"Best VA Continental or State Unit In the AWI" Topic

I have a very nicely painted unit of Virginia Continentals in blue faced red. Most are wearing the shot "derby" type cap.

I'm trying to decide what VA unit they will represent.
And at what battle?

Any opinions?

I would salt them in with the Virginia militia in Late war. Continentals whose time had expired were in the Late War militia and were said to stiffen them up with their experience. They did good sercvice that way.

There were two new Virginia Continental regiments at Guilford Courthouse in March 1781. They fought well and retired in good order when commanded to do so. They held the right of the third line and helped to defeat the 33d Foot.

I believe that uniform would be appropriate for the First Virginia in 1777 and 1778, which would give you Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth. In 1776 they would have worn hunting shirts, and at Charleston they may have had brown regimentals.

@Brechtel-Do you have anything indicating that the Virginia troops of 1781 wore blue regimentals?

@John-I've heard that about the Virginia militia but I haven't seen any scholarship to back it up. Another explanation of the rising quality of the Virginia militia was the frequency that it was called up and the longer terms of service.

To follow up in Supplying the Southern Continental Army Babits refers to Virginia continentals marching south in unlined jackets with sleeves, shirt, linen overalls, blanket, knapsack and shoes. The footnotes indicates Greene ordered the Virginia continentals to wear jackets "made of wool and to be made in the form of the British light infantry coats, to come down just as low upon the hips as the lower edge of the waistband of the breeches".

The two VA Units were the 4 th and 5th VA. Both were newer recruits, however the 4 th had been in the field for 6 months prior to Guilford and were commanded by experienced line officers.
They gave a good accounting of themselves at Guilford and that's what I'm going with.