Northern theater of the American Revolutionary War
The Northern theater of the American Revolutionary War also known as the Northern Department of the Continental Army was a theater of operations during the American Revolutionary War.
It was originally called the New York Department, and consisted of all of New York State. On November 12, 1776, after the British occupation of New York City, the Highlands Department was created out of the Northern Department. The Northern Department then stopped 30 miles south of Albany. After that, it was always referred to as the Northern Department.
The Highlands Department was the smallest in area, and was formed around the defenses on the Hudson River north of New York City.
Continental Northern Department
In 1777, the Northern Department was organised into:[1]
- Commanding Officer of the Northern Department, General Philip Schuyler
- Nixon's Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General John Nixon
- De Fermoy's Brigade, commanded by French Brigadier General Matthias Alexis Roche de Fermoy
- Poor's Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General Enoch Poor
- Paterson's Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General John Paterson
- Learned's Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General Ebenezer Learned
British Northern Army
During the Battles of Saratoga, the British northern army consisted of:
- Commanding Officer, Lieutenant General John Burgoyne
- Commander of Artillery & Engineers, Major G. Williams
- detachments of artillery forming 4 composite Companies from the 4th Battalion, Royal Artillery
- Artilleriekompagnie von Pausch (Hesse-Hanau)
- (Captured during the Capture of Fort Ticonderoga) No.6 Company, 4th Battalion, Royal Artillery
- Advanced Corps (vanguard), commanded by Brigadier General S. Fraser
- 24th Regiment of Foot
- Fraser's Rangers
- Canadian Provincial Troops (2 coys)
- Indians led by Chief Joseph Brant
- Right Division, commanded by Major General William Phillips
- 1st Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General James Inglis Hamilton
- 20th Regiment of Foot
- 21st Regiment of Foot
- 62nd Regiment of Foot
- 2nd Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General Henry Watson Powell
- 9th Regiment of Foot
- 47th Regiment of Foot
- 53rd Regiment of Foot
- 1st Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General James Inglis Hamilton
- Left Division (all Germans), commanded by Generalmajor (Major General) Baron Friedrich Adolf Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach (Brunswicker)
- 1st (Brunswick) Brigade, commanded by Brigadegeneral Johann Friedrich von Specht
- 2nd Brigade, commanded by Brigadegeneral Wilhelm von Gall (Hesse-Hanau)
- Reserve (Germans), commanded by Oberstleutnant Heinrich von Breymann
- Brunswickdragoonregiment von Ludwig
- Grenadierbataillon von Breymann (Brunswick)
- Füsilierbataillon von Barner (Brunswick)
- Jägerbataillon von Schottelius
Campaigns
On May 10, 1775, Fort Ticonderoga was captured from the British.
Major General Philip Schuyler was appointed department commander on June 25, 1775. On June 28, 1775 the New York Provincial Congress authorized the raising of the four regiments of the New York Line.
The major campaigns are divided as follows:
After War years
This department was the only one to remain after the war. The last elements of the Continental Army were kept to guard the western frontier outposts.
References
- George Nafziger, Continental Troops in Northern Department 7 September 1777, United States Army Combined Arms Center.
- Wright, Robert K. The Continental Army. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, 1983. Available, in part, online.
