Virginia’s Almost Forgotten Garrison Regiment
Editor’s Note. During the Revolutionary War, there was only one so-called national regiment of American Troops called “Congress’ One,” or the “First Canadian” regiment. All others were raised and paid by the various 13 colonies. Although Gen. George Washington was the commander-in-chief, the Continental Army was a loose-knit affair. This article pertains to one of those regiments, the Virginia State Garrison, which was designed for Virginia’s internal defense, and not under Washington’s direct command.
This article was written by Doris D. Hammes, the wife of Bill Hammes, who was an assistant to Bill Geiger and the narrator of hundreds of musters and events. It was published in 1975 in the Daily Press. This article was written from research compiled by Mr. William White of Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and others of its staff with aid from Mr. Michael Saaverdra of the Virginia State Library in an effort to revive, both on paper and in tangible fact, a seemingly lost fragment of Virginia’s history.
In the fall of 1777 Virginia was a sitting duck. The northern winds blew ill and chill against General Washington’s out-numbered, outclassed, miserably clad and woefully unequipped army.
Ferment leading up to the Declaration of Independence had started in Virginia over a dozen years before; but when actual war broke, it hit the north. Then, the British sent forces to the lower south – their plan, to split the states by crippling their extremities, then to mop up the middle. Virginia was the important producer of the lucrative tobacco trade and accessible to invasion with its long coast line sliced at regular intervals by numerous rivers navigable inland for good distances.
The Legislature and governor Patrick Henry knew the danger to the coast as well as Virginia’s vast territory stretching north-westward to the Great Lakes. So, as early as October 1776, the House of Delegates passed a bill entitled “An Act for making a farther (sic) provision for the internal security and defense out of this country.” It called for fortifications to be erected at Portsmouth, Yorktown, Hampton; Corotoman in the county of Lancaster; and at Cherrystone’s in the county of Northampton. These fortifications were to be garrisoned by three battalions of infantry – the First, Second and Third Regiments of the Virginia State Line which were not to be marched out of the state on any pretense whatever without consent of the General Assembly or by order of the Governor should the Assembly be in recess.
But less than a year later, they were marching out. Congress and General Washington were pressing the state to send additional troops to the continental Army. Thus, the Assembly passed a bill on October 2, 1777, to send what had been completed of these units to the grand army. They were, at least in part, filling a gap left by the 9th Virginia Regiment Continental Line which had been captured at the battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777. But now, Virginia was left with little eastern defense.
Realizing this, the General Assembly passed another bill in May 1777 intending a speedy completion to the quota of troops to be raised by the Commonwealth for the continental Army. It further provided “That a battalion of ten companies of artillery, one company of which to be composed of artificers, shall be forthwith raised…”. It seems this battalion was designated as Marshall’s artillery and was a state regiment to be used for the defense of Virginia in the case of invasion. After a period of incubation, it appears the Virginia State Garrison Regiment emerged as the offspring of Thomas Marshall’s Artillery.
In May of 1778, the Assembly passed a bill titled “An Act for raising a Battalion of Infantry for garrison duty, and for other purposes.” These were to man the fortifications and batteries erected for the defense of several ports and harbors within the state and protect the inland cities of Richmond and Williamsburg, still the capital and center of military activity. The War Office was located in Williamsburg and the city became headquarters for the new Garrison until the capital was moved to Richmond in 1780. In the meantime, according to the VIRGINIA GAZETTE (December 4, 1778), barracks had been erected for quartering the men who were guarding the Magazine and maintaining the grounds and stores. In addition, the Garrison was given the responsibility for military prisoners housed in the area. Even after the move to Richmond with the War Office and Garrison Headquarters going along, a force was left in Williamsburg to keep a constant sentinel at the old Capitol Building and abandoned Palace and to carry out other such civil assignments.
According to the original act of the Assembly, the Garrison was to have eight companies of sixty-eight rank and file. In addition, each company was to have “one drummer and fifer, and be commanded by a Captain, two lieutenants, an ensign, and four sergeants…to be commanded by a colonel, lieutenant colonel, and major…”. It further read, “If any person enlisted for the said battalion shall at any time be ordered to march out of the Commonwealth, such order shall amount to discharge.” This, however, left two options if these troops were needed out of state. The Legislature could rescind the clause and troops could volunteer.
The governor and Council were to appoint these officers and they, in turn, were to recruit men to fill the regiment with the State Treasurer allowing them to draw the monies necessary providing $10 for each man enlisted. Upon raising his quota, the officer was then given a commission. The same bounty, pay and rations given to the continental regiments were to be issued to men enlisting in the Garrison Regiment – at that time, $20 bounty plus a $20 suit of clothes. A month’s pay was approximately $8.67
Apparently recruiting went slowly. Bounty jumping was a favorite sport of many men who have joined several different regiments, collecting bounty from each before disappearing. Others, perhaps, joined in a fit of alcoholic patriotism only to have more sober thoughts after more sober reflection. At any rate, it is doubtful the regiment was ever at full strength. Intended to have 544 enlisted men, by February of 1781, it still numbered only 10 officers, 25 non-commissioned officers, and 151 enlisted men.
George Muter was the man commissioned to command this important regiment of Virginia’s internal defense. But Muter had little prior military or leadership experience. He had been appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the State Artillery in 1777. But on November 8, 1779, he was called to command the Virginia State Garrison Regiment – a decision the authorities later regretted. By 1780 he was also Commissioner of the War Office, by then located as was Regimental Headquarters, in Richmond.
Evidence indicates that two of the eight companies were stationed in Williamsburg while it was the capital and the Jefferson papers and other sources make it clear that Williamsburg was the pivot for operations of the regiment with men being called out when and where needed in case of an emergency. An order from the Board of War on December 23, 1779 stated that the “Garrison regiment hold itself in readiness to march to York at a moment’s notice.” Another time may have been the occasion of the Matthew-Collier raid in May of 1779 in which British troops, unopposed, attacked the Hampton Roads and Norfolk areas advancing as far as Suffolk before returning to New York.
Each enlistee in the Garrison was allotted two shirts, two pairs of shoes, one hat and one blanket. The two shirts were probably rifle or hunting shirts made from oznaburg, a heavy and coarse linen. They were long, almost covering the breeches (which apparently each man provided for himself) so the breeches were scarcely seen. The shirt was closed in at the waist with a belt. The hat and the uniformity of the shirts, then, presented a temporarily passable uniformed soldier.
By April of 1779, the Public Store Ledger indicates the issue to men of the Garrison Regiment coats of blue with red lapels. The lining of the coat tails (usually worn turned up) were of blue shalloon. Evidence of this uniform shows up in desertion advertisements such as one appearing in the VIRGINIA GAZETTE
EIGHTY DOLLARS REWARD
For apprehending the following deferters belonging to the Virginia ftate garrifon regiment of infantry now ftationed near Williamfburg, Thomas Tiftale, a Virginian, born in Hanover county, about 23 years old, 5 feet 8 inches high, brown complexion, brown hair, black eyes, had on when he went away a blue regimental coat turned up with red, a red jacket and breeches. Charles Valentine, a mulatto, born in Surry county, Virginia, 28 years old, 5 feet 9 inches high, well mad, had on the fame uniform as above. James Collier, a Virginian, born in King & Queen county, 16 years of age, 5 feet 21/2 inches high, fair complexion, light hair, blue eyes, and well made, had on fame uniform as above. John Bunns, a Virginian, born in King & Queen county, 16 years of age, 5 feet 2 inches high, light eyes and brown hair, with the fame uniform as above. Whover apprehends the faid deferters, and conveys them to the commanding officer at Williamfburg, York, Hampton or Portfmouth, fhall have the above reward, or 20 dollars for either of them.
Given under my hand at head quarters Williamfburg, March 13, 1779.
EDWARD WALLER, Capt. Com. S. G. R.
Virginia Gazette, Dixon and Nicolson: March 19, 1779 – pg. 2
The red jacket probably was a waist coat. By 1779, Public Store records also show issues of overalls (a likely fatigue wear).
During the summer of 1780 one record of a clothing shortage within the Regiment is indicated in a letter from the War Office addressed to Captain Edward Moody who must have been in charge of equipping the garrisons at Portsmouth, Hampton and York. Moody was promised every expectation of “linen and thread” to be on its way to remedy the situation within days. The materials were “to be made up at York” and additional finished uniforms to be sent on from there to Portsmouth and Hampton with the cost of production to be taken by the “Comm’t of Stores”.
Traditionally, musicians’ uniforms were the reverse colors of the line. However, some regimental field officers must have noted that red waistcoats and breeches would clash with the red coats of the musicians so the color of the “small clothes” were accordingly changed to buff.
By the original act authorizing the State Garrison regiment, each of the eight companies was to have a fifer and drummer and one each for the Commanding Officer and Adjutant – a total of twenty field musicians and probably a drum and fife major. These units carried on the usual camp duties of sounding Reveille, Retreat, Roast Beef (the call for dinner or whiskey rations), summoned work parties and accompanied recruiters to stir up enthusiasm to “join up”. There is little doubt the combined musicians would have performed when the entire regiment was stationed in one area.
The Garrison Regiment had another necessity of any military unit – a labor force consisting of both slave and skilled non-slave craftsmen. Such trades as blacksmithing, amouring, repair, shoe making, hat making and tailoring were being practiced within the Garrison according to accounts found in the Journal of the Council of the State of Virginia. Outside service was employed when necessary and paid for accordingly.
But, by the end of 1779, the Garrison Regiment which had been a promising protective force had stopped growing and showed alarming signs of regression. No doubt, desertions could account for some reduction although it cannot be determined to what extent. And it 1780, an alarm rang out calling for support of American troops against the wave of British in South Carolina. The Board of War took action on this March 29th by appointing Lieutenant Colonel Charles Porterfield (second to Colonel Muter of the Garrison Regiment) to command a detachment of Virginia troops consisting of “volunteers of the State Garrison Regiment, the greater part of Marshall’s Corps of Artillery and two troops of Nelson’s Horse” and to be prepared “to march on the Shortest notice”.
Well over 100 volunteers from the Garrison, including three officers, marched out with Porterfield’s detachment by the end of April. On January 10, 1781 Porterfield was dead. At the Battle of Camden on August 16, 1780 when the British thoroughly routed the American forces, Porterfield was wounded and lingered in dreadful condition for five months. An account of the battle in a letter to General Washington states at least one third of Porterfield’s Corps was lost but how many of the State Garrison is not known.
The once blossoming regiment which had already fallen far below its necessary strength was reduced officially in January, 1781 and was attached subsequently to Colonel Charles Dabney’s State Legion. Thus, under Dabney’s command, in October of 1781, we find seasoned survivors of the old Garrison Regiment preparing for battle at Yorktown. They trudged along, part of Steuben’s Division which included Wayne’s 1st and 2nd Pennsylvania battalions and one from Virginia, the 3rd and 4th Maryland regiments, General Thomas Nelson’s three brigades of Virginia Militia, Dabney’s Regiment plus 110 sappers and miners. Orders and positions came from Commander of the Artillery, General Henry Knox, and the Division was stationed in the artillery park within the battlefield.
Detailed orders show daily assignments to Dabney’s regiment which was posted between the right and left wings of the line in “the Park” during the siege. And, Brigade Orders of October 21, 1781(two days after the British surrender) include General Knox’s relay of General Washington’s appreciation to the Corps of Artillery and further: “The General also thanks Lt. Col. Dabney, the Officers and Privates of the Virginia State Regiment…for the zeal and Alacrity with which they have performed the several duties assigned them and assure these Corps that he shall ever retain the most grateful sense of their service on this occasion.”
Victory at Yorktown left the Garrison’s remains officially incorporated into the dashing Dabney’s Regiment, with the state’s eastern defense. However, gradual attrition shows that by April 23, 1783, twenty-two officers of the State Legion were retired including Dabney himself and at least two officers from the original Garrison Regiment.