"3rd Light infantry battalion, New York 1776" Topic

Greetings all.

Does anybody have a note of the officers commanding this unit. Unlike those of the 1st and 2nd LI, these officer's names appear not to be listed in the various sources, Orderly Books etc. I haven't made an exhaustive search, though.

Maj John Maitland's name appears in some lists but I am fairly sure that is an error.

The short-lived 3rd LI is something of a 'Cinderella' unit in comparison to the 1st and 2nd, although, for better or worse, it seems they did feature in the scuffle at Harlem Heights in Sept 1776.

All advice, etc

VMT
F42

I don't think Maitland did ever command the 3rd Battalion (coys from the 15th, 28th, 33rd, 37th, 46th, 54th and 57th Foot), as he is listed as CO of the 2nd Battalion during Howe's reorganisation of May 1776 (Musgrave and Dundas command the 1st, Maitland and Turner van Straubenzee the 2nd). I have Major the Hon. Henry Johnson of the 28th Foot commanding the unit during the Rhode Island expedition at the end of 1776, so perhaps it was him all along? The 3rd Grenadiers and 3rd Light Infantry were both disbanded, after returning from Rhode Island in the spring of 1777, leaving the flank companies of the 54th behind as part of the garrison.

Roger all that SM. Thank you. I haven't had much aquaintance with the Rhode Island operation. Perhaps I should remedy that. Interesting to have the name of Johnson to work with. As the 3rd LI was that much smaller than the 1st and 2nd, perhaps they only had one field officer as opposed to two.

Stop Press. Paul Pace at RevList has supplied the missing order.

Dykers ferry, 5th Augt 1776
Parole Chichester Cr Sign Richmond

…Major [Hon. Henry] Johnston of the 28th Regt is appointed to the Command of the 3d Battn Light Infantry …