5th Connecticut Regiment

Authorized on September 16, 1776 in the Continental Army as the 5th Connecticut Regiment.
Organized between January 1- April 1777 at Danbury to consist of 8 companies from Fairfield , Litchfield, and Hartford Counties.
Assigned on April 3, 1777 to the 2nd Connecticut Brigade, an element of the Highland's Department.
Relieved on June 12, 1777 from the 2nd Connecticut Brigade and assigned to the 1st Connecticut Brigade, an element of the Highland's Department.
1st Connecticut Brigade relieved on June 15, 1777 from the Highland's Department and assigned to the Main Continental Army.
1st Connecticut Brigade relieved on July 2, 1777 from the Main Continental Army and assigned to the Highland's Department.
Relieved on July 10, 1777 from the 1st Connecticut Brigade and assigned to the 2nd Connecticut Brigade, an element of the Highland's Department.
Relieved on September 12, 1777 from the 2nd Connecticut Brigade and assigned to the McDougall's Brigade, an element of the Highland's Department.
McDougall's Brigade relieved on September 14, 1777 form the Highland's Department and assigned to the Main Continental Army.
Relieved on October 16, 1777 from McDougall's Brigade and assigned to the 2nd Connecticut Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army.
2d Connecticut Brigade relieved on May 2, 1779 from the Main Continental Army and assigned to the Highland's Department.
Reorganized on July 11, 1779 to consist of 9 companies.
2d Connecticut Brigade relieved on November 16, 1779 from the Highland's Department and assigned to the Main Continental Army.
2d Connecticut Brigade relieved on November 27, 1780 from the Main Continental Army and assigned to the Highland's Department.
Merged on January 1, 1781 with the 7th Connecticut Regiment and reorganized and redesignated as the 2nd Connecticut Regiment, to consist of 9 companies, an element of the the 2nd Connecticut Brigade.
Relieved on January 1, 1783 from the rwo Connecticut Brigade and assigned to the Connecticut Brigade, an element of the Highland's Department.
Furloughed on June 15, 1783 at West Point, New York
Disbanded on November 15, 1783

The second formation, 5th Regiment-Connecticut Line, was part of the reorganized long term Continental Army, America's first regulars. It was formed in the spring of 1777 under Col. Philip Burr Bradley. The Regiment saw its first action against the British at Ridgefield, Connecticut in April 1777 and then was posted to the defense of the vital Highlands near West Point, New York. In October 1777, as reinforcements to Washington's main army, it fought at the Battle of Germantown, Pennsylvania. Suffering from lack of food, clothing and terrible sanitary conditions, the Regiment then spent the winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
Well prepared by Maj. Gen. Baron von Steuben, the Regiment fought gallantly at the Battle of Monmouth, New Jersey, in June of 1778. The unit served the next three years in the Highlands Defense. It encamped in Reading, Connecticut during the winter of 1778-79, and in retaliation for the British raids against the coastline of Connecticut in July 1779, the Continental Army counterattacked at Stony Point, New York. The Regiment contributed its Light Infantry Company to this assault. After the severe winter of 1779-80 near Morristown, New Jersey, the regiment passed 1780 uneventfully.

The Army was reorganized in 1781, and a new 5th Regiment-Connecticut Line was formed from the former 1st and 8th Regiments. In January, the regiment, now commanded by Col. Isaac Sherman, was sent into action in New York near Morisania. In 1781, the Regiment contributed 2 Light Infantry companies to operations in the south. Both companies fought at Yorktown where they participated in the last major infantry assault of the war-the famous capture of Redoubt Number 10. Sgt. William Brown of the 5th Regiment-Connecticut Line was awarded the Badge of Merit for his leadership that night. Known as the "Purple Heart," this was the earliest version of the Medal of Honor, and his was one of only three awarded during the Revolutionary War. The unit was mustered out for the last time in December, 1782 at West Point, New York.