The World Turned Upside Down - 6th Maryland Continental Regiment

 

The 6th Maryland Regiment was active from 27th March 1776—January 1st, 1783, and was composed of eight companies of volunteers from Prince Georges, Queen Anne's, Fredrick, Cecil, Harford, and Ann Arundel counties in the colony of Maryland.

The 6th Maryland Regiment

On 22nd May 1777, the regiment was assigned to the 2nd Maryland Brigade. It was re-organized to nine companies on 12th May 1779 and reassigned to the Southern Department on 5th April 1780.

The 6th Maryland Regiment entered the theatre of war for the first time at the Battle of Brandywine as part of the 1st Maryland Brigade led by Colonel John Stone, and in conjunction with the 2nd Maryland brigade, 3rd Virginia Brigade, 4th Virginia Brigade, New Jersey Brigade and the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade formed a Division of 1,100 men led by Major General John Sullivan.

It would fight on the 4th October 1777 at the Battle of Germantown, where after taking heavy fire from the British defenders of Chew House after losing its direction in the thick fog that characterised the battle it ultimately ran out of ammunition along with the rest of the wing, and was forced to retreat.

Colonel Otho Holland Williams

At the Battle of Monmouth Court House, 28th June 1778, the 6th Maryland Regiment was led by the Colonel Otho Holland Williams, and fought alongside the 4th Maryland Regiment and the 2nd Maryland Regiment to make up the 2nd Maryland Brigade. This brigade, along with six other brigades made up Major General Nathanael Greene's Right Wing which was tasked to enfilade Clinton's forces.

Battle of Camden fought on the 16th August 1780 - Map by John Fawkes

After reassignment to the Southern Department the 6th Maryland with a strength of about 140 men and part of the 2nd Maryland Brigade, would see action at the Battle of Camden fought on the 16th August 1780, in Kershaw County, South Carolina by Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis commanding the British army, and Major General Horatio Gates commanding the American army, with the battle ending in a British victory and leading to further British control of the Carolinas.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_of_Guilford_Courthouse_15_March_1781_(DWR).jpg

Finally the 6th Maryland fought at the Battles of Guilford Court House on the 15th March 1781, stationed in the third line with the battle ending in a costly British victory in which roughly 100 British soldiers were killed, and 413 wounded compared to the 70 and 185 Americans.

JJ's Wargames - The World Turned Upside Down, 3rd New York Continental Regiment

My 6th Maryland Regiment was arranged by adjusting my 3rd New York Continental Regiment with the simple addition of a Betsy Ross Stars and Stripes Colour, from GMB, reportedly first carried at the Battle of Brandywine, and with no other reference to the contrary a seemingly suitable option for my new look regiment.

I'm looking to model my Continental units in a way that will compliment an American army for the Northern, Central or Southern Departments and the use of sabot bases enables these type of quick switch arrangements between units wearing similar uniforms.

The 6th Maryland forms the third regiment/battalion formation in my recreated 1st Maryland Brigade commanded by Colonel John Stone at the Battle of Brandywine, 11th September 1777, part of Major-General John Sullivan's Division that played a crucial role in facing off against Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis's flanking attack towards Birmingham Meeting House.

JJ's Wargames - The Delaware Regiment of Continentals

The first Maryland Brigade also include the 3rd and 5th Maryland Regiments with, according to Greg Novak, a strength of around 114 and 140 men respectively, which has prompted me to select representative regiments to serve as combined units for the games I have in mind; which would see the 1st/3rd Marylanders, which my 1st Maryland Regiment represents, having a nominal strength of around 314 men, and the 5th/6th Maryland around 260.

JJ's Wargames - 1st Maryland Regiment of Continentals

If you've been following this series of 'The World Turned Upside Down' posts you might have seen a similar build process taking shape with other units featured, namely the Hazen's 2nd Canadian Continental Regiment, soon to be joined by my new 2nd Maryland Continental Regiment followed by my German Continental Regiment, as part of my completing Brigadier General Chevalier Philippe Hubert Preudhomme de Borre's 2nd Maryland Brigade with the 2nd Maryland Continental Regiment assuming a similarly combined regiment role for the 2nd/4th Maryland Regiments and a strength of some 318 men, but that, as they say, is for another post.

As always more anon.

JJ