New Hampshire Line

The New Hampshire Line was not a commercial brand but a military formation and administrative designation used for New Hampshire's infantry quota in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The term identified the regiments assigned to New Hampshire under successive Continental Congress force structures and placed them within the broader Continental Line, which organized infantry contingents supplied by the thirteen states. The designation also had important consequences for military careers: officers below the rank of brigadier general were generally expected to seek promotion within the line of their own state. New Hampshire's contribution began in the spring of 1775, after the Massachusetts Provincial Congress called on neighboring New England colonies to help form an army around Boston. On May 22, 1775, the New Hampshire Provincial Congress authorized approximately 2,000 volunteers. They were organized into three regiments, each with ten companies and an authorized strength of 648 officers and men. The units initially served as provincial troops, but the Continental Congress assumed responsibility for New Hampshire and other New England forces on June 14, 1775, bringing them into the Continental Army under George Washington. In August 1775, Washington ordered the ranking of the infantry regiments around Boston without regard to their colony of origin. The three New Hampshire regiments consequently received Continental numbers. John Stark's regiment became the 7th Regiment of Foot, Enoch Poor's became the 11th Regiment of Foot, and James Reed's became the 3rd Regiment of Foot. These units participated in the siege of Boston and later movements of the Main Army. The Continental Congress reorganized the army for 1776 and assigned New Hampshire three numbered regiments. The earlier formations served as cadres for the new units: Stark's regiment became the 5th Continental Regiment, Poor's became the 8th Continental Regiment, and Reed's became the 2nd Continental Regiment. They served in the siege of Boston, the New York campaign, the Northern Theater, and the operations around Trenton and Princeton. Numbering also reflected questions of seniority among New Hampshire officers, including the dispute associated with James Reed and Enoch Poor. For 1777, the three units were redesignated as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd New Hampshire Regiments. Their commanders included John Stark, Enoch Poor, and Alexander Scammell, with Joseph Cilley and Nathan Hale succeeding Stark and Poor in regimental command. The regiments continued to operate with the Continental Army through the later campaigns of the war. Scammell also served as adjutant general of the Continental Army before returning to regimental command. The line was reduced and reorganized as Congress sought greater efficiency and lower administrative overhead. The 1778 reorganization retained three New Hampshire regiments while changing authorized strength and company structure. The 1781 reorganization reduced the state quota to two regiments and disbanded the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment. The 1st New Hampshire Regiment was commanded by Alexander Scammell, while the 2nd was led by Lieutenant Colonel George Reid. After the British surrender at Yorktown and the movement toward peace, the New Hampshire Line was progressively consolidated. In March 1783, the 1st New Hampshire remained a full regiment and the 2nd was reduced to a battalion. The smaller formation was later merged into the larger unit. On January 1, 1784, the remaining New Hampshire battalion was disbanded at New Windsor, New York, bringing the New Hampshire Line to an end. Its history is therefore that of a wartime state contingent rather than an enduring organization or consumer-facing brand.

The New Hampshire Line developed from the military contribution made by New Hampshire to the Patriot forces around Boston in 1775. In response to the regional call for troops, New Hampshire authorized about 2,000 volunteers on May 22, 1775. These men formed three provincial regiments commanded by John Stark, Enoch Poor, and James Reed. Each regiment was organized into ten companies with an authorized establishment of 648 officers and men, and the original enlistments were generally intended to last through the end of 1775. The Continental Congress assumed responsibility for the New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut forces around Boston on June 14, 1775. After George Washington became commander in chief, he sought to impose a common structure on the previously separate colonial forces. A board convened in August 1775 ranked the infantry regiments without reference to colony, producing a numbered system for the Army of the United Colonies. The New Hampshire formations were then identified as the 7th, 11th, and 3rd Regiments of Foot. They served first in the siege of Boston and subsequently moved with the Main Army. Congress adopted a new establishment for 1776 that provided 27 infantry regiments, including three from New Hampshire. The 1775 regiments served as cadres for the new formations, retaining their principal colonels. Stark's unit became the 5th Continental Regiment, Poor's became the 8th Continental Regiment, and Reed's became the 2nd Continental Regiment. These formations took part in the movement to New York, operations in the Northern Theater, and the campaigns that culminated in the American victories at Trenton and Princeton. The numbering of the New Hampshire units was shaped partly by officer seniority. James Reed's regiment received the low number of 2nd Continental Regiment in the context of an earlier dispute involving Reed and Poor. Reed was promoted to brigadier general in August 1776, after which Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Gilman commanded the regiment for the balance of that year. Congress's 1776 decision to create an 88-regiment Continental Line led to another designation change effective in 1777. The 5th Continental Regiment became the 1st New Hampshire Regiment under John Stark, the 8th became the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment under Enoch Poor, and the 2nd Continental Regiment became the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment under Alexander Scammell. Stark resigned in March 1777 and was replaced by Joseph Cilley; Poor's promotion to brigadier general led Nathan Hale to assume command of the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment. Hale was captured at Hubbardton and later died in captivity. Scammell served as adjutant general of the Continental Army from 1778 until early 1781, then took command of the 1st New Hampshire Regiment and was mortally wounded at Yorktown. A 1778 Congressional reorganization reduced the Continental infantry establishment from 88 to 80 regiments while retaining three New Hampshire regiments. The regiments were assigned fewer authorized men but a more standardized nine-company structure, including a light infantry company. Implementation took nearly a year because the resolution arrived near the beginning of the campaigning season. The next major restructuring was authorized in 1780 for implementation on January 1, 1781. The Continental Line was reduced to 50 regiments, with New Hampshire's quota falling from three regiments to two. The 3rd New Hampshire Regiment was disbanded. Scammell became commander of the 1st New Hampshire Regiment after completing his service as adjutant general, and George Reid commanded the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment. Following Yorktown, Congress maintained the army through further reductions, furloughs, and consolidations while awaiting a definitive peace. On March 1, 1783, the New Hampshire contingent was reduced to one full regiment and a four-company battalion. The 1st New Hampshire retained full-regiment status, while the 2nd was reduced and redesignated. The smaller unit was merged into the larger one in June 1783. After the Continental forces were discharged, the remaining New Hampshire formation was disbanded at New Windsor, New York, on January 1, 1784. The New Hampshire Line consequently ceased to exist as a Continental Army formation.

• 1784

  New Hampshire Line ceases to exist

  [1]New Hampshire Lineen.wikipedia.org

  The remaining New Hampshire battalion was disbanded at New Windsor, New York, ending the line's existence.

• 1783

  New Hampshire formations consolidated

  [1]New Hampshire Lineen.wikipedia.org

  The line was reduced to one full regiment and a battalion, and the smaller unit was subsequently merged into the larger formation.

• 1781

  New Hampshire Line reduced to two regiments

  [1]New Hampshire Lineen.wikipedia.org

  The 3rd New Hampshire Regiment was disbanded as part of the Continental Army's final major wartime reorganization.

• 1778

  Continental Army reduces infantry establishment

  [1]New Hampshire Lineen.wikipedia.org

  Congress reduced the army from 88 to 80 infantry regiments while retaining three New Hampshire regiments and introducing a revised company structure.

• 1777

  Units receive New Hampshire Line designations

  [1]New Hampshire Lineen.wikipedia.org

  The three formations were redesignated the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd New Hampshire Regiments.

• 1776

  New Hampshire quota reorganized as three Continental regiments

  [1]New Hampshire Lineen.wikipedia.org

  The earlier regiments became the 5th, 8th, and 2nd Continental Regiments under Stark, Poor, and Reed.

• 1775

  New Hampshire authorizes three provincial regiments

  [1]New Hampshire Lineen.wikipedia.org

  The New Hampshire Provincial Congress voted to raise approximately 2,000 volunteers, organized into three infantry regiments for service with the Patriot forces around Boston.

• 1775

  New Hampshire troops enter Continental service

  [1]New Hampshire Lineen.wikipedia.org

  The Continental Congress assumed responsibility for New Hampshire and other New England provincial forces, incorporating them into the Continental Army.

• 1775

  Regiments receive Continental numbers

  [1]New Hampshire Lineen.wikipedia.org

  Washington's ranking process assigned the three New Hampshire regiments the numbers 7th, 11th, and 3rd Regiments of Foot.

A state-based infantry component of the Continental Army, organized through successive Congressional quotas and redesignations during the American Revolutionary War.

• Continental infantry regiment · 1775

  1st New Hampshire Regiment

  The senior New Hampshire formation in the later Continental establishment. It originated as John Stark's 1775 regiment, passed through the designation 5th Continental Regiment in 1776, and became the 1st New Hampshire Regiment in 1777. Joseph Cilley and later Alexander Scammell commanded it during the war. It was retained as a full regiment during the final reductions and formed the core of the remaining New Hampshire force in 1783.

• Continental infantry regiment · 1775

  2nd New Hampshire Regiment

  Originally Enoch Poor's 1775 regiment, this unit became the 8th Continental Regiment in 1776 and the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment in 1777. Nathan Hale succeeded Poor after Poor's promotion. The regiment survived the 1781 reorganization but was reduced to a four-company battalion in March 1783 before being merged into the remaining New Hampshire regiment.

• Continental infantry regiment · 1775

  3rd New Hampshire Regiment

  The successor to James Reed's 1775 regiment and the 2nd Continental Regiment of 1776. Alexander Scammell commanded it after its 1777 redesignation. The regiment was one of three New Hampshire units maintained through the 1778 reorganization but was disbanded when the Continental Line was reduced in 1781.

• 1781Yorktown campaign

  Virginia

  The New Hampshire Line remained active late in the war, and Alexander Scammell was mortally wounded and captured during operations associated with Yorktown.

  Outcome. The surrender of Cornwallis accelerated peace negotiations and the subsequent demobilization of the Continental Army.

  Source
• 1776New York and Northern Theater operations

  New York · Northern Theater

  The New Hampshire regiments accompanied the Main Army to New York and also served in the Northern Theater during the 1776 campaign.

  Outcome. The units later rejoined the Main Army for the operations at Trenton and Princeton.

  Source
• 1776Trenton and Princeton campaign

  New Jersey

  The New Hampshire regiments took part in Washington's winter operations in New Jersey, including the battles of Trenton and Princeton.

  Outcome. The campaign produced major Patriot victories and helped sustain the Continental Army after the difficult New York campaign.

  Source
• 1775Siege of Boston

  Massachusetts

  The three New Hampshire regiments joined the Patriot forces surrounding Boston and served there before the Continental Army's subsequent movements.

  Outcome. The British evacuated Boston in 1776, after which the New Hampshire regiments moved with the Main Army.

  Source

• 1783

  Postwar consolidationStrategy

  Background

  Peace negotiations and exhausted public finances made it necessary to reduce the Continental forces before the final treaty was implemented.

  Action taken

  The New Hampshire Line was reduced to one full regiment and a battalion, then consolidated into a smaller remaining formation.

  Aftermath

  The remaining battalion was disbanded in January 1784, ending the New Hampshire Line.

  Source

• 1781

  Final wartime reduction of the New Hampshire quotaStrategy

  Background

  Congress reorganized the Continental Army to reduce its total number of regiments and concentrate limited manpower and resources.

  Action taken

  New Hampshire's quota was reduced from three regiments to two, and the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment was disbanded.

  Aftermath

  The remaining units continued until postwar consolidation and final disbandment.

  Source

• 1778

  Continental Army reduces and standardizes regimentsStrategy

  Background

  Congress sought to reduce the army's size and improve tactical efficiency while maintaining state quotas.

  Action taken

  The infantry establishment was reduced from 88 to 80 regiments, with revised authorized strength and nine-company regimental organization.

  Aftermath

  New Hampshire retained three regiments, although implementation of the reorganization took nearly a year.

  Source

• 1776

  Congress establishes a numbered Continental LineStrategy

  Background

  The Continental Congress sought a more durable army structure and resolved that the Continental Line would include 88 infantry regiments serving for the duration of the war.

  Action taken

  New Hampshire was assigned three regiments, with its existing formations serving as cadres for the new 1776 units.

  Aftermath

  The New Hampshire units received another set of designations in 1777 and continued as state-line formations within the Continental Army.

  Source

1. 1New Hampshire Lineen.wikipedia.org