3rd Virginia Regiment

The 3rd Virginia Regiment was raised on December 28, 1775, at Alexandria, Virginia, for service with the Continental Army.[1] The 3rd Virginia's initial commander was Colonel Hugh Mercer, who was quickly promoted to Brigadier General. Its second commander, George Weedon, was also promoted to Brigadier General within a few months. Weedon was succeeded in command by Colonel Thomas Marshall, the father of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. During its time at Valley Forge its commander was Colonel William Heth. The regiment saw action in the New York Campaign, the Battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston. Most of the regiment was captured at Charlestown, South Carolina, on May 12, 1780, by the British, and the regiment was formally disbanded on November 15, 1783. James Monroe, Thomas Helm, John Francis Mercer and James Markham Marshall served as Lieutenants in this regiment.

For the Confederate States Army unit, see 3rd Virginia Infantry.
3rd Virginia Regiment
Active1775–1783
BranchInfantry
Part ofVirginia Line
EngagementsNew York Campaign,
Battle of Trenton,
Battle of Princeton,
Battle of Brandywine,
Battle of Germantown,
Battle of Monmouth,
Siege of Charleston
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Colonel Hugh Mercer
Colonel George Weedon
Colonel Thomas Nelson Jr

Battle of Trenton

On December 26, 1776, the vanguard was the 6th Company led by Captain William Washington and Lt. James Monroe. "When the Hessians rolled out a field gun midway on King Street, a half dozen Virginians led by Captain William Washington (a distant cousin of the commander) and Lieutenant James Monroe rushed forward, seized it, and turned it on them."

References
  1. Berg, Fred Anderson (1972). Encyclopedia of Continental Army Units. Stackpole Books. p. 125.

Further reading

Cecere, Michael. They Behaved Like Soldiers: Captain John Chilton and the Third Virginia Regiment, 1775 - 1778. Westminster, MD: Heritage Books, 2004. ISBN 0-7884-2479-3.


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