in which he referred
to Washington as a "weak general," criticising
General Washington's failed tactics against
British General William Howe.

By June the brigade had changed somewhat with the 3rd now alongside the 6th, 9th, and 12th Pennsylvania Regiments together with Spencer's Additional Regiment under the command of Brigadier General Thomas Conway, part of Major-general William Alexander, Lord Stirling's Division when it participated in the Battle of Short Hills.

The Battle of Short Hills, June 26th 1777, - Atlas of the Battles and Campaigns of the American Revolution 1775-1783.

Washington had moved his main army out of the hills around Middlebrook, attempting to press Howe's positions around Amboy and Howe seizing the opportunity marched two columns of troops out on June 26th in an attempt to cut Washington off from the high ground. The British troops skirmished with Lord Stirling's troops and eventually engaged in a pitched battle in Scotch Plains, that saw Stirling's outnumbered force retreat, by which time Washington, alerted to the British movement, had by then retreated back to the hills.

Private Soldier, 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment.

After the setbacks in New Jersey, Howe proposed operations against Philadelphia that included an overland expedition and a sea-based attack, thinking this might lead to a decisive victory over the Continental Army. 

This plan was developed to the extent that in April, Howe's army was seen constructing pontoon bridges; Washington, lodged in his winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey, thought they were for eventual use on the Delaware River. However, by mid-May Howe had apparently abandoned the idea of an overland expedition: 

"I propose to invade Pennsylvania by sea . . . we must probably abandon the Jersies."

Howe landed 15,000 troops in late August at the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay, about 55 miles southwest of Philadelphia.

 

Washington positioned 11,000 men between Howe and Philadelphia but was outflanked and driven back at the Battle of Brandywine, fought on September 11th, 1777 as Howe led approximately 15,000 British and Hessian troops in an advance from Maryland, aiming to the Continental Army positioned along Brandywine Creek near Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.

Washington expected Howe’s army to march from Kennett Square, in the West, up to Chad’s Ford and carry out a frontal assault. Thus the Pennsylvania Militia were posted to the left of the Chad’s Ford position, where little threat was perceived, whilst Washington positioned Wayne’s Pennsylvania Continentals, with Weedon’s and Muhlenberg’s brigades, in the centre opposite Chad’s Ford, under the command of Major-General Nathaniel Greene.

Major-General John Sullivan commanded on the right of the American army, posting forces under Colonel Moses Hazen at the distant Wistar’s and Buffington’s Fords. Light infantry and pickets were posted to the West of Brandywine Creek, to give warning of the British advance.

Map illustrating the actual advance of Howe's army and the repositioning of Sullivan's wing to counter the threat to the American right flank.

Washington appears to have been advised of the British encircling movement by Hazen’s distant troops, but to have discounted the warning for some hours, with Washington and his staff convinced that the main attack would be a frontal assault over Chad’s Ford. It was not until early afternoon that he was finally persuaded that the main British movement was to his right rear, this after he had begun an assault across the ford, and had to countermand those orders.

On the alarm being given, Sullivan marched his right wing of the American army to the North-East and, joining the retreating Hazen, formed his troops on a hill at the Birmingham Meeting House in time to meet Howe’s regiments which had formed three columns and attacked the Americans.

The Battle of Brandywine, September 11th 1777.
Map illustrating the position of the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade under Conway.

The 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, under Colonel Thomas Craig, and part of the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade under Conway held a forward position in Sullivan's division, tasked with supporting skirmishers in the town of Birmingham as well as five pieces of artillery positioned along the crest of the hill overlooking the town.

Division: Major General William Alexander (Lord Stirling)

3rd Pennsylvania Brigade: Brigadier General Thomas Conway (950)

3rd Pennsylvania Regiment (150 all ranks)

6th Pennsylvania Regiment (200 all ranks)

9th Pennsylvania Regiment (193 all ranks)

12th Pennsylvania Regiment (231 all ranks)

Spencer's Additional Regiment (186 all ranks)

JJ's Wargames: The World Turned Upside Down - His Majesty's 1st Light Infantry Composite Battalion, 1777.

When the 1st British Light Infantry reached the Birmingham Church yard, the American guns opened fire on them as the American skirmishers in the town fell back, pursued by three companies of light infantry that managed to take shelter from the artillery in dead ground at the base of the slope, overlooked by the 3rd Pennsylvanians.

The 1st Battalion Light Infantry at the Battle of Brandywine, September 11th, 1777 taking shelter from the artillery in dead ground at the base of the slope, and overlooked by the 3rd Pennsylvanians - Stephen Walsh (Osprey).

The Pennsylvanians resisted repeated attempts to climb the hill, at times advancing on the British light bobs keeping up a fire so hot that the light infantry were forced to go prone to load and fire.

Eventually Sullivan's left flank gave way in the face of the assault by British Grenadiers and Guards, sweeping up Birmingham Hill, that saw the three companies of light infantry now joined by a company of lights from the 4th King's Own and the Grenadier Company of the 43rd Foot join the assault by dashing forward up the hill and driving off the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade as a whole, capturing the five American guns in the process.

The Americans were driven from their positions, and the battle ended with the American army withdrawing up the road to Philadelphia in considerable confusion, with nightfall saving the Americans from greater loss, whilst the British encamped on the battlefield.

The Continental Congress once again abandoned the city, relocating first to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and later York, Pennsylvania, this as British and Patriot forces manoeuvred around each other west of Philadelphia for the next several days, clashing in minor encounters such as the abortive Battle of the Clouds and the night Battle of Paoli.

The Battle of Germantown, October 4th 1777.
Map illustrating the position of the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade under Conway on the extreme right of Sullivan's line.

After taking Philadelphia, the British garrisoned about 9,000 troops in Germantown, five miles north of the city, and despite concerns raised in his September council of war, Washington determined to surprise the British army in camp. 

His overcomplicated plan required a strong column under Major-General Nathaniel Greene, commanding Green's own Division under BG Peter Muhlenberg, MG Stephen's Division, and BG Alexander McDougall's Connecticut Brigade, to attack the right wing of the British army, which comprised Grant’s and Donop’s troops. 

Battle of Germantown, Painted by Xavier della Gatta, 1782.
This brick building is Xavier della Gatta’s representation of Cliveden, the home of Philadelphia lawyer Benjamin Chew. Della Gatta’s painting shows the 40th Regiment commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Musgrave entering the mansion and preparing to defend it. The 40th Regiment defended the house from intense artillery fire and 10 infantry assaults over a span of about two hours. One observer said the “Englishmen fought like lions.”

The second column, which Washington commanded, had Lord Stirling's Division in reserve, whilst MG John Sullivan's Division and BG Anthony Wayne's Pennsylvania Division, with 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade under Conway now about 800 men strong, in the lead, would advance down the main Philadelphia road and attack the British centre; additionally the forces of American militia would attack each wing of the British force, formed of the Queen’s Rangers on the right, and, on the left near the Schuylkill River, Hessian Jägers and British Light Infantry.

The fog and the stubborn defence at Cliveden (Chew House) disrupted coordination among the American columns, which saw some units mistakenly firing on their own troops, and prior to the futile attack against Cliveden by Stirling's Reserve, Sullivan's division advanced beyond in the fog, with Sullivan deploying Conway's brigade to his extreme right, whilst the other two Pennsylvanian brigades under Brigadier General Anthony Wayne covered the left flank before advancing on the British around Germantown.

In the fog, Wayne’s men encountered Stephen’s and the two American forces exchanged fire, after which both broke and fled. This left Sullivan and Conway to be subsequently forced back by the British counter attack, despite the American regiments fighting a stubborn rear-guard action hampered by a dwindling ammunition supply after firing multiple volleys blindly into the fog.

Washington was forced to retreat and to watch and wait for the anticipated British counterattack. However due to a prolonged defence of the Delaware River by Commodore John Hazelwood and the Continental Navy, the British were forced to focus on opening this key supply route to support their occupation of Philadelphia, finally securing the river by taking Fort Mifflin and Fort Mercer in November. 

In early December, Washington successfully repelled a series of probes by Howe in the Battle of White Marsh, and when the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment entered the Valley Forge camp on December 19th, 1777 it mustered just 116 men fit for duty and by May 2nd 1778 the army returns indicated 187 men assigned with 125 men fit for duty.

When Washington's Main Army marched out of Valley Forge on the late afternoon of June 18th 1788, in pursuit of the British Army now under the command of Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton on the march to New York City via Sandy Hook, New Jersey, having evacuated Philadelphia three days earlier, the 3rd Virginia Brigade was under new management following General Conway being relieved of command, and with the brigade as a whole only likely fielding some 600 men for duty.

3rd Virginia Brigade: Colonel Oliver Spencer (Probable) (600 )

3rd Virginia Regiment (107 all ranks)

6th Virginia Regiment (146 all ranks)

9th Virginia Regiment (117 all ranks)

12th Virginia Regiment (108 all ranks)

Spencer's Additional Regiment (69 all ranks)

Malcolm's Additional Regiment (72 all ranks)

Washington learned the British were evacuating Philadelphia on June 17th and he immediately convened a war council, at which all but two of the seventeen generals present believed the Continental Army still could not win a pitched battle against the British, Lee arguing it would be criminal to attempt one. Unsure of Clinton's exact intentions and with his officers urging caution, Washington determined to pursue the British and move to within striking distance.

The track of the American army as it pursued the British to Monmouth Court House.
Monmouth Maps from the Book Fatal Sunday - Friends of Monmouth Battlefield

The Battle of Monmouth unfolded on June 28th, 1778, amid sweltering heat in central New Jersey, General Charles Lee's advance guard initially engaged the enemy successfully but retreated in disarray following Lee's controversial orders, prompting George Washington to ride forward and rally the troops with a personal counterattack, reorganizing the line and launching a renewed offensive.

General Washington confronts General Lee at the Battle of Monmouth.
"I desire to know, sir, what is the reason – whence arises this disorder and confusion?"

The 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, fresh from rigorous winter training at Valley Forge that had transformed the Continental Army's discipline and tactics, formed part of General Anthony Wayne's Pennsylvania division in the main army. Assigned to the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade, the regiment helped anchor the center during Washington's rally, enduring intense combat against Clinton's rearguard in temperatures exceeding 100°F (38°C), where heat exhaustion claimed as many victims as musket fire.

The attack on Clinton's rearguard by the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade.
Monmouth Maps from the Book Fatal Sunday - Friends of Monmouth Battlefield

In the late afternoon, the regiment participated in the renewed offensive against the British rearguard, holding firm amid the chaos and contributing to the stalemate that denied the British a clean escape. Casualties for the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment remained relatively low at under 20, including the death of Lieutenant Colonel Rudolph Bunner, struck down near the fighting line.

This engagement marked a psychological turning point for the Continental Army, restoring confidence after Valley Forge by demonstrating its ability to stand toe-to-toe with professional British troops in open battle.

Following Monmouth, the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment continued garrison duties at Fort Pitt while elements participated in operations in the northern theatre, and on July 1st, 1778 it was consolidated with the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment and re-designated as the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, to consist of nine companies. 

Following the Battle of Monmouth, the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment continued garrison duties at Fort Pitt until December 1778, when the regiment joined Washington's Main Army in New Jersey.

From December 1778 to June 1779, the regiment encamped at Middlebrook, New Jersey, supporting Washington's main army, joining the New Jersey Campaign in April–October 1779, conducting patrols and defensive operations against British foraging parties and Loyalist activity in the region.

On June 7th 1780 Hessian General Wilhelm von Knyphausen, in command of the British garrison at New York City, made two attempts to reach the principal Continental Army encampment at Morristown, New Jersey, with the first frustrated by companies of the New Jersey militia under Brigadier General William Maxwell at Connecticut Farms, on the road to Springfield from Elizabethtown Point, that forced Knyphausen to withdraw, with all likely surprise lost.

On June 23rd Knyphausen and Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton, now British commander-in-chief in North America, decided upon a second attempt, with a two-pronged assault planned, with one column starting from Elizabethtown advancing along the Galloping Hill Road, straight through Connecticut Farms and Springfield, while another column would take the Vauxhall Road north of Springfield along the southern edge of Short Hills. 

Both were heading for the same objective as on June 7th, namely the  Hobart Gap above Springfield, the path through the Watchung Mountains that would allow an advance across eleven miles of flat ground to Washington's main encampment at Morristown.

A period map of New Jersey, illustrating the area and troop movements of the Springfield campaign of 1780, one of the last major engagements in the north.

Although the British were initially able to advance, they were ultimately forced to withdraw in the face of newly arriving rebel forces, resulting in a Continental victory, with the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment now part of the 2nd Pennsylvania Brigade in reserve as part of Major General Nathanael Greene's Pennsylvania Division. The battle effectively ended British ambitions in New Jersey.

The Battle of Springfield.
General Greene employing his signature tactics of defence in depth.
American forces: Approximately 2,050 soldiers under Major General Nathanael Greene, including Continental troops from Rhode Island, New Jersey militia, and cavalry under Major “Light Horse” Harry Lee.
British forces: Around 2,550 troops commanded by Lieutenant General Wilhelm von Knyphausen, including British regulars, Hessians, and Loyalist units such as the Queen’s Rangers and Musketeer Regiments von Donop and von Bose.

In the later stages of the American Revolutionary War, the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment underwent significant reorganisation following the expiration of many three-year enlistments and the aftermath of the Pennsylvania Line mutiny in January 1781, which affected multiple regiments including elements of the 3rd. 

The Pennsylvania Line Mutiny began on January 1st, 1781, when 1,500 soldiers from the Pennsylvania Line, all eleven regiments under General Anthony Wayne’s command insisted that their three-year enlistments were expired, and killed three officers in a drunken rage as they abandoned the Continental Army’s winter camp at Morristown, New Jersey, before matters were ended with a negotiated settlement on January 8th, with the final negotiated terms concluded by January 29th, 1781. 

The unit was consolidated with the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment on January 17th, 1781, reducing the Pennsylvania Line from twelve to four regiments while granting furloughs to discharged soldiers and recruiting new troops to fill ranks.

Detail of a military map prepared by an assistant to the Marquis de Lafayette in 1781. The full map shows the movements of Lafayette and Cornwallis in Virginia during the 1781 Yorktown campaign. This detail shows a portion of the Virginia Peninsula running west and north from Williamsburg; this area was the scene of two battles between the two forces: Battle of Spencer's Ordinary (location labelled "le 26 Juin") and Battle of Green Spring (location labelled "le 6 Juille").

Detachments from the reorganised 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, about 300 men, were dispatched south starting in May 1781 as part of the broader Southern Campaign, which extended through December 1782 and included operations in the Carolinas and Georgia, to reinforce Major General the Marquis de Lafayette's operations in Virginia, joining Brigadier General Anthony Wayne's Pennsylvania Brigade amid efforts to counter British General Lord Cornwallis's manoeuvres. 

The Battle of Green Spring, July 6th 1781.
On July 4th, Cornwallis departed Williamsburg for Jamestown, planning to cross the James River en route to Portsmouth. Lafayette believed he could stage an attack on Cornwallis's rear guard during the crossing; however Cornwallis anticipated Lafayette's idea, and laid an elaborate trap, that saw General Wayne's forces were very nearly caught in the trap, and only a bold bayonet charge against the numerically superior British enabled his forces to retreat.

These forces engaged at the Battle of Green Spring on July 6th, 1781, where they advanced against a superior British position, suffering casualties but withdrawing in good order to avoid encirclement. Later, the detachment contributed to the Siege of Yorktown from October 6th to 17th, 1781, participating in artillery operations and the investment of British lines that led to Cornwallis's surrender.

Meanwhile, the main body of the regiment remained stationed in Pennsylvania throughout 1781 and into 1782, primarily tasked with home defence against potential British naval raids along the Delaware River and coastal areas, as well as suppressing lingering unrest from the mutiny within the Pennsylvania Line. Elements also conducted frontier patrols in central and western Pennsylvania to deter Loyalist incursions and Native American attacks allied with the British. These duties reflected the regiment's shift toward garrison and protective roles as major field operations waned in the northern theatre.

The 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment was disbanded on November 3rd, 1783, following the Treaty of Paris that ended the war, marking the conclusion of its service in securing American independence.

In August 1778, Major Jonathan Gostelowe, a member of the Philadelphia militia artillery, and serving with the 4th Continental Artillery Regiment, completed an inventory of all arms and materiel held by the Continental Army in south-eastern Pennsylvania. This inventory included illustrations of thirteen standards (regimental flags). It is not known which regiments were issued these flags, or indeed if they were issued at all.

My 3rd Pennsylvania Continental Regiment are composed of plastic Continental Infantry from Perry Miniatures and carry purely conjectural colours, with  a Blue Divisional Colour from GMB flags and an enlarged Gostelowe Flag No.6, with the motto 'Death or Honour' from Flags of War. 

I intend to use the Gostelowe flags for my 'Pennsylvanian associated' units in the absence of other references and you can see Gostelowe Standard No. 5, with the motto, 'Sustain or Abstain' (Help or Stay Neutral), and with a thorn bush in hand, from Flags of War, in service with the German Regiment, link below.

JJ's Wargames: The World Turned Upside Down - The German Battalion (8th Maryland) Continental Regiment.

I have my 3rd Pennsylvania Continental Regiment displayed as a sixteen figure regiment which is obviously generous considering its strength and that of several of the other Pennsylvania regiments during the Philadelphia Campaign, but I intend it to stand in as a combined regiment incorporating members of the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment when taking the table. 

As usual, my regiment is finished off with a set of low profile sabot bases from Supreme Littleness Designs.

The next regiment to feature in my 'The World Turned Upside Down' project will be the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment, so as always, more anon.

JJ

Postscript:

I finished composing this post with a heavy heart, as this week I heard that a close wargaming friend of mine, Mr Ian Toogood, who I had had the pleasure of knowing and sharing many a game with over the last thirty odd years passed away after enduring, with great stoicism, a long illness.

My old friend Mr Ian Toogood enjoying happier times playing a gigantic D-Day game back in the nineties, with Ian seen suffering shell shock from all those Churchill Funnies blasting him out of his pillboxes.

I remember our times together with much fondness and I've attached some pictures from happier days when we were all a lot younger, and that remind me what fun and laughs we had over those years.

Our D-Day team from way-back-when, with Ian, fourth from left, and me with hair, second from right.

Ian had a passion for WWII history and back in 2015 he let that passion loose by acquiring a WWII vintage 1943 Jeep, 'Flossy', decked out in British 51st Highland Division markings and brought her to the Devon Wargames Group, with several of us enjoying a drive around Exeter drawing lots of admiring glances from those who recognised this beautiful old lady.

Me, getting to know Ian's new girlfriend 'Flossie', with Ian, centre, chatting to the lads. 
JJ's Wargames: A Special Old Lady visits the Devon Wargames Group

I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Ian's wife Lynn, and to express my own loss for an old friend and wargaming buddy. 

God Bless mate and farewell.

JJ