1st Virginia Regiment

Virginia holds a distinct military lineage in American history very few other states can match. The state is host to regiments dating back to the 17th century colonial militias and  combat honors starting with the French and Indian War. The First Virginia Regiment is one of those who holds that long distinction. Originating from the Charles City Regiment, the Virginia Regiment was incorporated into the British Line and engaged the enemy at Fort Necessity and took part in the Braddock Expedition, being led by one of the wars most notable commanders, George Washington. After the wars end, the regiment stood down, and was raised again in Williamsburg in 1775 as tensions between the colonies and the crown intensified. With the outbreak of war, the regiment was incorporated into the Continental Army, and participated in a multitude of campaigns and battles, with its first commander being Patrick Henry, famous for the phrase “Give me Liberty or Give me Death”. The regiments first actions were in Virginia, fighting the loyalist regiments of Virginia’s Royal Governor Lord Dunmore, who along with British Grenadiers and runaway slaves sought to reclaim the colony from the rebel government. The First Virginia Regiment participated in a notable victory against Lord Dunmore’s forces near Norfolk in December of 1775. Lord Dunmore’s attempts to reclaim Virginia after this defeat were unsuccessful and he abandoned Virginia in August 1776.

After Dunmore’s defeat, the regiment began the long march north to join General George Washington in New York City, with nearly all men of the regiment re-enlisting before their departure. In September of 1776, the regiment joined General Washington’s army, who were recently chased out of New York City, at Harlem Heights. The arrival of the Virginians gave a much needed morale boost to Washington’s soldiers. In the following days, soldiers from the regiment joined Connecticut soldiers in reconnaissance of British positions. An engagement soon followed which forced the British to withdraw, giving the Continental Army a major morale boost. 

After the regiment’s engagement in New York, the regiment moved to New Jersey, where they participated in the surprise attack against the Hessians at Trenton in December 1776. The 1st Virginia Regiment then participated in the engagement at Princeton, who guarded the road to Trenton after the Continental Army met the British force that was setting out to meeting Washington at Trenton. During the engagement, the Virginians suffered the heaviest casualties after the British charged them with Bayonets. The regiment then spent the winter with Washington’s army in Morristown, New Jersey, where after casualties from combat, expired enlistments and disease, the regiment could only muster 64 men. Much of the winter and spring of 1777 was spent rebuilding the army, including the 1st Virginia Regiment. Whilst the Continental Army rebuilt itself in New Jersey, British General Howe made several maneuvers into New Jersey, and began to move toward the mid-Atlantic states of Maryland and Pennsylvania.

On September 11, 1777, the Virginians were poised for battle at Brandywine Creek in Pennsylvania. Howe’s army outflanked the Americans and the First Virginia Regiment held off redcoats to allow a proper withdrawal of American forces, saving Washington’s army from total destruction. Eager for a chance to engage the British again, Washington decided to attack the British garrison at Germantown, Pennsylvania. The First Virginia Regiment began its assault as part of Muhlenberg’s brigade, however, heavy fog caused confusion amongst the ranks. The regiment then took part in a bayonet charge against the British camp, taking prisoners. However, with the main American force delayed, the Virginians soon found themselves surrounded and lost 100 of the prisoners they had taken. The Americans soon withdrew and the regiment would be encamped at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778. 

As the army was retrained and rebuilt, the 1st Virginia Regiment was remanned and prepared for the next engagement. At the Battle of Monmouth, the Virginians inflicted heavy casualties on the British 42nd Royal Highland Regiment. By the end of the summer of 1778, the 1st Virginia Regiment absorbed the 9th Virginia Regiment due to manpower shortages, as part of a broader effort to consolidate the Virginia Line of Infantry in the Continental Army, which would later see the 1st Virginia Regiment absorb 5th, 7th, 10th and 11th Regiments by the summer of 1779. For most of 1779, the regiment engaged British forces in New York and New Jersey at Stony Point and Paulus Hook. By the end of the year, the regiment was called to the south, to assist the cause in the Carolinas. During this long march, many died of disease, deserted or had their enlistments expire. Upon the arrival of the Virginians, the remainder participated in the defense of Charleston from British forces, where most were captured when the city fell, where they would remain prisoners for the rest of the war. In the summer of 1783, the first Virginian Continental soldiers began being mustered out of service with all companies being disbanded in August of 1783. The First Virginia Regiment was formally disbanded on November 15, 1783. The service of the 1st Virginia Regiment would be one of the first chapters of military service Virginians would play in service of the republic, continuing a long story of American military accomplishments and sacrifices. 

• 3x3"
• Woven
• Hook Backing
• Release: 02/03/2026
• Design Note: We went to great lengths to get the actual design as correct as we could. There is no original to work from, just historic accounts and the feedback from re-enactment groups. The end result is our best attempt at being as historically correct as we can.