Connecticut Line The Connecticut Line was a formation within the Continental Army . The term " Connecticut Line " referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Connecticut at various times by the Continental Congress , the size of its allocation determined by the size of its population in relative to that of other states . These , together with similarly apportioned 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 . In the course of the war , 27 infantry regiments were assigned to the Connecticut Line . This included the eight provincial regiments of 1775 , Wooster ' s Provisional Regiment ( formed by consolidation of the remnants of the original 1st , 4th , and 5th Regiments ) , the five numbered Continental regiments of 1776 , the eight Connecticut regiments of 1777 , S . B . Webb ' s Additional Continental Regiment , which later became the 9th Connecticut Regiment , and four new regiments created by consolidation in 1781 . 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 Samuel Blatchley Webb , who accepted . Webb had formerly served as one of Washington ’ s personal aides . Webb ’ s Regiment was allotted to the Connecticut Line on July 24 , 1780 , and officially designated the 9th Connecticut Regiment . The 9th Connecticut Regiment was consolidated with the 2d Connecticut Regiment on January 1 , 1781 . Half of Sherburne ’ s Additional Continental Regiment was drawn 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 . Elmore ' s Regiment , raised in 1776 for the defense of Canada , was an example of such an “ extra ” regiment . Connecticut 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 Connecticut Assembly voted , on April 27 , 1775 , to contribute 6 , 000 men to this army . The Connecticut troops were formed into six infantry regiments . Connecticut infantry regiments had an official establishment of 1 , 046 officers and men in ten companies . The troops were enlisted to serve until December 10 , 1775 . The New England delegates to the Continental Congress urged that the Congress assume responsibility for the provincial troops of New Hampshire , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , and Connecticut , that were blockading Boston . This was done on June 14 , 1775 , and these troops were designated the Continental Army . George Washington was selected as commander in chief of this force , and all other Continental Army troops , the following day . 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 . The 1st Connecticut Provincial Regiment ( 1775 ) was commanded by Colonel David Wooster . Wooster ' s Regiment was assigned to the Separate , or New York , Department in 1775 and did not receive an additional designation in August . The 2d Connecticut Provincial Regiment ( 1775 ) was commanded by Colonel Joseph Spencer . In August 1775 , Spencer ' s Regiment was designated " The 33d Regiment of Foot . " The 3d Connecticut Provincial Regiment ( 1775 ) was commanded by Colonel Israel Putnam . In August 1775 , Putnam ' s Regiment was designated " The 34th Regiment of Foot . " The 4th Connecticut Provincial Regiment ( 1775 ) was commanded by Colonel Benjamin Hinman . Hinman ' s Regiment was assigned to the Separate , or New York , Department in 1775 and did not receive an additional designation in August . The 5th Connecticut Provincial Regiment ( 1775 ) was commanded by Colonel David Waterbury . Waterbury ' s Regiment was assigned to the Separate , or New York , Department in 1775 and did not receive an additional designation in August . The 6th Connecticut Provincial Regiment ( 1775 ) was commanded by Colonel Samuel Holden Parsons . In August 1775 , Parsons ' Regiment was designated " The 13th Regiment of Foot . " Massachusetts requested reinforcements from the other New England colonies following the Battle of Bunker Hill . Connecticut responded by raising two more infantry regiments . They were authorized by the Connecticut Assembly on July 1 , 1775 , and placed on the Continental establishment on July 19 , 1775 The 7th Connecticut Provincial Regiment ( 1775 ) was commanded by Colonel Charles Webb . In August 1775 , Charles Webb ' s Regiment was designated " The 39th Regiment of Foot . " The 8th Connecticut Provincial Regiment ( 1775 ) was commanded by Colonel Jedediah Huntington . In August 1775 , Huntington ' s Regiment was designated " The 29th Regiment of Foot . " Numbered Continental Regiments , 1776 . On November 4 , 1775 , the Continental Congress resolved that on January 1 , 1776 , the Continental Army , exclusive of artillery and extra regiments , should consist of 27 infantry regiments . The troops were to be enlisted to serve until December 31 , 1776 . The quota of regiments assigned to the states was 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 . For the campaign of 1776 Connecticut was to provide the 10th , 17th , 19th , 20th , and 22d Continental Regiments . Connecticut Line , 1777 . During 1776 , the Continental Congress gradually overcame its ideological objections to a standing army , and , on September 16 , 1776 , it resolved that , on January 1 , 1777 , the Continental Line should consist of 88 infantry regiments , to be maintained for the duration of the war . The quota of regiments assigned to the states was 3 from New Hampshire , 15 from Massachusetts , 2 from Rhode Island , 8 from Connecticut , 4 from New York , 4 from New Jersey , 12 from Pennsylvania , 1 from Delaware , 8 from Maryland , 15 from Virginia , 9 from North Carolina , 6 from South Carolina , and 1 from Georgia . The quotas for states outside New England included regiments that had been on the Continental establishment earlier , but the term Continental Line was now broadened to include the lines of all the states . Reorganization of the Connecticut Line , 1778 - 1779 . While the Main Army , that portion of Washington ’ s army under his immediate command , was in winter quarters at Valley Forge , the Congress acted to reduce the size and increase the tactical efficiency of the Continental Army . On May 27 , 1778 , it resolved that the number of infantry regiments be reduced from 88 to 80 . The quota of regiments assigned to the states was 3 from New Hampshire , 15 from Massachusetts , 2 from Rhode Island , 8 from Connecticut , 5 from New York , 3 from New Jersey , 11 from Pennsylvania , 1 from Delaware , 8 from Maryland , 11 from Virginia , 6 from North Carolina , 6 from South Carolina , and 1 from Georgia . Under this reorganization , the number of regiments in the Connecticut quota was unchanged . The official establishment of a regiment was reduced to 582 officers and men . Each regiment was to consist of nine rather than eight companies . The ninth company was to be a company of light infantry , and was to be kept up to strength by drafting men from the regiment ’ s eight other companies if necessary . During the campaigning season , the light infantry companies of the regiments in a field army were to be combined into a special corps of light infantry . Because the Continental Congress passed this resolve at the beginning of the campaigning season , it was nearly a year before this reorganization was completed . The reorganization of the Continental Line was finalized on March 9 , 1779 . On July 24 , 1780 , S . B . Webb ' s Additional Continental Regiment was officially redesignated the 9th Connecticut Regiment . Reorganization of the Connecticut Line , 1781 . In October 1780 , the Continental Congress , in consultation with General Washington , passed resolutions providing for what would be the last reorganization of the Continental Army before its final disbandment . On January 1 , 1781 , the Continental Line was to be reduced from 80 regiments to 50 . The quota of regiments assigned to the states was 2 from New Hampshire , 10 from Massachusetts , 1 from Rhode Island , 5 from Connecticut , 2 from New York , 2 from New Jersey , 6 from Pennsylvania , 1 from Delaware , 5 from Maryland , 8 from Virginia , 4 from North Carolina , 2 from South Carolina , 1 from Georgia . In addition , one regiment ( Colonel Moses Hazen ’ s Canadian Regiment ) was to be raised at large . Under this reorganization , the number of regiments in the Connecticut quota was reduced from eight to five . The official establishment of an infantry regiment was increased to 717 officers and men . Each regiment continued to have nine companies , including a light infantry company , but the companies were made larger . For the first time , each regiment was to have a permanent recruiting party of 1 lieutenant , 1 drummer , and 1 fifer . Thus , there were to be five recruiting parties in Connecticut to systematically find and forward recruits to the Connecticut regiments in the field . On January 1 , 1781 , the Connecticut Line was reorganized to consist of five regiments . Demobilization of the Connecticut Line . " January 1 , 1783 " . " June 15 , 1783 " . " November 15 , 1783 " . The three remaining regiments in the Connecticut Line were disbanded .