12th Continental Regiment
A Massachusetts regiment that served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The 12th Continental Regiment was a Massachusetts military regiment formed at Cambridge on April 23, 1775, shortly after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. It was organized under Colonel Moses Little and initially served as a Massachusetts militia formation. In June 1775, the regiment entered the Continental Army, the unified military force established by the revolutionary colonies. Its service therefore belongs to the early phase of the war, when locally raised units were being incorporated into a larger continental command structure. The regiment participated in the Siege of Boston, the New York Campaign, and the Battle of Trenton. These operations placed it in several of the conflict's most important early theaters, including the effort to force British forces from Boston, the unsuccessful American defense of New York in 1776, and the Continental Army's surprise attack at Trenton later that year. The regiment was disbanded at Morristown, New Jersey, on January 1, 1777, as part of the reorganization of the Continental Army. It was a historical military unit rather than a commercial brand, and no modern corporate ownership, product portfolio, commercial website, or financial information is associated with it.
History
The 12th Continental Regiment was raised at Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 23, 1775, during the opening weeks of the American Revolutionary War. It began as a Massachusetts militia regiment under the command of Colonel Moses Little. The formation of such local units reflected the military conditions of the period: colonial and state forces were mobilized rapidly in response to the fighting around Boston, before the Continental Congress's military organization had fully developed. In June 1775, the regiment joined the Continental Army, bringing it into the continental military structure created to coordinate the revolutionary forces. The regiment's first major theater was the Siege of Boston. American forces surrounded the British garrison and sought to compel its withdrawal from the city. After the British evacuation, the Continental Army shifted its main operations toward New York. The 12th Continental Regiment took part in the New York Campaign, a series of operations in 1776 that resulted in the loss of New York City and a difficult retreat for the American army. Later in the year, the regiment participated in the Battle of Trenton, part of the Continental Army's effort to recover momentum after the setbacks in New York and New Jersey. The regiment's service ended during the Continental Army's broader reorganization. It was disbanded at Morristown, New Jersey, on January 1, 1777. The unit is therefore associated with the early Continental Army and with the transition from Massachusetts militia organization to a continent-wide revolutionary force. Available reference material identifies its formation, command, principal campaigns, and dissolution, but does not provide a detailed roster, casualty account, recruitment profile, or subsequent organizational successor.
- 1777
Regiment disbanded
[1]The 12th Continental Regiment was disbanded at Morristown, New Jersey, on January 1, 1777.
- 1776
Participation in the New York Campaign
[1]The regiment took part in the Continental Army's 1776 operations in the New York theater.
- 1776
Participation in the Battle of Trenton
[1]The regiment participated in the Battle of Trenton during the Continental Army's New Jersey operations.
- 1775
Regiment raised at Cambridge
[1]The 12th Continental Regiment was raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 23, 1775, under Colonel Moses Little.
- 1775
Joined the Continental Army
[1]In June 1775, the Massachusetts regiment was incorporated into the Continental Army.
- 1775
Service during the Siege of Boston
[1]The regiment served in the American operations surrounding the British position at Boston.
Products and positioning
Historical military unit; not a commercial brand.
Sources2 sources
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