History of the 11th PA. Regt.

Company "B" of the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment, under the command of Captain John Coates, was officially authorized on October 25, 1776. Some elements of the 11th Pennsylvania saw action in the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777. Later, some of the 11th Pennsylvania took part in the patrol actions in New Jersey, which marked the spring and summer of 1777. During the summer, the 11th Pennsylvania was assigned to the 2d Brigade of Anthony Wayne's division. Some of its troops were detached to serve with the special task force (the "light infantry corps") under Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, which was formed for the fall campaign opposing the British approach toward Philadelphia from the south. It was Maxwell's command which fought the delaying action at Iron Hill on September 3, 1777, when Lt. Col. Francis Gurney was wounded.

The regiment as a whole seems to have seen its first major action at the Battle of Brandywine, on September 11, 1777, and saw especially hard fighting, taking heavy casualties. The regiment was in combat again on September 20 when, with the rest of Wayne's division, it was surprised at Paoli. Due to bad tactics, the unit took the heaviest losses in the engagement. The 11th Pennsylvania fought again at Germantown on October 4, 1777. The 11th Pennsylvania's total losses during the whole campaign were substantial, for by November 1, 1777, it had present for duty only eight officers and eighty enlisted men. Another sixty-six enlisted men were sick, and thirty-one were on detached service.

After spending the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge (http://valleyforgemusterroll.org/) with the other regiments of the Pennsylvania Line, the 11th Pennsylvania took part in the campaign across New Jersey which followed. At the Battle of Monmouth, on June 28, 1778, it was one of the three Pennsylvania regiments in the force which Aaron Burr led in a late-afternoon assault on the flank of a British counterattacking column. Less than a week later, on July 1, the unit was dissolved, and merged with elements of the 10th Pennsylvania.

TO THE PRESENT - PRESERVING THE PAST: Today's 11th Pennsylvania Regiment, Incorporated, is a proud member of the Continental Line, and a family oriented mix of men, women and children, representing a cross section of Americana, culture and background. While some states only allow reenactors over the age of 16 to participate in battlefield engagements, kids of all ages still enjoy camp life and other aspects of reenacting. We are an equal opportunity unit, open to all who wish to join. We became incorporated in July 1, 2007 and are proud of our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered with the IRS.

We are also a historically accurate group. According to the Washington Papers in the Library of Congress, our company only numbered 17 in February of 1777, and the whole Regiment numbered only 224. Our current day membership is also small, which gives us a family atmosphere. We enjoy avoiding that uncomfortable feeling of being part of an overly large organization.

Annual membership dues are $20 for each member age 16 and above (covers insurance requirements at various events). You may also read our By-Laws and Policies & Procedures to see how we are governed. Are you interested in becoming a part of history? Visit our HOW DO I JOIN page to learn how you can become a member of the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment..