2nd Canadian Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 2nd Canadian Regiment, also known as Congress' Own or Hazen's Regiment, was authorized on January 20, 1776, and raised in the province of Quebec
for service with the Continental Army
under the command of Colonel Moses Hazen
. All or part of the regiment saw action at the Staten Island
, Brandywine
, Germantown
and the Siege of Yorktown
. Most of its non-combat time was spent in and around New York City
as part of the forces monitoring the British forces occupying that city. The regiment was disbanded on November 15, 1783 at West Point, New York
.
Late in 1775, Colonel James Livingston
raised and commanded a regiment of Canadians which fought at St. Jean, Quebec, in support of General Montgomery
's 1775 invasion of Quebec
. Livingston's 300 Canadians, along with about 50 Americans, were instrumental in the fall of Fort Chambly
during that engagement. Livingston's regiment, which was not formalized by Montgomery until November 1775, also participated in the action at Quebec
. On January 3, 1776, Congress commissioned him Colonel, and his organization became known as the Canadian Regiment.
Moses Hazen had served as a lieutenant in the 44th Regiment during the French and Indian War
and was receiving a half-pay pension from this British service. In 1775 he was living on this pension and the income from his growing estate in St. Jean, Quebec, when the colonial army invaded. Hazen's estate was plundered and his property damaged by the Americans during the siege of the fort. He was incarcerated by the British on suspicion of spying for the Americans, and held for 54 days until he was released by General Montgomery following the fall of Montreal in November. Hazen joined the American cause, and participated in the battle of Quebec. Following the American failure there, he and Edward Antill
, another American expatriate, traveled to Philadelphia to report on the battle. Congress partially compensated Hazen by establishing the 2nd Canadian Regiment. Hazen accepted this command, forfeiting his British half-pay, and Antill was given a Lieutenant Colonel's commission in the regiment. Although John Duggan, one of Livingston's captains, had been promised a regiment by Benedict Arnold
, Hazen and Antill reached Philadelphia before Duggan, and Hazen smeared Duggan in his effort to get the regiment.
With a maximum strength of 1,000, the 2nd Canadian Regiment was authorized by Congress on January 20, 1776, to consist of four battalions (twenty companies), the only such over-sized regiment in the Continental Army
. It was assigned to the Army's Canadian Department, and was organized by Hazen on February 10, 1776 at Montreal, to be recruited from the Richelieu
and St. Lawrence Valleys. Over the next two months, Hazen and Antill recruited in those areas, until early April, when the recruiting funds dried up, and raised approximately 250 men.
During much of the war, the 2nd Canadian Regiment was known as Congress's Own Regiment, and Livingston's organization continued to be known as the Canadian Regiment. Livingston's organization, depleted, was disbanded in the reorganization of the Continental Army on January 1, 1781, and its Canadian elements were assigned to Hazen's organization, which was then redesignated as the Canadian Regiment.
's command. In March 1776, Wooster went to Quebec City to assume command of the army there; Hazen was temporarily placed in command of the forces at Montreal until Benedict Arnold
arrived from Quebec in April. Arnold then assigned the regiment to guard duty at Fort Chambly, where it remained until the American retreat in June 1776.
On July 2, the Canadian Department was disbanded, and regiment was reassigned to the Northern Department. The regiment was at Fort Ticonderoga
in July 1776, Albany
in September, and then Fishkill, New York
for winter quarters. By the time the regiment reached Albany, its strength had dropped to about 100. On November 12, the regiment was assigned to the Highlands Department. It was reorganized on January 1, 1777 to consist of four battalions (20 companies), and Hazen was given permission to recruit "at large" — that is, he was allowed to recruit from any states, not just Quebec. These recruitment efforts met with mixed success, as most states had been assigned quotas for troop recruitment to fill their line companies, and thus preferred to have men enter those, rather than Hazen's, command. On January 8, the regiment was assigned to the Main Army.
as early as May 19, 1777, where it was assigned on May 22 to the 2nd Maryland Brigade of the Main Army. In early August the regiment, brigaded as part of Sullivan's Division, was encamped at Hanover, New Jersey. Sergeant Colin McLachlan recalled numerous minor engagements with the British: "I was in several skirmishes and engagements, such as surprising the enemy at Hanover in 1777 where several of them were either killed or wounded, by only two small companies under the command of Captains Heron and Chambers, without the loss of any on our side."
Several of the regiment's companies participated in the Battle of Staten Island
on August 22, 1777. Its losses included 8 officers and 40 men, with the captured including Antill and Captain James Herron. Antill would not be exchanged until November 10, 1780.
, who initially did not believe this intelligence despite its corroboration by Lieutenant Colonel James Ross. The regiment lost 4 officers and 73 men in the battle.
Still under Sullivan's command, the regiment participated in the Battle of Germantown
on October 4, 1777. The British were encamped at Germantown
northwest of Philadelphia. On the evening of October 3 General Washington ordered his troops, encamped at Skippack Creek
on the north side of the Schuylkill River
, to march 17 miles (27.4 km) as part of a planned surprise attack on the British at daybreak. The Americans would then descend upon Germantown from the north in four columns, under the commands of Generals Sullivan, Greene, Armstrong and Smallwood, along four main roads leading into Germantown. The main effort of the advance was to be General Sullivan leading the column on the right and General Nathanael Greene
on the left. Sullivan's column, with the Continental troops of his own division and that of General Anthony Wayne
, and followed by the reserve division under General Lord Stirling (William Alexander), were to advance down Germantown Road against Howe's center.
The regiment was part of the platoon of the advance party that first entered Germantown before the battle became general. Unbeknownst to Washington, the columns of Greene and Smallwood got lost. Washington himself accompanied Sullivan's force and, at 5 am, ordered him to launch the assault. The leading element of Sullivan's column, General Thomas Conway's
brigade, attacked the British 2d Light Infantry
battalion, which had been reinforced by the British 40th Regiment of Foot under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Musgrave. The regiment formed part of Sullivan's early attack on the British; its losses were 3 officers and 19 men.
under the command of General William Smallwood
(the 2nd Maryland Brigade) arrived at Wilmington, Delaware
, to protect the city from the British. They encamped at the present-day Brandywine Park in Wilmington. The highlight of this time included Smallwood's capture of the British armed brigantine Symmetry on December 30. This ship was laden with supplies, including winter clothing, en route to the British in Philadelphia.
, transferring it from the 2nd Maryland Brigade to the Northern Department. The objective was a planned invasion of Quebec. Hazen was assigned to the deputy quartermaster's post for the expedition, which was anticipated to involve 2,500 men. The effort was troubled by supply and manpower difficulties, suspended in February, and then called off by Congress in March. The regiment was then reassigned to the Highlands Department on April 4 and ordered to West Point
. The regiment was relieved July 22 from the Highlands Department and assigned to the New Hampshire Brigade
, an element of the Main Army. In July 1778 the regiment was sent to White Plains
to help guard New York City.
At White Plains, Hazen proposed a new potential invasion route to Quebec. This route went from Newbury
in the New Hampshire Grants
(present-day Vermont
), where Hazen owned property, to Saint Francis, Quebec
. On July 12, Hazen departed Newbury to scout the route. By July 25, he had returned to White Plains; the effort was abandoned for the time being because the manpower was needed in the New York area.
That summer, low manpower in Hazen's regiment caused Washington to consider disbanding it; the regiment's size had dropped to 522, and Washington was concerned over an excessively large number of officers (33) in the regiment. Hazen successfully argued for retention of the regiment, and noted that the large number of officers was needed because companies from the regiment were often detached to other units for service. During the autumn a large shipment of clothing and shoes arrived from France. After a lottery was held in October, Hazen's regiment were issued the uniform of brown coats faced with red.
In November, the regiment was ordered to Connecticut
where it encamped at Redding
for winter quarters. (Today, this is the site of Putnam Memorial State Park
, where more than 100 piles of stone in the area of the park known as the "Encampment Site" are believed to mark the locations of the huts that sheltered troops from this and other regiments.) A weekly return for the brigade dated December 26, 1778, states that 162 men in the regiment were "unfit for duty for want of shoes."
. From Springfield they marched to Charlestown, New Hampshire
and picked up clothing and supplies. They arrived in what was called the Coös Country of northern New Hampshire in May, and were tasked to build a road now known as the Bayley-Hazen Military Road from the Connecticut River
to St. Jean, Quebec. Hazen had been secretly ordered to the area by Washington in April. Along with a large portion of Colonel Timothy Bedel's Regiment
and Major Benjamin Whitcomb's New Hampshire rangers
, they began to extend the road, a portion of which had been constructed in 1776 under the direction of Colonel Jacob Bayley.
Hazen's objective was to extend a road in a northwest direction following the general path of an old Cohâssiac Indian trail from Lower Coös to St. Johns, Quebec. The road cut through the heavily-forested Upper Connecticut Valley in an area of the New Hampshire Grants that was then known as Upper Coös, but is today known as Vermont's Northeast Kingdom
.
The village of Peacham
became the base of operations for the military road project. The road actually started at the town of Wells River
on the Connecticut River just north of Newbury. Blockhouses were built at Peacham, Cabot, Walden
and Greensboro
. Hazen made requisition upon the selectmen of the river towns to provide teams for the movement of his stores. Wells were dug at various points, swamps were bridged with logs and the road made passable for teams. Hazen encamped for some time on the present site of Lowell
village, and he called the place "the camp at the end of the road", although the road's actual terminus was some miles further on.
The road crossed the Vermont Piedmont—rolling hills and valleys with isolated mountains. On June 22 it was reported that Hazen with half his men were within 40 miles (64.4 km) of St. John's. The regiment was recalled to the New York area in August; as a result, the road was never complete. A total of 54 miles (86.9 km) of road was built; it ended at a location now known as Hazens Notch
.
In the fall, Hazen leveled charges of corruption and mismanagement against Isaac Tichenor, the deputy commissioner of purchases at Coös, General Bayley, the deputy quartermaster-general, and Matthew Lyons, the deputy commissioner of issues. His regiment were poorly supplied the whole summer at Coös, supplies of beef arrived spoiled, and Hazen had to send his men into the fields to help with the harvest so they could eat. Courts-martial were later held.
, and on November 25 it was assigned to Hand's Brigade in the Main Army. They spent the winter at Morristown, New Jersey
, where they experienced severe shortages of food. The site, known as "Jockey Hollow", is in the Morristown National Historical Park
.
On January 14, 1780, they participated on a "commando
" raid of Staten Island
planned in secrecy by General Washington and led by Lord Stirling. The object of the raid was to surprise attack the enemy at the Watering Place Redoubts and to secure provisions. Preparations for the raid called for the enemy's attention to be focused on Irvine's detachment in the vicinity of Elizabethtown
, while the 2nd Canadian marched to Connecticut Farms (present-day Union
). Meanwhile, Steward's detachment would advance onto Staten Island, and Stirling's forces would then push to Richmond, in the center of Staten Island, where they would surprise enemy troops.
Lord Stirling had intelligence that the enemy had a force of about 1,000 men, with the main body in huts near the Watering Place Redoubts. These were three British circular redoubts, double-abatised, with about 200 men each, located at present-day Fort Hill Circle in St. George, just north of Tompkinsville. Around midnight on January 14, loaded with cannon and 1,500–3,000 troops, American forces crossed over the frozen ice of the Kill Van Kull
waterway from Elizabethtown Point on 500 sleds. It was a starry night, and Loyalist spies had warned the British of the American approach. As a result, the Americans found the British on the posts and alert. With the element of surprise gone, and conditions extremely cold, the raid was aborted. American troops suffered minor frostbite injuries but brought back 17 prisoners, as well as some horses and camp supplies.
, and was found to be "well taken care of". Von Steuben made recommendations as a result of his inspections (which covered much of the Continental Army) that resulted in the merging of the 1st and 2nd Canadian regiments in 1781.
The regiment spent the summer of 1780 at King's Ferry, New York. Regimental orderly books show that it was at Morristown
, Bryant's Tavern, Ramapo
and Preakness between April 23 and July 26. On August 1 the regiment was reassigned from Hand's Brigade to the New Hampshire Brigade of the Main Army. This brigade was to be under the command of Enoch Poor
, but its command was ultimately given to Hazen, although Hazen was not promoted to brigadier general.
On August 23, von Steuben arrested Hazen for halting his brigade on a march without permission. The army was on the march from Tappan to the Liberty Pole, a pre-war landmark located near Englewood
, when Hazen halted the march for his troops to drink water. Hazen was acquitted of charges, and promptly countercharged von Steuben with conduct unbecoming an officer over the incident; von Steuben apologized.
Following the capture of British spy John André
and the defection of Benedict Arnold
to the British in September 1780, one hundred of Hazen's soldiers, under command of Lieutenant William Torrey, were detailed to be present at André's hanging on October 2, at Tappan, New York
.
In the fall of 1780 the regiment was headquartered at Nelson's Point in Garrison, New York
, directly across the Hudson River
from West Point, before entering winter quarters at Fishkill, New York
in November. During this time eleven officers of the regiment, led by Major James Reid
, complained to General Washington (without first consulting Hazen) over the lack of advancement opportunities in the regiment, which were due in part to its unusual position as being the direct responsibility of Congress, rather than under a state's supervision. Reid also made complaints against Hazen, which were heard and dismissed in a November 1780 court martial. Hazen had Reid arrested and confined to quarters afterwards; a long court martial (running from December 1780 to February 1781) resulted in Reid's conviction on two counts and a public reprimand by General Washington.
Regimental orderly books show that during these periods the regiment had operations at Orangetown
, Steeprapie and West Point between September 16 and November 19, and at West Point from October 5 to March 5, 1781.
was disbanded. The Canadian members of that regiment were reassigned to the 2nd, which was designated as the Canadian Regiment. In this reorganization, most foreign volunteers were also assigned to the regiment.
Hazen and part of the regiment participated in a raid on January 22 led by Lieutenant Colonel William Hull
. Hull's troops raided a position held by a Loyalist corps under Lieutenant Colonel Oliver De Lancey Sr., that was posted at Morrisania (in the present-day Bronx). The Americans burned the enemy barracks, captured 52 prisoners, and took large supplies of ammunition and forage. Hazen's men were assigned to cover their retreat. The British, about 1,000 men, pursued Hull's force beyond a point where Hazen and his men were concealed. In the ensuing skirmish, British forces lost about 35 men.
On June 1, the regiment was sent from the West Point–Fishkill area to Albany
and the Mohawk River
valley to guard against an expected British attack. For this action it was reassigned from the Highlands Department to the Northern Department. The regiment arrived at Albany on June 5, and spent most of the month patrolling in the Mohawk River valley against an attack that never came. When the perceived threat subsided, the regiment was immediately ordered to return to West Point. On June 29, Hazen was finally given a brevet
promotion to brigadier general.
preparations for an attack on New York. It crossed the Hudson River
at Dobbs Ferry
and was ordered to march, together with New Jersey troops, to posts on the heights between Springfield
and Chatham
, in which position the detachment would cover a French battery that had been set up at Chatham "to veil our real movements and create apprehensions for Staten Island." Meanwhile, the main body of the American Army was starting their southward movement toward Yorktown
. The regiment withdrew, and held near Kakiat
for three days from August 22–25.
The regiment then went down the Hudson River
and joined the army on the way to Yorktown. At midnight on September 2, 270 of the regiment and other units arrived at Christiana Bridge over the Delaware
. The units unloaded the boats and transported supplies for the Continental Army to Elk Landing
during the three days before the boat carriages arrived. On September 24, Hazen was given command of the second brigade of Marquis de Lafayette's Light Division, to which the Canadian Regiment (now under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Antill) was assigned. After cantonment at Williamsburg
, the regiment arrived at Yorktown on September 28.
The regiment participated in the siege, and was heavily involved in the October 14 attacks on the British redoubts. According to Lafayette's own account the Americans did not fire a gun, but used only the bayonet. The brigades of light infantry
under Generals Peter Muhlenberg
and Hazen "advanced with perfect discipline and wonderful steadiness. The battalion of Colonel Vose deployed on the left. The remainder of the division and the rear-guard successively took their positions, under the fire of the enemy, without replying, in perfect order and silence."
, where they guarded prisoners taken at the Siege of Yorktown
. They were on this detail for 10 months with prisoners under guard at Lancaster, York
and Reading
. The most notable prisoner under Hazen's watch during this time was 20-year-old Captain Charles Asgill
. On May 3, 1782, upon orders by Washington, he was selected to hang in retaliation for the brutal summary execution of American Captain Joshua Huddy
by the British. In November 1782 his life was spared after heartrending correspondence by his family and intervention by the Queen of France.
In June 1782 Hazen again had James Reid arrested on charges including disobedience and conduct unbecoming an officer. The court martial, held in December, resulted in a mistrial, with Hazen alleging bias on the part of the presiding judge advocate. After additional hearings, Reid was ultimately acquitted of the charges. In November 1782, the regiment was moved to Pompton, New Jersey for winter quarters. Its duties during this time included the interdiction of trade between the countryside and the British in New York City.
. The regiment was reorganized into two companies on June 30 and was completely disbanded on November 15, 1783, at West Point, New York
.
Because the Canadians in the regiment were unable to return to their homes, many of them settled in camps near Albany and Fishkill, where they subsisted on handouts from Congress. General Hazen appealed to Congress to give them land grants, but this effort failed. The state of New York eventually granted Hazen and a number of his men land in the northern part of the state near Lake Champlain.
The regiment's authorized strength was 1,000 men.
Casualties
Province of Quebec (1763-1791)
The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Great Britain after the Seven Years' War. Great Britain acquired Canada by the Treaty of Paris when King Louis XV of France and his advisors chose to keep the territory of Guadeloupe for its valuable sugar crops instead of New France...
for service with the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
under the command of Colonel Moses Hazen
Moses Hazen
Moses Hazen was a Brigadier General in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Born in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, he saw action in the French and Indian War with Rogers' Rangers. His service included particularly brutal raids during the Expulsion of the Acadians and...
. All or part of the regiment saw action at the Staten Island
Battle of Staten Island
The Battle of Staten Island was a raid by Continental Army troops under Major General John Sullivan against British forces on Staten Island on August 22, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War...
, Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
, Germantown
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington...
and the Siege of Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
. Most of its non-combat time was spent in and around New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as part of the forces monitoring the British forces occupying that city. The regiment was disbanded on November 15, 1783 at West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
.
Origins
James Livingston (American Revolution)
Colonel James Livingston was born in the French province of Canada to New York-born parents. He was living in Quebec when the American Revolutionary War broke out...
raised and commanded a regiment of Canadians which fought at St. Jean, Quebec, in support of General Montgomery
Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery was an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada.Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland...
's 1775 invasion of Quebec
Invasion of Canada (1775)
The Invasion of Canada in 1775 was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The objective of the campaign was to gain military control of the British Province of Quebec, and convince the French-speaking Canadiens to join the...
. Livingston's 300 Canadians, along with about 50 Americans, were instrumental in the fall of Fort Chambly
Fort Chambly
Fort Chambly is a historic fort in the Canadian La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec. The fort is designated as a National Historic Site. Fort Richelieu was part of a series of five forts built along the Richelieu River. Fort Richelieu is at the mouth of the Richelieu River....
during that engagement. Livingston's regiment, which was not formalized by Montgomery until November 1775, also participated in the action at Quebec
Battle of Quebec (1775)
The Battle of Quebec was fought on December 31, 1775 between American Continental Army forces and the British defenders of the city of Quebec, early in the American Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Americans, and it came at a high price...
. On January 3, 1776, Congress commissioned him Colonel, and his organization became known as the Canadian Regiment.
Moses Hazen had served as a lieutenant in the 44th Regiment during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
and was receiving a half-pay pension from this British service. In 1775 he was living on this pension and the income from his growing estate in St. Jean, Quebec, when the colonial army invaded. Hazen's estate was plundered and his property damaged by the Americans during the siege of the fort. He was incarcerated by the British on suspicion of spying for the Americans, and held for 54 days until he was released by General Montgomery following the fall of Montreal in November. Hazen joined the American cause, and participated in the battle of Quebec. Following the American failure there, he and Edward Antill
Edward Antill
Colonel Edward Antill was an American soldier. He was born in Piscataqua, New Jersey and died at Saint-Jean, near Montréal, in Canada...
, another American expatriate, traveled to Philadelphia to report on the battle. Congress partially compensated Hazen by establishing the 2nd Canadian Regiment. Hazen accepted this command, forfeiting his British half-pay, and Antill was given a Lieutenant Colonel's commission in the regiment. Although John Duggan, one of Livingston's captains, had been promised a regiment by Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
, Hazen and Antill reached Philadelphia before Duggan, and Hazen smeared Duggan in his effort to get the regiment.
With a maximum strength of 1,000, the 2nd Canadian Regiment was authorized by Congress on January 20, 1776, to consist of four battalions (twenty companies), the only such over-sized regiment in the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
. It was assigned to the Army's Canadian Department, and was organized by Hazen on February 10, 1776 at Montreal, to be recruited from the Richelieu
Richelieu River
The Richelieu River is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows from the north end of Lake Champlain about north, ending at the confluence with the St. Lawrence River at Sorel-Tracy, Quebec downstream and northeast of Montreal...
and St. Lawrence Valleys. Over the next two months, Hazen and Antill recruited in those areas, until early April, when the recruiting funds dried up, and raised approximately 250 men.
During much of the war, the 2nd Canadian Regiment was known as Congress's Own Regiment, and Livingston's organization continued to be known as the Canadian Regiment. Livingston's organization, depleted, was disbanded in the reorganization of the Continental Army on January 1, 1781, and its Canadian elements were assigned to Hazen's organization, which was then redesignated as the Canadian Regiment.
Montreal and retreat
The regiment was first assigned to garrison duty in and around Montreal, which was under Major General David WoosterDavid Wooster
David Wooster was an American general who served in the French and Indian War and in the American Revolutionary War. He died of wounds sustained during the Battle of Ridgefield, Connecticut. Cities, schools, and public places were named after him...
's command. In March 1776, Wooster went to Quebec City to assume command of the army there; Hazen was temporarily placed in command of the forces at Montreal until Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
arrived from Quebec in April. Arnold then assigned the regiment to guard duty at Fort Chambly, where it remained until the American retreat in June 1776.
On July 2, the Canadian Department was disbanded, and regiment was reassigned to the Northern Department. The regiment was at Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century fort built by the Canadians and the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in upstate New York in the United States...
in July 1776, Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
in September, and then Fishkill, New York
Fishkill, New York
Fishkill is an upscale village within the much larger town, Town of Fishkill, one of the fastest growing towns in the region, in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The village population was 1,735 at the 2000 census...
for winter quarters. By the time the regiment reached Albany, its strength had dropped to about 100. On November 12, the regiment was assigned to the Highlands Department. It was reorganized on January 1, 1777 to consist of four battalions (20 companies), and Hazen was given permission to recruit "at large" — that is, he was allowed to recruit from any states, not just Quebec. These recruitment efforts met with mixed success, as most states had been assigned quotas for troop recruitment to fill their line companies, and thus preferred to have men enter those, rather than Hazen's, command. On January 8, the regiment was assigned to the Main Army.
New Jersey campaign
The regiment was at Princeton, New JerseyPrinceton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
as early as May 19, 1777, where it was assigned on May 22 to the 2nd Maryland Brigade of the Main Army. In early August the regiment, brigaded as part of Sullivan's Division, was encamped at Hanover, New Jersey. Sergeant Colin McLachlan recalled numerous minor engagements with the British: "I was in several skirmishes and engagements, such as surprising the enemy at Hanover in 1777 where several of them were either killed or wounded, by only two small companies under the command of Captains Heron and Chambers, without the loss of any on our side."
Several of the regiment's companies participated in the Battle of Staten Island
Battle of Staten Island
The Battle of Staten Island was a raid by Continental Army troops under Major General John Sullivan against British forces on Staten Island on August 22, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War...
on August 22, 1777. Its losses included 8 officers and 40 men, with the captured including Antill and Captain James Herron. Antill would not be exchanged until November 10, 1780.
Battle of Brandywine
Sullivan's division then marched south to join Washington's army in the defense of Philadelphia. On September 11, 1777, a battalion of 200 of Hazen's men was sent a mile north of Jones's Ford to cover Wistar's For, and a second battalion of 200 men was posted at Buffington's Ford about a mile north of Wistar's Ford, situated just below the forks of the Brandywine Creek. Hazen's troops spotted British troops in a flanking maneuver and crossing the Brandywine River. They sent a report of this movement to George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, who initially did not believe this intelligence despite its corroboration by Lieutenant Colonel James Ross. The regiment lost 4 officers and 73 men in the battle.
Battle of Germantown
Still under Sullivan's command, the regiment participated in the Battle of Germantown
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington...
on October 4, 1777. The British were encamped at Germantown
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
northwest of Philadelphia. On the evening of October 3 General Washington ordered his troops, encamped at Skippack Creek
Skippack Creek
Skippack Creek is a tributary of Perkiomen Creek in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in the United States.A portion of the creek flows through Evansburg State Park and passes by the census-designated place of Skippack....
on the north side of the Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
, to march 17 miles (27.4 km) as part of a planned surprise attack on the British at daybreak. The Americans would then descend upon Germantown from the north in four columns, under the commands of Generals Sullivan, Greene, Armstrong and Smallwood, along four main roads leading into Germantown. The main effort of the advance was to be General Sullivan leading the column on the right and General Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...
on the left. Sullivan's column, with the Continental troops of his own division and that of General Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
, and followed by the reserve division under General Lord Stirling (William Alexander), were to advance down Germantown Road against Howe's center.
The regiment was part of the platoon of the advance party that first entered Germantown before the battle became general. Unbeknownst to Washington, the columns of Greene and Smallwood got lost. Washington himself accompanied Sullivan's force and, at 5 am, ordered him to launch the assault. The leading element of Sullivan's column, General Thomas Conway's
Thomas Conway
Thomas Conway was a French soldier from Ireland who served as a major general in the American Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He became involved with the alleged Conway Cabal. He later served with Émigré forces during the French Revolutionary War.-Early life:Conway was born...
brigade, attacked the British 2d Light Infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
battalion, which had been reinforced by the British 40th Regiment of Foot under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Musgrave. The regiment formed part of Sullivan's early attack on the British; its losses were 3 officers and 19 men.
Winter quarters 1777–1778
On December 21, 1777, the regiment and a detachment of the Maryland LineMaryland Line
The Maryland Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term "Maryland Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Maryland at various times by the Continental Congress. These, together with similar contingents from the other twelve states, formed the...
under the command of General William Smallwood
William Smallwood
William Smallwood was an American planter, soldier and politician from Charles County, Maryland. He served in the American Revolutionary War, rising to the rank of major general...
(the 2nd Maryland Brigade) arrived at Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, to protect the city from the British. They encamped at the present-day Brandywine Park in Wilmington. The highlight of this time included Smallwood's capture of the British armed brigantine Symmetry on December 30. This ship was laden with supplies, including winter clothing, en route to the British in Philadelphia.
New York and Connecticut
On January 24, 1778, Washington ordered Hazen's regiment to Albany, New YorkAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, transferring it from the 2nd Maryland Brigade to the Northern Department. The objective was a planned invasion of Quebec. Hazen was assigned to the deputy quartermaster's post for the expedition, which was anticipated to involve 2,500 men. The effort was troubled by supply and manpower difficulties, suspended in February, and then called off by Congress in March. The regiment was then reassigned to the Highlands Department on April 4 and ordered to West Point
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
. The regiment was relieved July 22 from the Highlands Department and assigned to the New Hampshire Brigade
New Hampshire Line
The New Hampshire Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term "New Hampshire Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to New Hampshire at various times by the Continental Congress. These, together with similar contingents from the other twelve states,...
, an element of the Main Army. In July 1778 the regiment was sent to White Plains
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
to help guard New York City.
At White Plains, Hazen proposed a new potential invasion route to Quebec. This route went from Newbury
Newbury, Vermont
Newbury could be either of the following places in the U.S. state of Vermont:*Newbury , Vermont*Newbury , Vermont...
in the New Hampshire Grants
New Hampshire Grants
The New Hampshire Grants or Benning Wentworth Grants were land grants made between 1749 and 1764 by the provincial governor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth. The land grants, totaling about 135 , were made on land claimed by New Hampshire west of the Connecticut River, territory that was also...
(present-day Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
), where Hazen owned property, to Saint Francis, Quebec
Saint-François-du-Lac, Quebec
Saint-François-du-Lac is a community in the Nicolet-Yamaska Regional County Municipality of Quebec, Canada. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 2,002...
. On July 12, Hazen departed Newbury to scout the route. By July 25, he had returned to White Plains; the effort was abandoned for the time being because the manpower was needed in the New York area.
That summer, low manpower in Hazen's regiment caused Washington to consider disbanding it; the regiment's size had dropped to 522, and Washington was concerned over an excessively large number of officers (33) in the regiment. Hazen successfully argued for retention of the regiment, and noted that the large number of officers was needed because companies from the regiment were often detached to other units for service. During the autumn a large shipment of clothing and shoes arrived from France. After a lottery was held in October, Hazen's regiment were issued the uniform of brown coats faced with red.
In November, the regiment was ordered to Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
where it encamped at Redding
Redding, Connecticut
Mark Twain, a resident of the town in his old age, contributed the first books for a public library which was eventually named after him.-Government:...
for winter quarters. (Today, this is the site of Putnam Memorial State Park
Putnam Memorial State Park
Putnam Memorial State Park is named for Major General Israel Putnam who chose the site as the winter encampment for his men during the winter of 1778/1779. The former American Revolutionary War encampment and park is located at the intersection of Route 107 and Route 58 in Redding, Connecticut, in...
, where more than 100 piles of stone in the area of the park known as the "Encampment Site" are believed to mark the locations of the huts that sheltered troops from this and other regiments.) A weekly return for the brigade dated December 26, 1778, states that 162 men in the regiment were "unfit for duty for want of shoes."
Coös Country
In March 1779 the regiment was reassigned to the Northern Department, and marched to Springfield, MassachusettsSpringfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. From Springfield they marched to Charlestown, New Hampshire
Charlestown, New Hampshire
Charlestown is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,114 at the 2010 census. The town is home to Hubbard State Forest and the headquarters of the Student Conservation Association....
and picked up clothing and supplies. They arrived in what was called the Coös Country of northern New Hampshire in May, and were tasked to build a road now known as the Bayley-Hazen Military Road from the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
to St. Jean, Quebec. Hazen had been secretly ordered to the area by Washington in April. Along with a large portion of Colonel Timothy Bedel's Regiment
Bedel's Regiment
Bedel's Regiment was first raised as a single company of rangers in Coos, New Hampshire on May 26, 1775 under the command of Timothy Bedel for the protection of northern New Hampshire during the early days of the American Revolutionary War...
and Major Benjamin Whitcomb's New Hampshire rangers
Whitcomb's Rangers
Whitcomb's Rangers were authorized on October 15, 1776, and formed in November 1776 at Fort Ticonderoga in New York. The unit consisted of two companies of New Hampshire rangers for service with the Continental Army under the command of Benjamin Whitcomb, a veteran of Bedel's Regiment. They saw...
, they began to extend the road, a portion of which had been constructed in 1776 under the direction of Colonel Jacob Bayley.
Hazen's objective was to extend a road in a northwest direction following the general path of an old Cohâssiac Indian trail from Lower Coös to St. Johns, Quebec. The road cut through the heavily-forested Upper Connecticut Valley in an area of the New Hampshire Grants that was then known as Upper Coös, but is today known as Vermont's Northeast Kingdom
Northeast Kingdom
The Northeast Kingdom is a term used to describe the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Vermont, comprising Essex, Orleans and Caledonia Counties and having a population of 62,438. In Vermont, the written term "NEK" is often used. The term is attributed to the late George D. Aiken, former...
.
The village of Peacham
Peacham, Vermont
Peacham is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 665 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 47.7 square miles , of which 46.7 square miles is land and 0.9 square mile is...
became the base of operations for the military road project. The road actually started at the town of Wells River
Wells River, Vermont
Wells River is a village in the town of Newbury in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 325 at the 2000 census. The village center is located at the junction of U.S...
on the Connecticut River just north of Newbury. Blockhouses were built at Peacham, Cabot, Walden
Walden, Vermont
Walden is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 782 at the 2000 census. The community has no ZIP code of its own; mail is routed through the West Danville and East Hardwick post offices.-Geography:...
and Greensboro
Greensboro, Vermont
Greensboro is the southernmost town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 770 at the 2000 census. The town includes the places of Campbells Corners, East Greensboro, Gebbie Corner, Greensboro Four Corners, Greensboro Bend, The Four Corners, Tolmans Corner, and Burlington...
. Hazen made requisition upon the selectmen of the river towns to provide teams for the movement of his stores. Wells were dug at various points, swamps were bridged with logs and the road made passable for teams. Hazen encamped for some time on the present site of Lowell
Lowell, Vermont
Lowell is the westernmost town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 738 at the 2000 census.-School District:* Budget - $1,199,600* Principal - Scott Boskind...
village, and he called the place "the camp at the end of the road", although the road's actual terminus was some miles further on.
The road crossed the Vermont Piedmont—rolling hills and valleys with isolated mountains. On June 22 it was reported that Hazen with half his men were within 40 miles (64.4 km) of St. John's. The regiment was recalled to the New York area in August; as a result, the road was never complete. A total of 54 miles (86.9 km) of road was built; it ended at a location now known as Hazens Notch
Hazens Notch
Hazen's Notch is a mountain pass in Westfield, in the northern Green Mountains of Vermont. Hazen's Notch was named after Moses Hazen who in 1779 led the construction of the Bayley Hazen Military Road as far as this point on a route which started at Newbury, Vermont and was originally planned to...
.
In the fall, Hazen leveled charges of corruption and mismanagement against Isaac Tichenor, the deputy commissioner of purchases at Coös, General Bayley, the deputy quartermaster-general, and Matthew Lyons, the deputy commissioner of issues. His regiment were poorly supplied the whole summer at Coös, supplies of beef arrived spoiled, and Hazen had to send his men into the fields to help with the harvest so they could eat. Courts-martial were later held.
Winter 1779–1780 Jockey Hollow
In October 1779 the regiment was ordered to Peekskill, New YorkPeekskill, New York
Peekskill is a city in Westchester County, New York. It is situated on a bay along the east side of the Hudson River, across from Jones Point.This community was known to be an early American industrial center, primarily for its iron plow and stove products...
, and on November 25 it was assigned to Hand's Brigade in the Main Army. They spent the winter at Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
, where they experienced severe shortages of food. The site, known as "Jockey Hollow", is in the Morristown National Historical Park
Morristown National Historical Park
Morristown National Historical Park consists of three sites, the Ford Mansion, Fort Nonsense, and Jockey Hollow that were important during the American Revolutionary War, which began in 1775 and was ended in 1783 by the Treaty of Paris...
.
On January 14, 1780, they participated on a "commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
" raid of Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
planned in secrecy by General Washington and led by Lord Stirling. The object of the raid was to surprise attack the enemy at the Watering Place Redoubts and to secure provisions. Preparations for the raid called for the enemy's attention to be focused on Irvine's detachment in the vicinity of Elizabethtown
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
, while the 2nd Canadian marched to Connecticut Farms (present-day Union
Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
Union is a Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms...
). Meanwhile, Steward's detachment would advance onto Staten Island, and Stirling's forces would then push to Richmond, in the center of Staten Island, where they would surprise enemy troops.
Lord Stirling had intelligence that the enemy had a force of about 1,000 men, with the main body in huts near the Watering Place Redoubts. These were three British circular redoubts, double-abatised, with about 200 men each, located at present-day Fort Hill Circle in St. George, just north of Tompkinsville. Around midnight on January 14, loaded with cannon and 1,500–3,000 troops, American forces crossed over the frozen ice of the Kill Van Kull
Kill Van Kull
The Kill Van Kull is a tidal strait between Staten Island, New York and Bayonne, New Jersey in the United States. Approximately long and wide, it connects Newark Bay with Upper New York Bay. The Robbins Reef Light marks the eastern end of the Kill, Bergen Point its western end...
waterway from Elizabethtown Point on 500 sleds. It was a starry night, and Loyalist spies had warned the British of the American approach. As a result, the Americans found the British on the posts and alert. With the element of surprise gone, and conditions extremely cold, the raid was aborted. American troops suffered minor frostbite injuries but brought back 17 prisoners, as well as some horses and camp supplies.
New York 1780
In the spring of 1780, the regiment was subjected to a thorough inspection by Baron von SteubenFriedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand von Steuben , also referred to as the Baron von Steuben, was a Prussian-born military officer who served as inspector general and Major General of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
, and was found to be "well taken care of". Von Steuben made recommendations as a result of his inspections (which covered much of the Continental Army) that resulted in the merging of the 1st and 2nd Canadian regiments in 1781.
The regiment spent the summer of 1780 at King's Ferry, New York. Regimental orderly books show that it was at Morristown
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
, Bryant's Tavern, Ramapo
Ramapo, New York
Ramapo , formerly known as New Hempstead and then Hampstead, is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New Jersey; southeast of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Haverstraw and west of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Orangetown...
and Preakness between April 23 and July 26. On August 1 the regiment was reassigned from Hand's Brigade to the New Hampshire Brigade of the Main Army. This brigade was to be under the command of Enoch Poor
Enoch Poor
Enoch Poor was a brigadier general in the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. He was a ship builder and merchant from Exeter, New Hampshire.-Biography:...
, but its command was ultimately given to Hazen, although Hazen was not promoted to brigadier general.
On August 23, von Steuben arrested Hazen for halting his brigade on a march without permission. The army was on the march from Tappan to the Liberty Pole, a pre-war landmark located near Englewood
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
, when Hazen halted the march for his troops to drink water. Hazen was acquitted of charges, and promptly countercharged von Steuben with conduct unbecoming an officer over the incident; von Steuben apologized.
Following the capture of British spy John André
John André
John André was a British army officer hanged as a spy during the American War of Independence. This was due to an incident in which he attempted to assist Benedict Arnold's attempted surrender of the fort at West Point, New York to the British.-Early life:André was born on May 2, 1750 in London to...
and the defection of Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
to the British in September 1780, one hundred of Hazen's soldiers, under command of Lieutenant William Torrey, were detailed to be present at André's hanging on October 2, at Tappan, New York
Tappan, New York
Tappan is a hamlet in the Town of Orangetown, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Old Tappan, New Jersey; east of Nauraushaun and Pearl River; south of Blauvelt and west of Palisades and Sparkill...
.
In the fall of 1780 the regiment was headquartered at Nelson's Point in Garrison, New York
Garrison, New York
Garrison is a hamlet in Putnam County, New York, United States. It is part of the town of Philipstown and is on the east side of the Hudson River, across from the United States Military Academy at West Point...
, directly across the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
from West Point, before entering winter quarters at Fishkill, New York
Fishkill, New York
Fishkill is an upscale village within the much larger town, Town of Fishkill, one of the fastest growing towns in the region, in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The village population was 1,735 at the 2000 census...
in November. During this time eleven officers of the regiment, led by Major James Reid
James Randolph Reid
James Randolph Reid was an American soldier in the Revolutionary War. He later served as a delegate for Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress from 1787 until 1789....
, complained to General Washington (without first consulting Hazen) over the lack of advancement opportunities in the regiment, which were due in part to its unusual position as being the direct responsibility of Congress, rather than under a state's supervision. Reid also made complaints against Hazen, which were heard and dismissed in a November 1780 court martial. Hazen had Reid arrested and confined to quarters afterwards; a long court martial (running from December 1780 to February 1781) resulted in Reid's conviction on two counts and a public reprimand by General Washington.
Regimental orderly books show that during these periods the regiment had operations at Orangetown
Orangetown, New York
Orangetown is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located in the southeast part of the county. It is northwest of New York City; north of New Jersey; east of the town of Ramapo; south of the town of Clarkstown; west of the Hudson River. The population was 47,711 at the 2000 census.-...
, Steeprapie and West Point between September 16 and November 19, and at West Point from October 5 to March 5, 1781.
Reorganized as Canadian Regiment
On January 1, 1781, pursuant to von Steuben's recommendations, the 1st Canadian Regiment1st Canadian Regiment
The 1st Canadian Regiment, was raised by James Livingston to support Colonial efforts in the American Revolutionary War during the invasion of Quebec...
was disbanded. The Canadian members of that regiment were reassigned to the 2nd, which was designated as the Canadian Regiment. In this reorganization, most foreign volunteers were also assigned to the regiment.
Hazen and part of the regiment participated in a raid on January 22 led by Lieutenant Colonel William Hull
William Hull
William Hull was an American soldier and politician. He fought in the American Revolution, was Governor of Michigan Territory, and was a general in the War of 1812, for which he is best remembered for surrendering Fort Detroit to the British.- Early life and Revolutionary War :He was born in...
. Hull's troops raided a position held by a Loyalist corps under Lieutenant Colonel Oliver De Lancey Sr., that was posted at Morrisania (in the present-day Bronx). The Americans burned the enemy barracks, captured 52 prisoners, and took large supplies of ammunition and forage. Hazen's men were assigned to cover their retreat. The British, about 1,000 men, pursued Hull's force beyond a point where Hazen and his men were concealed. In the ensuing skirmish, British forces lost about 35 men.
On June 1, the regiment was sent from the West Point–Fishkill area to Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
and the Mohawk River
Mohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
valley to guard against an expected British attack. For this action it was reassigned from the Highlands Department to the Northern Department. The regiment arrived at Albany on June 5, and spent most of the month patrolling in the Mohawk River valley against an attack that never came. When the perceived threat subsided, the regiment was immediately ordered to return to West Point. On June 29, Hazen was finally given a brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
promotion to brigadier general.
Siege of Yorktown
On August 10, 1781, the Canadian Regiment was reassigned from the Northern Department to the Main Army. On August 19, Washington used the regiment to feintFeint
Feint is a French term that entered English from the discipline of fencing. Feints are maneuvers designed to distract or mislead, done by giving the impression that a certain maneuver will take place, while in fact another, or even none, will...
preparations for an attack on New York. It crossed the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
at Dobbs Ferry
Dobbs Ferry, New York
Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 10,875 at the 2010 census.The Village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is a part of, the town of Greenburgh...
and was ordered to march, together with New Jersey troops, to posts on the heights between Springfield
Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey
Township of Springfield is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population increased to a record high of 15,817....
and Chatham
Chatham Borough, New Jersey
Chatham is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 8,962.The village that now is Chatham first was settled by Europeans in 1710 in Morris Township, within the Province of New Jersey...
, in which position the detachment would cover a French battery that had been set up at Chatham "to veil our real movements and create apprehensions for Staten Island." Meanwhile, the main body of the American Army was starting their southward movement toward Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
. The regiment withdrew, and held near Kakiat
New Hempstead, New York
New Hempstead, formally known as Kakiat , is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New Square; east of Wesley Hills; south of Pomona and west of New City...
for three days from August 22–25.
The regiment then went down the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
and joined the army on the way to Yorktown. At midnight on September 2, 270 of the regiment and other units arrived at Christiana Bridge over the Delaware
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
. The units unloaded the boats and transported supplies for the Continental Army to Elk Landing
Elkton, Maryland
The town of Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,893 as of the 2000 census and 14,842 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Cecil County...
during the three days before the boat carriages arrived. On September 24, Hazen was given command of the second brigade of Marquis de Lafayette's Light Division, to which the Canadian Regiment (now under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Antill) was assigned. After cantonment at Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
, the regiment arrived at Yorktown on September 28.
The regiment participated in the siege, and was heavily involved in the October 14 attacks on the British redoubts. According to Lafayette's own account the Americans did not fire a gun, but used only the bayonet. The brigades of light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
under Generals Peter Muhlenberg
Peter Muhlenberg
John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg was an American clergyman, Continental Army soldier during the American Revolutionary War, and political figure in the newly-independent United States...
and Hazen "advanced with perfect discipline and wonderful steadiness. The battalion of Colonel Vose deployed on the left. The remainder of the division and the rear-guard successively took their positions, under the fire of the enemy, without replying, in perfect order and silence."
Guard detail at Lancaster
The regiment was reassigned from Hazen's Brigade to the Middle Department on December 6, 1781. On this date, a portion of the regiment went to Lancaster, PennsylvaniaLancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, where they guarded prisoners taken at the Siege of Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
. They were on this detail for 10 months with prisoners under guard at Lancaster, York
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
and Reading
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
. The most notable prisoner under Hazen's watch during this time was 20-year-old Captain Charles Asgill
Sir Charles Asgill, 2nd Baronet
Sir Charles Asgill 2nd Baronet GCH was a career soldier in the British Army. Asgill enjoyed a long military career, eventually rising to the rank of General...
. On May 3, 1782, upon orders by Washington, he was selected to hang in retaliation for the brutal summary execution of American Captain Joshua Huddy
Joshua Huddy
Joshua "Jack" Huddy , the commander of a New Jersey Patriot militia unit and a privateer ship during the American Revolutionary War, was captured by Loyalist forces twice escaping once. Following his second capture, Huddy was summarily hanged by irregular forces of the Associated Loyalists...
by the British. In November 1782 his life was spared after heartrending correspondence by his family and intervention by the Queen of France.
In June 1782 Hazen again had James Reid arrested on charges including disobedience and conduct unbecoming an officer. The court martial, held in December, resulted in a mistrial, with Hazen alleging bias on the part of the presiding judge advocate. After additional hearings, Reid was ultimately acquitted of the charges. In November 1782, the regiment was moved to Pompton, New Jersey for winter quarters. Its duties during this time included the interdiction of trade between the countryside and the British in New York City.
Disbanded
In June 1783, with the peace nearly finalized, much of the regiment was furloughed. At the same time it was transferred to the Highland Department. Pursuant to a Resolution of Congress of May 26, 1783, 300 soldiers were discharged on June 9. However, members of the regiment refused to depart, whether on furlough or discharge, until they received their pay. Members of the regiment that remained were ordered to march to Washington's cantonment near New WindsorNew Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site
The New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site, also known as New Windsor Cantonment, is located along NY 300 a mile north of Vails Gate in Orange County's Town of New Windsor. The site features reconstruction buildings of the final encampment of the Continental Army.Between June 1782 and October...
. The regiment was reorganized into two companies on June 30 and was completely disbanded on November 15, 1783, at West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
.
Because the Canadians in the regiment were unable to return to their homes, many of them settled in camps near Albany and Fishkill, where they subsisted on handouts from Congress. General Hazen appealed to Congress to give them land grants, but this effort failed. The state of New York eventually granted Hazen and a number of his men land in the northern part of the state near Lake Champlain.
Troop strength and casualties
StrengthThe regiment's authorized strength was 1,000 men.
| Date | Strength |
|---|---|
| April 1776 | 250 |
| June 1777 | 486 |
| August 1777 | about 700 |
| January 1778 | 592 |
| Spring 1778 | 720 |
| Autumn 1778 | 522 |
| January 1779 | 491 |
| Spring 1780 | 401 |
| March 1781 | 418 |
| August – October 1781 | 418 |
Casualties
| Battle | Date | Casualties |
|---|---|---|
| Staten Island Battle of Staten Island The Battle of Staten Island was a raid by Continental Army troops under Major General John Sullivan against British forces on Staten Island on August 22, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War... |
August 22, 1777 | 8 officers, 40 men |
| Brandywine Battle of Brandywine The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and... |
September 11, 1777 | 4 officers, 73 men |
| Germantown Battle of Germantown The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington... |
October 4, 1777 | 3 officers, 19 men |