2nd Continental Artillery Regiment

The 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment was a Continental Army artillery formation active during the American Revolutionary War. It was authorized on 1 January 1777 as Colonel John Lamb's Continental Artillery Regiment and was built around artillery companies from New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. The regiment was later numbered the 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment on 10 August 1779, when the Continental Congress and army leadership standardized the designations of the four Continental artillery regiments. The regiment's origins lay in several independent artillery companies raised before 1777. One of its principal antecedents was Captain John Lamb's company, authorized in June 1775 and formed in New York City. A detachment from that company accompanied Benedict Arnold's expedition toward Quebec and suffered capture at the Battle of Quebec on 31 December 1775. Other constituent companies included those commanded by Sebastian Bauman and John Doughty. Bauman's company took part in the Battle of Trenton on 26 December 1776, operating three guns and helping suppress Hessian artillery positions in the town. Doughty's company had served with George Washington's main army before becoming part of Lamb's regiment. When organized in 1777, the regiment was intended to contain twelve companies. Its personnel came from several regions, including New York, New Haven and Fairfield Counties in Connecticut, Philadelphia, and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The companies assembled at locations including Morristown, Peekskill, and New Haven. On 12 June 1777 the regiment was assigned primarily to the Highlands Department, whose defensive system protected the Hudson River corridor. Nevertheless, individual companies and detachments were repeatedly employed with Washington's main army during major operations. The regiment's wartime service extended beyond fixed garrison duty. Its officers and companies participated in the Danbury Raid, the Philadelphia Campaign, the defense of Fort Mifflin, the Battle of Monmouth, and the Yorktown campaign. Colonel Lamb was wounded at Campo Hill during the Danbury Raid in April 1777 while attempting to check a bayonet assault with artillery. He later commanded the artillery defenses at West Point in 1779 and 1780. During the crisis caused by Benedict Arnold's attempted transfer of West Point to the British, George Washington directed Lamb to take charge of King's Ferry, a strategically important crossing on the Hudson. The regiment was reorganized on 1 January 1781, when the companies of Andrew Porter and Jonas Simonds transferred to the 4th Continental Artillery Regiment, reducing the 2nd Artillery to ten companies. On 28 August 1781 it was reassigned to Washington's main army and moved south for the Yorktown campaign. At the Siege of Yorktown, the regiment numbered approximately 225 men and supported the American and French operations that compelled the British surrender. After Yorktown, the regiment returned to the Hudson Highlands in August 1782. It was reduced to two companies on 11 June 1783 and formally dissolved on 1 January 1784. One company, John Doughty's, remained in the regular United States Army at West Point. That surviving organizational line is associated with the later lineage of the 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment. The 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment is therefore best understood as a defunct historical military unit rather than a commercial brand.

The 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment entered Continental Army service on 1 January 1777 under the name Lamb's Continental Artillery Regiment. Its organization consolidated twelve artillery companies raised principally in New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. The regiment's core came from earlier companies that had already served in the Continental war effort. John Lamb's original company had been authorized in 1775, and a detachment took part in the unsuccessful American expedition to Quebec. Sebastian Bauman's company served with Washington's army and fought at Trenton, while John Doughty's company had also joined the main army before the regiment was formed. The newly organized regiment was distributed among several assembly points. Its New York companies gathered at Peekskill and New York City, Connecticut companies organized in New Haven and Peekskill, and Pennsylvania companies assembled at Morristown. Although the regiment was assigned to the Highlands Department in June 1777, its companies were not confined to the Hudson defenses. Detachments accompanied Washington's army during the Philadelphia Campaign and other operations. Captain James Lee served at the Siege of Fort Mifflin, while artillery officers and companies participated in the Battle of Monmouth. Colonel John Lamb remained the regiment's principal commander despite a dispute over seniority in 1778. He had been wounded at Campo Hill during the Danbury Raid in April 1777. In the following years he served as artillery commander at West Point, a vital Hudson River fortress. During the 1780 treason crisis involving Benedict Arnold, Washington ordered Lamb to assume responsibility for King's Ferry, reflecting the importance of the position and the commander's perceived reliability. Lieutenant Colonel Eleazer Oswald also held a prominent operational role before resigning after the Battle of Monmouth. On 10 August 1779, the Continental artillery regiments received numerical designations. Lamb's regiment became the 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment after a drawing of lots with John Crane's regiment, which became the 3rd. The numbering reflected administrative lineage decisions rather than a simple sequence of creation. On 1 January 1781 the regiment was reduced from twelve to ten companies when the companies commanded by Andrew Porter and Jonas Simonds transferred to the 4th Continental Artillery Regiment. The 2nd Artillery joined Washington's main army on 28 August 1781 and marched south for the Yorktown campaign. It had approximately 225 men during the Siege of Yorktown, where Continental artillery contributed to the sustained bombardment and siege operations that led to the British capitulation. Following the campaign, the regiment returned to the Highlands Department in August 1782. The army's postwar demobilization reduced the regiment to two companies on 11 June 1783. The regiment was dissolved on 1 January 1784, although Doughty's company remained in the regular army at West Point. That surviving company provides the basis for a later United States Army artillery lineage, ultimately associated with the 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment. The regiment itself has no continuing commercial operation, products, or corporate successor.

1. 1784Dissolution

   The regiment was dissolved on 1 January, although Doughty's company remained in the regular army at West Point.

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2. 1783Reduction to two companies

   The regiment was reduced to two companies on 11 June during postwar demobilization.

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3. 1781Reorganization to ten companies

   Two companies transferred to the 4th Continental Artillery Regiment, leaving the 2nd Artillery with ten companies.

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4. 1781Yorktown campaign

   The regiment joined the main army in August and took part in the Siege of Yorktown with approximately 225 men.

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5. 1779Renamed the 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment

   The regiment received its numerical designation on 10 August during the standardization of Continental artillery regimental titles.

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6. 1777Lamb's Continental Artillery Regiment authorized

   The regiment entered Continental Army service on 1 January with twelve companies drawn from New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.

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7. 1777Assignment to the Highlands Department

   The regiment was assigned to the Highlands Department on 12 June, while detachments continued to support operations with Washington's main army.

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8. 1776Doughty's company joins the Continental effort

   John Doughty's New York Provincial Company of Artillery was organized in New York City and served with Washington's main army before joining Lamb's regiment.

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9. 1776Battle of Trenton

   Sebastian Bauman's approximately 80-man company operated three guns at Trenton and helped defeat Hessian artillery positions.

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10. 1775John Lamb's artillery company authorized

    A principal predecessor of the regiment, John Lamb's New York artillery company, was authorized on 30 June 1775.

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11. 1775Bauman's company authorized

    Sebastian Bauman's New York artillery company was authorized on 28 October 1775 and later became part of Lamb's regiment.

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A Revolutionary War field and garrison artillery regiment organized within the Continental Army, with a primary defensive role in the Hudson Highlands and periodic service alongside Washington's main army.

• 1781Yorktown campaign

  Virginia

  The regiment was reassigned to Washington's main army and moved south to participate in the allied siege of Yorktown.

  Outcome. The British army surrendered at Yorktown after the allied siege operations.

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• 1778Battle of Monmouth

  New Jersey

  Lieutenant Colonel Eleazer Oswald directed artillery elements that included guns from the 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment.

  Outcome. Oswald's performance was praised, although he resigned soon afterward.

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• 1777Danbury Raid

  Connecticut

  John Lamb attempted to use three cannons against a British bayonet attack during the raid.

  Outcome. Lamb was wounded at Campo Hill, but remained associated with command of the regiment.

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• 1777Philadelphia Campaign

  Pennsylvania · New Jersey

  Although assigned to the Highlands Department, elements of the regiment supported Washington's army during the British campaign in Pennsylvania.

  Outcome. Detachments performed field artillery duties in the wider Continental campaign.

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• 1777Siege of Fort Mifflin

  Pennsylvania

  Captain James Lee of the regiment served during the defense of Fort Mifflin.

  Outcome. The fort was ultimately abandoned after the British siege.

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• 1776Battle of Trenton

  New Jersey

  Sebastian Bauman's company supported the American attack with three guns positioned near King and Queen Streets.

  Outcome. American artillery helped overwhelm the Hessian guns and contributed to the American victory.

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• 1775Arnold's expedition to Quebec

  Quebec

  A detachment from John Lamb's predecessor company accompanied the American expedition and was captured at the Battle of Quebec.

  Outcome. The detachment suffered capture, while the remaining personnel continued in Continental service.

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• 1781Reorganization before the Yorktown campaignStrategy

  The Continental Army reorganized its artillery establishment during the later stages of the war.

  What changed. The companies commanded by Andrew Porter and Jonas Simonds transferred to the 4th Continental Artillery Regiment, reducing the 2nd to ten companies.

  Aftermath. The reorganized regiment joined the main army and served at Yorktown.

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• 1779Adoption of the 2nd Continental Artillery designationStrategy

  Continental artillery regiments were assigned numerical designations after questions arose about their organizational lineage.

  What changed. Lamb's regiment and John Crane's regiment drew lots; Lamb's became the 2nd and Crane's the 3rd.

  Aftermath. The new designation remained in use until the regiment's dissolution after the war.

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1. 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment