Rhode Island Line The Rhode Island Line was a formation within the Continental Army . The term " Rhode Island Line " referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Rhode Island at various times by the Continental Congress . These , together with similar contingents from the other twelve states , formed the Continental Line . The concept was particularly important in relation to the promotion of commissioned officers . Officers of the Continental Army below the rank of brigadier general were ordinarily ineligible for promotion except in the line of their own state . Not all Continental infantry regiments raised in a state were part of a state quota , however . On December 27 , 1776 , the Continental Congress gave Washington temporary control over certain military decisions that the Congress ordinarily regarded as its own prerogative . These “ dictatorial powers ” included the authority to raise sixteen additional Continental infantry regiments at large . Early in 1777 , Washington offered command of one of these additional regiments to Ezekiel Cornell of Rhode Island . Cornell declined in order to command a brigade of Rhode Island state troops . Washington also offered command of an additional regiment to Henry Sherburne of Rhode Island , who accepted . In 1776 , Sherburne has served with distinction at the Battle of The Cedars . Half of Sherburne ’ s Regiment was drawn from Rhode Island and half from Connecticut . Still other Continental infantry regiments and smaller units , also unrelated to a state quota , were raised as needed for special or temporary service . Rhode Island Provincial Regiments , 1775 . On April 23 , 1775 , the Massachusetts Provincial Congress voted to raise a volunteer force of 13 , 600 men , and it called upon the other New England colonies for assistance in raising an army of 30 , 000 men . In response , the Rhode Island Assembly voted , on May 6 , 1775 , to contribute 1 , 500 men to this army . The Rhode Island troops were formed into a brigade of three infantry regiments . Nathanael Greene was the brigade commander . Two of the regiments had eight companies each , and one of the regiments had seven companies . ( The Rhode Island Train of Artillery , which was a part of this force , brought the brigade ' s strength up to 24 companies . Rhode Island infantry regiments initially had an official establishment of 487 officers and men in eight companies ( but one regiment had only 427 men in seven companies ) . The troops were enlisted to serve until December 31 , 1775 . The legislation of the Rhode Island Assembly which created this force described it as an " Army of Observation " . This term was also used for the forces raised by the four New England colonies to observe the British garrison in Boston , Massachusetts . Massachusetts requested reinforcements from the other New England colonies following the Battle of Bunker Hill . Rhode Island responded , on June 28 , 1775 , by raising six new companies and assigning two companies to each Rhode Island regiment . In an effort to weld the separate New England armies into a single " Continental " Army , on August 5 , 1775 , General Washington ordered that a board be convened to determine the rank of the regiments at Boston . The board was to consist of a brigadier general as moderator and six field officers as members . It completed its task on August 20 , 1775 , and reported its decision to Washington . The regiments of infantry in the Continental Army were accordingly numbered without reference to their colony of origin . There were thirty - nine " Regiments of Foot in the Army of the United Colonies . " In General Orders , Washington often referred to his regiments by these numbers ; and they appear in the strength reports compiled by Adjutant General Horatio Gates . Varnum ' s Regiment was commanded by Colonel James Mitchell Varnum . In August 1775 , Varnum ' s Regiment was designated " The 12th Regiment of Foot . " It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment . Hitchcock ' s Regiment was commanded by Colonel Daniel Hitchcock . In August 1775 , Hitchcock ' s Regiment was designated " The 14th Regiment of Foot . " It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment . Church ' s Regiment was commanded by Colonel Thomas Church . In August 1775 , Church ' s Regiment was designated " The 15th Regiment of Foot . " It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment . Numbered Continental Regiments , 1776 . On November 4 , 1775 , the Continental Congress resolved that on January 1 , 1776 , the Continental Army , exclusive of artillery and extras , should consist of 27 infantry regiments : 1 from Pennsylvania , 3 from New Hampshire , 16 from Massachusetts , 2 from Rhode Island , and 5 from Connecticut . Each regiment was to have an official establishment of 728 officers and men in eight companies . The regiments were to receive numbers instead of names , and the troops were to be enlisted to serve until December 31 , 1776 . For the campaign of 1776 Rhode Island was to provide the 9th and 11th Continental Regiments .