20th Continental Regiment

The 20th Continental Regiment was a regiment of the Connecticut Line in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. It was established as part of the Continental Army's 1776 organization and served primarily in the northeastern theater of the conflict. Contemporary and later records commonly associated the unit with Colonel John Durkee, leading to the informal name "Durkee's Regiment." It has also sometimes been called the "20th Connecticut Regiment," although that designation is considered inaccurate for the unit's Continental Army context. The regiment's first colonel was Benedict Arnold. Arnold did not personally take command, however, because he was serving in Quebec when the regiment was created and was soon promoted to brigadier general. John Durkee, initially the regiment's lieutenant colonel, assumed a more direct leadership role and became colonel in August 1776. The change placed Durkee at the center of the regiment's operational identity for most of its existence. During the early phase of the New York and New Jersey campaign, the regiment was stationed in New Jersey. As the American army withdrew from British advances in late 1776, the unit retreated with George Washington's forces. Its service continued through the difficult period that followed the loss of New York and the American withdrawal across New Jersey. The regiment subsequently participated in the Battle of Trenton, Washington's December 1776 victory that helped restore American morale and extend support for the Continental cause. Some members elected to remain in service after their enlistments expired. These men continued to serve during the Battle of the Assunpink Creek and the Battle of Princeton in early 1777. Their continued participation reflects the fluid personnel arrangements of the Continental Army, in which enlistment terms, reenlistments, and short-term extensions affected the composition of individual regiments. The 20th Continental Regiment is therefore best understood as a historical military unit rather than a commercial brand. It had no commercial products, consumer positioning, corporate ownership, public listing, or operating markets. Its historical significance derives from its place in the Connecticut Line, its association with Durkee and Arnold, and its participation in Washington's New Jersey campaign and the winter operations of 1776–1777.

The 20th Continental Regiment formed part of the Connecticut Line under the Continental Army's 1776 establishment. The Continental Congress and the states organized regiments into numbered formations, but the units were also frequently identified by their commanders or by their state affiliation. In the case of this regiment, the name "Durkee's Regiment" became common because John Durkee commanded it for most of its operational existence. The later label "20th Connecticut Regiment" appears in some references but is not the preferred historical designation for this Continental Army unit. Benedict Arnold was appointed the regiment's first colonel. His appointment was largely nominal in practical terms: Arnold was in Quebec when the regiment was formed and soon received promotion to brigadier general. The regiment's first lieutenant colonel, John Durkee, consequently became its effective senior officer and was promoted to colonel in August 1776. Durkee's leadership explains the regiment's enduring alternative name and its association with the broader group of Connecticut formations active in the war. The regiment was sent to New Jersey during the opening stages of the New York and New Jersey campaign. In the second half of 1776, British and allied forces pushed Washington's army out of New York and across New Jersey. The 20th Continental Regiment retreated with the American army during this crisis. The retreat placed the unit within the Continental Army's broader effort to preserve its field force while maintaining enough cohesion to continue the war. At the end of December 1776, the regiment took part in the Battle of Trenton. The American victory there was strategically limited but politically and psychologically important, helping revive recruitment and confidence after a succession of defeats. Some of the regiment's soldiers remained in service beyond the expiration of their enlistments. These men continued to participate in operations around Trenton and Princeton, including the Battle of the Assunpink Creek and the Battle of Princeton in early January 1777. The regiment's surviving historical record is primarily military and administrative rather than commercial. It is documented through accounts of the Connecticut Line, Revolutionary War service records, and later historical compilations. The Connecticut Historical Society's record of Connecticut personnel in military and naval service during the Revolutionary War is among the cited reference works. As a wartime regiment, the 20th Continental Regiment did not have a successor brand, commercial product portfolio, corporate parent, or modern business operation. Its identity ended with its historical military service, while its name remains relevant in scholarship on the Continental Army and Connecticut's contribution to the Revolution.

1. 1777Winter operations in New Jersey

   Some soldiers who remained beyond their enlistment terms fought at the Battle of the Assunpink Creek and the Battle of Princeton.

   Source
2. 1776Formation in the Continental Army

   The 20th Continental Regiment was organized as part of the 1776 establishment of the Continental Army and assigned to the Connecticut Line.

   Source
3. 1776Service in New Jersey

   The regiment was posted in New Jersey during the early stages of the New York and New Jersey campaign.

   Source
4. 1776Retreat with Washington's army

   The unit withdrew with George Washington's army during the American retreat across New Jersey late in 1776.

   Source
5. 1776Battle of Trenton

   The regiment participated in the American victory at Trenton in December 1776.

   Source
6. 1776Durkee becomes colonel

   John Durkee, initially lieutenant colonel, was promoted to colonel in August 1776 and became the regiment's principal commander.

   Source

1. 20th Continental Regiment
2. The Record of Connecticut Men in the Military and Naval Service During the War of the Revolution, 1775–1783
3. Bibliography of Connecticut's Participation in the Continental Army