The World Turned Upside Down - 15th Virginia Continental Regiment.

The 15th Virginia Regiment was authorized on the September 16th, 1776, as a part of the Virginia Line, of which Virginia raised fifteen Continental Regiments for service with the Continental Army, the 15th being under the command of Col. David Mason, a Virginia planter and politician in Sussex County and seeing the regiment assigned to the Main Continental Army on December 27th, 1776.

In early 1777, the regiment undertook its initial major movement, marching from Williamsburg under Colonel Mason's command to Philadelphia for inoculation against smallpox before joining Washington's main army at Morristown, New Jersey; and were organized on February 12th, 1777 to consist of nine companies from Chesterfield, Brunswick, Southampton, King William, Mansemond, Princess Anne, Isle of Wight, Surry, Sussex, Westmoreland, Northumberland, and Richmond Counties and the Borough of Norfolk.

After organization and marching north with approximately 280 men on April 4th and expecting reinforcements of 150 more at Fredericksburg, the 15th Virginia Regiment engaged in initial training and drilling at camps near Morristown, New Jersey, during the spring of 1777, as part of efforts to standardize Continental Army tactics, including light infantry manoeuvres for reconnaissance and rapid response.

Brigadier General William Woodford

It was assigned on May 11th, 1777 to the 3rd Virginia Brigade, under Brigadier General William Woodford an element of Major General Stephen's Division.

Division: Major General Adam Stephen (1,500)

3rd Virginia Brigade: Brigadier General William Woodford

3rd Virginia Regiment
7th Virginia Regiment
11th Virginia Regiment
15th Virginia Regiment

4th Virginia Brigade: Brigadier General Charles Scott

4th Virginia Regiment
8th Virginia Regiment
12th Virginia Regiment
Grayson's Additional Continental Regiment
Patton's Additional Continental Regiment

Internal challenges plagued the regiment throughout the summer, including high desertion rates estimated at 20-25% across the Virginia Line, driven by harsh conditions and short enlistments. Court-martial records document several cases from the 15th, such as the conviction of four soldiers—William Nicholson, Abraham Hill, Thomas Banks, and Anthony Payne—for desertion on June 9th, 1777, each sentenced to 20-25 lashes at brigade parade; another soldier, William Fogg, was acquitted on July 4th. 

Disease outbreaks, including dysentery and fever from poor sanitation in summer camps, further strained manpower, with Virginia-specific measures like state-authorized rewards for recaptured deserters employed to maintain order. Disciplinary actions followed Continental Army protocols but incorporated Virginia enlistment incentives to encourage retention.

On September 11th 1777 the regiment as part of Woodford’s Brigade would participate in the Battle of Brandywine with an estimated strength of around 200 men, part of Washington's force detailed to resist the approach of Howe's flanking attack that developed four hours into the battle; and with the 15th Virginia together with the rest of Woodford's brigade, positioned around the Birmingham Meeting House opposing the advance of the British Light Infantry and Hessian Jägers.

Following the defeat at Brandywine, and the British occupation of Philadelphia, Washington's reorganised army attacked at Germantown on the 4th October 1777.

General George Washington’s complex battle plan at Germantown included sending four separate columns against the unsuspecting British, an operation made more problematic than it otherwise might have been due to the thick fog that enveloped the battlefield.

General George Washington’s complex plan of attack envisioned four separate American columns enveloping the British positions around Germantown with Major General Nathanael Greene's flanking column, that included McDougall's Connecticut Brigade (1,000 men), Greene's own Virginia Division (1,500 men), and Stephen's Virginia Division (1,500 men), attempting to turn the British right flank.

Greene’s formations were disordered by the maze of fences, meandering streams, and thick clumps of trees they encountered. Natural obstacles were made worse by a thick fog that stubbornly refused to dissipate. One of Greene’s units, the Virginia Brigade under Colonel William Woodford, was drawn irresistibly to the sounds of the fighting at Cliveden as Lieutenant Colonel Musgrave and six companies of the 40th Foot barricaded themselves into the great house and put up a stubborn defence.

A 19th century engraving depicts the intense struggle that developed around Cliveden House

The Virginians reached the rear of the house, and when the redcoats began firing at them from the second floor they lost no time in unlimbering their guns, and the roar of cannon and rattle of musketry around Cliveden became so intense that other American regiments also began to take notice.

Some of General Anthony Wayne’s troops halted and began to counter-march, retracing their steps in Cliveden’s general direction, and worse was soon to follow as, with General Adam Stephen’s troops, being lost and disoriented, the situation not helped by the fact that the general was in fact dead drunk, Stephen’s men stumbled forward, and suddenly encountered a body of troops emerging from the fog.

Thinking the strangers must be British, Stephen’s men fired a volley, which the opposing force immediately returned. Tragically, the unknown troops were part of Wayne’s division, the same men who had been marching toward Cliveden and the sounds of the guns, and an untold number of Americans were killed by friendly fire before the confusion was straightened out.

At about this time, the American attack lost impetus and both columns retreated, whilst the two wide flanking columns numbering 3,000 American militia had little effect on the outcome. American losses were 152 men killed, 521 wounded and 438 captured, while Howe's men suffered 71 killed, 448 wounded and 14 missing.

George Washington and Lafayette at Valley Forge - John Ward Dunsmore

Following Germantown and just prior to the American troops moving into winter quarters at Valley Forge the regiment was reorganized on November 1st, 1777 to consist of eight companies.

The entry of Washington's army into Valley Forge in 1777 marked a pivotal moment in the American Revolutionary War. The encampment lasted six months, from December 19th, 1777, to June 19th, 1778. During this time, the Army underwent significant training and reorganization, emerging as a much more disciplined and effective fighting force, and despite being undersupplied, underfed, and plagued with disease, the Continental Army's resilience and determination were evident as they prepared for the next campaign against the British.

That preparedness was a challenge for British forces, who would need to manoeuvre past them following their evacuation of Philadelphia in June 1778 to reach Sandy Hook, New Jersey to sail to New York.

The Battle of Monmouth fought on June 28th, 1778 marked the end of the Philadelphia Campaign and the longest single day of combat in the American War of Independence, in which the 15th Virginia Regiment would muster 146 men all ranks.

The return of Crown forces to the southern theatre changed the deployment pattern of the southern states with Virginia and North Carolina now needing to redeploy their regiments southward to halt the British invasion of Georgia and South Carolina.

The war moves south, illustrating British and American movements and battles in the south
1778 to 1781

For Virginia, 1779 found the state at breaking point, as she attempted to maintain her troops serving under Washington, protect her western boarders in Kentucky and Illinois, defend her coastline from the Royal Navy, protect the 'Convention' prisoners and send what troops she could to Major General Benjamin Lincoln, now commander of the Southern Department since September 1778.

The troops under Washington were consolidated first from fifteen infantry regiments to eleven, to meet Virginia's new quota, where in reality only nine existed with the other two being the 1st and 2nd State Regiments. The enlisted men of the disbanded units were then used to reinforce the remaining regiments, whilst the surplus officers were sent home to raise additional recruits.

Thus in September 1778, in line with the overall reorganisation of the Virginia Continental Regiments, and amid severe manpower shortages in the Continental Army caused by enlistment expirations, casualties, and disease, the 15th Virginia Regiment underwent consolidation during the reorganization of the Virginia Line at White Plains, New York. 

Survivors from its northern campaigns, including longer-term enlistees, had their companies merged into the newly designated 11th Virginia Regiment on May 12th, 1779, to consist of nine companies, effectively dissolving the 15th as a distinct unit while contributing to the compression of Virginia's fifteen original regiments into eleven.

My 15th Virginia Regiment are composed of plastic American Continental Infantry from Perry Miniatures, a 'Grand Divisional' colour, which is speculative on my part, from GMB, and sabot bases from Supreme Littleness Designs.

I have chosen to represent the regiment in the 1778 uniform regulation that proposed brown coats faced buff with buff turnbacks, with the obligatory hunting shirts thrown in for variety, and with a strength of 16 figures representing a regiment struggling to retain its strength.

Next up, I have two different units to showcase for the French Indian War and a little diversion as I did some painting for Steve M and a game we have planned for June.

As always, more anon.

JJ