9th Connecticut Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 9th Connecticut Regiment was a regiment of the Continental Army
during the American Revolutionary War
. It was first called Webb's Additional Continental Regiment (after its colonel, Samuel Blachley Webb) before being added to the Connecticut Line
in 1780. It saw action at Setauket
in 1777, Rhode Island
in 1778, and Springfield, New Jersey
in 1780, and was generally active in the defense of Connecticut, southern New York, and northern New Jersey. It was merged into the reorganized 2nd Connecticut Regiment
in January 1781.
by Colonel Samuel Blachley Webb, a stepson of Connecticut politician Silas Deane
. It was one of several so-called "additional regiments
" authorized by the Second Continental Congress
that were not associated with any particular state quotas.
in August 1777 under Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons
. It was then sent to the Hudson River
Valley, where it served under General George Clinton
in the aftermath of the October Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery
. In December 1777 the regiment was involved in a failed expedition to Long Island (a more elaborate attempt on Setauket than that of the previous August) in which Colonel Webb was captured. The regiment spent the winter of 1777-78 at West Point, where it assisted in the construction of fortifications (including the Webb redoubt, probably named for the colonel).
In 1778 the regiment was attached to the brigade of General James Varnum
. As part of a combined Franco-American attempt to retake British-occupied Newport, Rhode Island
, the brigade marched to Rhode Island, where it was involved in the August 29 Battle of Rhode Island
. The battle was tactically indecisive, but the regiment was noted for its performance. The regiment wintered in Rhode Island.
The regiment spent most of 1779 in Rhode Island, but was sent to winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey
. In the spring of 1780, the remnants of Sherburne's Additional Continental Regiment were merged into the unit, and it was formally added to the Connecticut Line as the 9th Connecticut Regiment. That June, the regiment was involved in the Battle of Springfield
, in which a British attempt to penetrated from New York City
to the Continental Army camp at Morristown was repulsed. Its winter quarters for 1780-81 were in the Hudson valley.
on January 1, 1781 at West Point, New York
, which was disbanded at the end of the war on November 15, 1783. Colonel Webb, who was exchanged in 1781, was then given command of the reorganized 3rd Connecticut Regiment
.
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...
during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. It was first called Webb's Additional Continental Regiment (after its colonel, Samuel Blachley Webb) before being added to the Connecticut Line
Connecticut Line
The Connecticut Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term "Connecticut Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Connecticut at various times by the Continental Congress, the size of its allocation determined by the size of its population in relative to...
in 1780. It saw action at Setauket
Battle of Setauket
The Battle of Setauket was a failed attack during the American Revolutionary War on a fortified Loyalist outpost in Setauket, Long Island, New York, by a force of Continental Army troops from Connecticut under the command of Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons.In an attempt to repeat the...
in 1777, Rhode Island
Battle of Rhode Island
The Battle of Rhode Island, also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill and the Siege of Newport, took place on August 29, 1778. Continental Army and militia forces under the command of General John Sullivan were withdrawing to the northern part of Aquidneck Island after abandoning their siege of...
in 1778, and Springfield, New Jersey
Battle of Springfield (1780)
The Battle of Springfield was fought during the American Revolutionary War on June 23, 1780. After the Battle of Connecticut Farms, on June 7, 1780, had foiled Lieutenant General Wilhelm, Baron von Knyphausen’s expedition to attack General George Washington’s army at Morristown, New Jersey,...
in 1780, and was generally active in the defense of Connecticut, southern New York, and northern New Jersey. It was merged into the reorganized 2nd Connecticut Regiment
2nd Connecticut Regiment
The 2nd Connecticut Regiment was authorized in the Continental Army on September 16, 1776. It was organized between 1 January - April 1777 at Danbury, Connecticut of eight companies from the counties of Fairfield, Windham, and Hartford in the state of Connecticut and assigned on 3 April 1777 to...
in January 1781.
Formation
The regiment was raised on January 11, 1777 at Danbury, ConnecticutDanbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
by Colonel Samuel Blachley Webb, a stepson of Connecticut politician Silas Deane
Silas Deane
Silas Deane was an American merchant, politician and diplomat. Originally a supporter of American independence Deane served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and then as the United States' first foreign diplomat when he travelled to France to lobby the French government for aid...
. It was one of several so-called "additional regiments
Extra Continental regiments and Additional Continental regiments
The Extra Continental regiments and Additional Continental regiments of the American Revolutionary War differ from each other and from all other Continental Army infantry regiments by the manner in which they formed...
" authorized by the Second Continental Congress
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting on May 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, soon after warfare in the American Revolutionary War had begun. It succeeded the First Continental Congress, which met briefly during 1774,...
that were not associated with any particular state quotas.
History
The regiment first saw action at the Battle of SetauketBattle of Setauket
The Battle of Setauket was a failed attack during the American Revolutionary War on a fortified Loyalist outpost in Setauket, Long Island, New York, by a force of Continental Army troops from Connecticut under the command of Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons.In an attempt to repeat the...
in August 1777 under Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons
Samuel Holden Parsons
Samuel Holden Parsons was an American lawyer, jurist, and military leader.Parsons was born in Lyme, Connecticut, the son of Jonathan Parsons and Phoebe Parsons...
. It was then sent to 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...
Valley, where it served under General George Clinton
George Clinton (vice president)
George Clinton was an American soldier and politician, considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was the first Governor of New York, and then the fourth Vice President of the United States , serving under Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. He and John C...
in the aftermath of the October Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery
Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery
The Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery was an American Revolutionary War battle fought in the highlands of the Hudson River valley, not far from West Point, on October 6, 1777. British forces under the command of General Sir Henry Clinton captured Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery, and then...
. In December 1777 the regiment was involved in a failed expedition to Long Island (a more elaborate attempt on Setauket than that of the previous August) in which Colonel Webb was captured. The regiment spent the winter of 1777-78 at West Point, where it assisted in the construction of fortifications (including the Webb redoubt, probably named for the colonel).
In 1778 the regiment was attached to the brigade of General James Varnum
James Mitchell Varnum
James Mitchell Varnum was an American legislator, lawyer and a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.-Early life:James Mitchell Varnum was born in Dracut, Massachusetts...
. As part of a combined Franco-American attempt to retake British-occupied Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, the brigade marched to Rhode Island, where it was involved in the August 29 Battle of Rhode Island
Battle of Rhode Island
The Battle of Rhode Island, also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill and the Siege of Newport, took place on August 29, 1778. Continental Army and militia forces under the command of General John Sullivan were withdrawing to the northern part of Aquidneck Island after abandoning their siege of...
. The battle was tactically indecisive, but the regiment was noted for its performance. The regiment wintered in Rhode Island.
The regiment spent most of 1779 in Rhode Island, but was sent to winter quarters 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...
. In the spring of 1780, the remnants of Sherburne's Additional Continental Regiment were merged into the unit, and it was formally added to the Connecticut Line as the 9th Connecticut Regiment. That June, the regiment was involved in the Battle of Springfield
Battle of Springfield (1780)
The Battle of Springfield was fought during the American Revolutionary War on June 23, 1780. After the Battle of Connecticut Farms, on June 7, 1780, had foiled Lieutenant General Wilhelm, Baron von Knyphausen’s expedition to attack General George Washington’s army at Morristown, New Jersey,...
, in which a British attempt to penetrated from 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...
to the Continental Army camp at Morristown was repulsed. Its winter quarters for 1780-81 were in the Hudson valley.
Disbandment
The regiment was merged into the 2nd Connecticut Regiment2nd Connecticut Regiment
The 2nd Connecticut Regiment was authorized in the Continental Army on September 16, 1776. It was organized between 1 January - April 1777 at Danbury, Connecticut of eight companies from the counties of Fairfield, Windham, and Hartford in the state of Connecticut and assigned on 3 April 1777 to...
on January 1, 1781 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...
, which was disbanded at the end of the war on November 15, 1783. Colonel Webb, who was exchanged in 1781, was then given command of the reorganized 3rd Connecticut Regiment
3rd Connecticut Regiment
The 3rd Connecticut Regiment was authorized on 16 September 1776 and was organized between 1 January - April 1777 of eight companies of volunteers from the counties of Windham and Hartford in the state of Connecticut. On 3 April 1777 it was assigned to the 1st Connecticut Brigade in the Highland's...
.
External links
- Bibliography of Connecticut's participation in the Continental Army compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History- bibliography including Webb's Regiment