How many companies did a regiment have in 1776?

Answer 1

By 1776 a typical infantry regiment had a regimental staff and eight companies. Along with three field officers and six staff officers, the regimental staff included four staff NCOs: a sergeant major, a quartermaster sergeant, and two lead musicians (a drum major and a fife major).

Answer 2

The Continental Army was reorganized for 1776. Most of the Army units in 1775 were militia organizations, taken as is into the new Army. Washington took over in June and made recommendations, but these took time to implement. The Continental Congress followed Washington's recommendations and called on the states to provide regiments for the army.

Each of the 1776 regiments were to serve for one year. They were to have eight companies, each with 80 rank and file men, plus officers. Total regimental strength was to be 768 men, including field and staff officers, staff non-commissioned officers, field music and so on. Of the eight companies, six were line companies, and one was supposed to be light infantry, and the last was supposed to be grenadiers. The light infantry and grenadier companies were called "flank companies". Light infantrymen were supposed to be small, agile and quick, and would be used for skirmishing and scouting, and grenadiers were supposed to be big, tall strong men. This pattern of organization followed that in use in the British Army at that time. How closely any particular regiment came to having proper flank companies varied widely, and most Continental regiments wound up with eight identical companies.

There was a real crisis at the end of 1776 as these regiments, enlisted for one year, were about to be discharged, and there was nothing to replace them. Washington was able to persuade many of these men to stay on for at least six weeks, until new units raised on the plan of 1777, enlisted for three years, began to come into camp. The organization of these 1777 regiments was the same as those of 1776.

Answer 3

20