Proctor's Continental Artillery Regiment 4th Continental Artillery Regiment |
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Active | 1777–1783 |
Country | United States |
Allegiance | Continental Congress |
Branch | Continental Army |
Type | Artillery |
Size | 8 to 10 companies (authorized) |
Nickname(s) | Proctor's Continental Artillery |
Colors | Blue or black coat with red facings |
Engagements |
Battle of Trenton (1776) Battle of Assunpink Creek (1777) Battle of Princeton (1777) Battle of Bound Brook (1777) Battle of Brandywine (1777) Battle of Germantown (1777) Battle of Monmouth (1778) Sullivan Expedition (1779) Battle of Bull's Ferry (1780) Battle of Green Spring (1781) Siege of Yorktown (1781) Southern Theater (1781–1782) |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders |
Colonel Thomas Proctor |
The 4th Continental Artillery Regiment, also known as Proctor's Continental Artillery Regiment, was an American military unit during the American Revolutionary War. The regiment became part of the Continental Army on 10 June 1777 as Colonel Thomas Proctor's Continental Artillery Regiment. It was made up of eight artillery companies from eastern Pennsylvania. At the time of the regiment's formation, two companies were already in existence, one from as early as October 1775. One company served at Trenton in December 1776 where it performed well in action. In February 1777, Pennsylvania expanded its two-company battalion into an eight-company regiment. After officially joining the Continental Army, the regiment saw much fighting in the Philadelphia campaign in late 1777. Elements of Proctor's Regiment fought at Monmouth in June 1778 and joined the Sullivan Expedition in summer 1779.
On 10 August 1779 the unit was renamed the 4th Continental Artillery Regiment. The regiment was reorganized with a 10-company establishment on 1 January 1781 with the addition of several companies. It was transferred to the Southern Department in February 1781 where it fought at Yorktown in October. Elements of the regiment were also deployed in the southern theater in 1781 and 1782. In January 1783, the regiment was reduced to four companies. That year, the 4th Artillery was transferred to the Middle Department in April, furloughed in June, and disbanded in November.
The 4th Continental Artillery Regiment had its origins in two Pennsylvania artillery units. The Pennsylvania State Artillery Company was authorized on 16 October 1775 and completed its organization at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by 27 November. Captain Thomas Proctor became the commander of a unit with an initial strength of 25 men. It was retained near Philadelphia to guard Fort Island and by December the company numbered 90 men. Company strength swelled to 100 soldiers by May 1776. The men volunteered to serve in a body on the USS Hornet (10) when that vessel engaged the HMS Roebuck (44) in Delaware Bay. The British warship, under the command of Captain Andrew Snape Hamond had been patrolling the bay since 1775, interfering with ship traffic and gathering information from American Loyalists.