Connecticut Line - Reorganization of The Connecticut Line, 1781

Reorganization of The Connecticut Line, 1781

In October 1780, the Continental Congress, in consultation with General Washington, passed resolutions providing for what would be the last reorganization of the Continental Army before its final disbandment.

On January 1, 1781, the Continental Line was to be reduced from 80 regiments to 50. The quota of regiments assigned to the states was 2 from New Hampshire, 10 from Massachusetts, 1 from Rhode Island, 5 from Connecticut, 2 from New York, 2 from New Jersey, 6 from Pennsylvania, 1 from Delaware, 5 from Maryland, 8 from Virginia, 4 from North Carolina, 2 from South Carolina, 1 from Georgia. In addition, one regiment (Colonel Moses Hazen’s Canadian Regiment) was to be raised at large . Under this reorganization, the number of regiments in the Connecticut quota was reduced from eight to five.

The official establishment of an infantry regiment was increased to 717 officers and men. Each regiment continued to have nine companies, including a light infantry company, but the companies were made larger. For the first time, each regiment was to have a permanent recruiting party of 1 lieutenant, 1 drummer, and 1 fifer. Thus, there were to be five recruiting parties in Connecticut to systematically find and forward recruits to the Connecticut regiments in the field.

On January 1, 1781, the Connecticut Line was reorganized to consist of five regiments.

• The 1st Connecticut Regiment (1781) was constituted in the Connecticut Line by consolidation of the 3rd and 4th Connecticut Regiments of 1777. The regiment was commanded by Colonel John Durkee from 1 January 1781 until his death on 29 May 1782. He was succeeded by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Grosvenor from the latter date until 1 January 1783.

• The 2d Connecticut Regiment (1781) was constituted in the Connecticut Line by consolidation of the 5th and 7th Connecticut Regiments of 1777. The regiment was commanded by Colonel Heman Swift from 1 January 1781 until June 1783.

• The 3d Connecticut Regiment (1781) was constituted in the Connecticut Line by consolidation of the 2d Connecticut Regiment of 1777 and the 9th Connecticut Regiment (formerly S.B. Webb's Additional Continental Regiment). The regiment was commanded by Colonel Samuel Blatchley Webb from 1 January 1781 until June 1783.

• The 4th Connecticut Regiment, under this reorganization, was a redesignation of the 6th Connecticut Regiment of 1777. In the reorganization of 1781, Colonel Zebulon Butler transferred from the old 2d Connecticut Regiment to take command of this regiment. Colonel Butler served as colonel until 1 January 1783.

• The 5th Connecticut Regiment (1781) was constituted in the Connecticut Line by consolidation of the 1st and 8th Connecticut Regiments of 1777. The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Sherman from 1 January 1781 to 1 January 1783.